Justice Commission Picks Topics For The Year
The Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice has identified several areas it will target for its recommendations this year:
* Study the disproportionate number of minorities who are incarcerated in Colorado.
* Study parole and community corrections.
* Reduce recidivism.
* Study parole and community corrections.
* Focus on juvenile programs and policies.
* Focus on crime prevention.
* Review sentencing and parole laws.
"They hope to get something recommended by November," said Lance Clem, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.
Clem said the legislation that created the crime commission called for a report on the one-year anniversary so the commission will report to Gov. Bill Ritter and the legislature what they have been doing.
The commission spent its first four months studying what other states have done to reduce the cost of incarceration.
The Colorado Department of Corrections' budget has climbed from $57 million in 1985 to $702 million this year, and the state's prison population grew 400 percent from 4,000 in 1985 to 20,000 in 2005. If the state stays on its current course , the prison population will increase by nearly 25 percent by 2013, officials say.
The commission is headed by Peter Weir, executive director of the Department of Public Safety.
Its members include legislators, prosecutors, police chiefs, sheriffs and state officials. Rhonda Fields, whose son was killed before he could testify in a murder trial, is also a member.
"Public input is important," Clem said.
The Rocky Mountain News
1 comment:
They say public input is inportant? We have been telling them about the problems for the past 4 years. Had they listened the prison population would be about half of your present population and wouldnt go any higher. I have personally offered to meet with legislative people, director of public safety, governors advocacy people to which none responded.The lock em up attitude of those who created the mess you have with Justice and your current DOC are the root cause. To begin with put some teeth into your attorney regulation council and the board run by the supreme court that is supposed to handle judges misconduct. Neither do anything but collect there dam salarys! Second you need the legislature to take away the immunity given to your state, county and city employee's. Would stop all the corruption you have for good. djw
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