Colorado Commission Creates Task Forces

Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice Creates Task Forces

The Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) was created by HB 1358 during the 2007 legislative session. The first meeting with all 26 members was held in January 2008, at which the commission presented its stated mission: to enhance public safety, to ensure justice, and to ensure protection of the rights of victims through the cost-effective use of public resources. The work of the commission will focus on evidence-based recidivism reduction initiatives and cost-effective spending necessary to bring those ideas to fruition.

After that January meeting, Executive Director Peter Weir determined that the first order of business was to educate the members of the commission about the realities of the criminal justice system in Colorado. He understood that most people who don’t work in the system don’t necessarily understand the intricacies of such topics as bonding, sentencing, parole, and incarceration practices. Thus, experts from across the nation and from within Colorado provided evidence-based research materials about the criminal justice arena in Colorado and other states, as well.

After several months of meetings, the commission formed the Re-Entry Oversight Committee. Under that umbrella, four separate task forces were put together to look at different aspects of the system and to consider how the systems may be strengthened through legislative or policy reform. Each task force has incorporated voices from the community in leadership roles and as task force members. CCJRC is represented on the Re- Entry Oversight Committee as well as on three of the four task forces.

The task force recommendations will focus on statutes, policies, regulations, and practices that to reduce barriers to successful reintegration into society so that the recidivism rates are significantly reduces. The Commission is also required to report on recommendations to reduce racial disparity in the criminal justice system. CCJRC would like to invite comments from our members in regards to any recommendations that you might wish to suggest to any committee.

Probation Task Force: will work to develop policy recommendations that will reduce the barriers for people on probation and increase the success rate on probation.

Transition Task Force: will look at the systemic and personal challenges that people face six months prior to and six months following release from jail or prison and the changes that could be implemented in order to reduce recidivism.

Incarceration Task Force: charged with making specific recommendations related to the governance of jails, prisons, and community corrections facilities in order to reduce recidivism.

Post-Supervision Task Force: will examine changes that could be made to current parole laws, the parole board, and the parole system in order to reduce recidivism.

The work of the Oversight Committee on Re-Entry will be conducted in three phases. In each phase, barriers to implementing evidence-based correctional practice will be identified along with strategies to remove the barriers. The Oversight Committee on Re-Entry will propose Phase 1 recommendations to the Colorado CCJJ by October 2008, in time for the commission’s November 2008 report to the General Assembly.

Additional information about the Colorado CCJJ may be found at http://cdpsweb.state.co.us/cccjj/

Oversight Committee on Re-Entry
Regina Huerter, Chair
Jeaneene Miller	David Kaplan	Mike Riede	Regis Groff
Tom Quinn	Jeanne Smith	Grayson Robinson	Louise Boris
Peter Weir	Gil Martinez	Michelle Sykes	Christie Donner
Staff: Kim English