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Submitted herewith is the final report of the Legislative Oversight Committee for the Treatment of Persons with Behavioral Health Disorders in the Criminal and Juvenile Justice System. The committee was created pursuant to Article 98 of Title 37, Colorado Revised Statutes. The purpose of this committee is to oversee an advisory task force that studies and makes recommendations concerning persons with behavioral health disorders who are justice-involved.

Pursuant to Section 2-3-1901, C.R.S, the Legislative Oversight Committee for Colorado Jail Standards (committee) is responsible for adopting and revising standards for Colorado jails. The committee adopted a set of jail standards in 2023. Pursuant to Section 2-3-1901.5, C.R.S, jails must comply with the standards by July 1, 2026.

The Colorado General Assembly passed a variety of criminal justice, corrections, and court-related bills in 2025. The new laws made changes to forensic science, law enforcement, judges and municipal courts, prison policies, and immigration.

This memorandum provides an overview of issues considered by fiscal analysts for bills that impact the criminal justice system. Specifically, it provides an overview of Colorado's crime classifications and sentencing ranges, and of criminal justice impacts by state or local government agency.

Crime Classification Guide for Class 6 Felonies

This issue brief discusses the various offenses related to driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol in Colorado, and their associated criminal and administrative penalties.

Crime Classification Guide 2014 - Elections

Crime Classification Guide for Class 1 Misdemeanors

This memorandum provides information on Colorado law related to nonfatal strangulation and information on the laws in states in which nonfatal strangulation is a felony. While Colorado statutes do not specifically address strangulation, other criminal statutes may apply. This memorandum also provides information on the 30 states identified by staff that explicitly designate strangulation as a felony.

Crime Classification Guide for Class 5 Felonies

Crime Classification Guide for Unclassified Felonies

This section contains a current listing of petty offenses. Petty offenses have two categories: class 1 and class 2. There are four unclassified petty offenses listed at the end of the class 1 and class 2 petty offenses.

Crime Classification Guide for Unclassified Offenses

Prior to being discharged from the state criminal justice system, adult offenders are released from prison for a period of parole. This issue brief summarizes recent state adult parole initiatives. These include the offender reentry programs authorized in House Bill 14-1355, and the “intermediate sanctions” program established in Senate Bill 15-124 to reduce offender returns to prison for certain technical violations.

Juvenile justice systems were created in the late 19th century under the philosophy that juveniles are different than adults and may have different rehabilitation needs. Colorado has two separate systems for the detention or commitment of juveniles convicted of crimes. One system exists within the Department of Human Services (DHS), a department with the responsibility of addressing child welfare, while the other exists within the Department of Corrections (DOC), where adult offenders are sentenced.

This memorandum provides information on Colorado's construction defect laws and the various issues surrounding construction defects in Colorado. It summarizes the current construction defect laws in the state, provides a summary of a recent Denver Regional Council of Governments study of the Denver housing market, and gives a comparative view of the civil laws of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas as points of reference

The purpose of this publication is to compile information on Colorado law related to sex offenses and sex offenders.  Included in this report is the following:

•     a listing of sex offenses in Colorado law;

•     information on the statute of limitations for sex offenses;

•     information on sentencing for sex offenses;

State legislatures have emphasized the importance of collecting deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) to solve crimes. This issue brief describes legislative efforts, both in Colorado and across the country, to mandate that individuals convicted of or arrested for a crime submit a DNA sample for entry into the national DNA database.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2015 Colorado ranked 21st in the nation for the number of identity theft victims, with 123.2 victims per 100,000 population. Identity theft is generally defined as the unlawful use of personal identifying or financial information of another person to obtain cash or credit, including name and birth date as well as a credit card and social security number. Using driver’s license, social security, bank account, and credit card numbers, identity thieves create new accounts or run up charges on existing accounts in the other person's name

Recent federal policy changes have increased public awareness of asset forfeiture, a  process  through  which  a  law  enforcement agency can seize property that may have been involved  in  a  criminal  action.  

This issue brief provides an overview of how the justice system treats juveniles found guilty of a crime in Colorado.  It discusses juvenile problem solving courts; detention and commitment; the facilities where juveniles are housed; the programs and services available; requirements for sentencing, parole, and release; and the Youthful Offender System.

Colorado law imposes standards on, and grants certain responsibilities to, persons considered peace officers, including the authority to enforce Colorado law.  This issue brief provides information on training and certification of peace officers, reserve officers, and the process for obtaining peace officer status.

This memorandum provides information concerning the use of capital punishment in Colorado and across the country.  The memorandum provides a brief history of Colorado’s death penalty scheme and information on recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions concerning the constitutionality of the death penalty.  It also explains the current death penalty scheme in Colorado, including procedures used in sentencing and required review by trial courts and the Colorado Supreme Court.

Recent federal policy changes have increased public awareness of asset forfeiture, a process through which a law enforcement agency can seize property that may have been involved in a criminal action.  While federal policy affects federal seizures in the state, Colorado law governs how state and local agencies participate in seizure actions.  This issue brief summarizes Colorado and federal civil asset forfeiture laws.