Community Corrections

The Community Corrections system was authorized by legislation initially passed in 1974. Senator Ralph Cole is considered the father of Community Corrections in Colorado. Subsequently, duties and responsibilities of boards and programs have been modified over the years by the Colorado legislature. Additionally, multiple cases have been brought befre the courts, the decision of which have affected the operation so of community corrections. Each year, bills are proposed by the legislature that impact Community Correction or its clients.

What is Community Corrections?

Community Corrections is often referred to as a “halfway house.” In Colorado these are typically occupied by ‘Diversion’ clients from Probation / judicial and ‘Transition’ clients from DOC. For DOC inmates the idea is to include graduated release through a systematic decrease in supervision and increase in offender responsibility. DOC offenders can go to a Community Corrections as an inmate and / or while on parole as a ‘Condition of Parole’ placement. Community Corrections programs are supervised by the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ).

Community Corrections provides a sentencing or placement alternative, in lieu of prison incarceration, for felony offenders. Participating in a Community Corrections program requires the offender to change his or her behavior, while allowing some restricted privileges to access the community. Community Corrections combines residential supervision and treatment for offenders that are ineligible for probation supervision or for those who have spent time in prison and are awaiting parole placement by the State Board of Parole.

All providers of Community Corrections perform similar levels of core supervision and treatment practices according to the state standards. In addition to the core standards, some providers have specific programs targeted toward the supervision and treatment of specialized offenders who have various levels of substance use disorders, mental health disorders, and for offenders convicted of a sexual offense. These specialty programs include: Intensive Residential Treatment (IRT) programs, Residential Dual Diagnosis Treatment (RDDT) programs, Therapeutic Community (TC) programs, the EMBARC (Enhancing Motivation by Achieving Reshaped Cognition) pilot program, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Sex Offender Supervision and Treatment Programs (SOSTP).

Who Runs Community Corrections

In Colorado, community corrections programs consist of various types of providers. Community corrections in Colorado is a system of public providers, non-profit providers, and private organizations Find Community Corrections Programs. The Colorado model was founded on the principle of local control which involves collaboration between the state and local levels of government and community corrections providers. Local Community Corrections Board List.