prisons
Tiger King’s Joe Exotic will get shorter prison sentence following ruling by Denver-based federal appeals court
Joe Exotic had been sentenced to 22 years in federal prison in January 2020. The appeals court ordered the trial court to re-sentence him.
Colorado may expand early prison release program for people who committed serious crimes before age 21
Proponents of a House Bill 1209 argue some adolescents shouldn’t be punished with long sentences for crimes committed in their youth. But some crime victims’ families oppose the measure.
Colorado prisons have strict limits on when they can place inmates in solitary confinement. Jails could be next.
New legislation would require local jails to keep youth and people with certain medical or mental health conditions out of solitary confinement, with strict rules on when those individuals can be housed in isolation.
Rep. Amabile: Solitary confinement is tantamount to torture. Our bill would restrict it in Colorado’s jails.
Prolonged isolation behind bars is cruel, inhumane, degrading treatment and harmful to health.
Colorado is offering prison staff $500 to get COVID-19 vaccines in effort to boost low inoculation rates
The $500, subject to normal taxes and withholdings, will come from the agency budget to fund the bonus for those who complete vaccination by May 15
Three cases of South African coronavirus variant found in Colorado prison
The variant is of particular concern because vaccines may be less effective against it
Opinion: Polis must enact a COVID-19 vaccination plan for Colorado’s hard-hit prisons
Refusing to implement a prison vaccine plan now will exacerbate suffering and the pandemic’s unequal impact on communities of color.
Colorado judges denied many “compassionate release” requests during pandemic
Federal judges in Colorado approved just three requests in 2020 for sentence reductions or compassionate release from inmates with health concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Judge dismisses ACLU lawsuit against Gov. Polis seeking to reduce prison population during COVID-19
“The Court does not have the power to declare the Governor’s alleged failure to act unconstitutional,” according to the ruling
Four more Colorado prisoners die after suspected coronavirus infections, bringing pandemic total to 24
The new fatalities come even as active coronavirus cases in Colorado Department of Corrections facilities are decreasing
Colorado begins vaccinating prison workers as coronavirus spreads
Close to 7,000 inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began and 20 have died
“Of course it feels unsafe”: Colorado prisons face staffing crisis as scores of guards, inmates catch coronavirus
Already, parole officers have been offered overtime pay to serve as prison guards and help with basic operations inside the locked facilities
Inmates in Colorado, across the U.S. facing big coronavirus risks are not atop vaccine lists
More than 249,000 inmates have tested positive and nearly 1,700 have died from COVID-19 nationwide. At a prison in Colorado last week, nearly three-quarters of inmates caught the virus.
Colorado’s governor says prisoners won’t be prioritized for a coronavirus vaccine. A state plan outlines otherwise.
Gov. Jared Polis’ comments Tuesday run counter to the ethical framework in a plan drafted by his administration. Colorado officials say the plan will be revised next week.
Colorado officials reach settlement over prison inmates vulnerable to coronavirus
The Colorado chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union sought a lawsuit in May against the Colorado Department of Corrections
Colorado governor defends prison system, accuses ACLU of using coronavirus to push its agenda
“The pandemic is no excuse to let criminals out,” Gov. Jared Polis said Thursday, saying that steps have been taken to ensure the safety of inmates and guards at state prisons
How Colorado lawmakers closed a $3 billion shortfall to balance the budget and why it led to tears
The Joint Budget Committee finalized how to spend $11 billion in discretionary spending ahead of the legislative session’s restart
Coronavirus infections in prisons threaten to choke rural hospitals
There are hundreds of coronavirus cases in rural Colorado prisons
Colorado prison inmate dies after being taken to hospital with coronavirus symptoms
The 86-year-old man was taken from the Sterling Correctional Facility to a hospital on Monday. He died on Friday.
Jared Polis can commute the sentences of Colorado’s three death row inmates at any time
The governor said the cases of the three men waiting to die by lethal injection are not “ripe” for his review because he hasn’t received any clemency requests. But he doesn’t necessarily need anything to take action.
