Community Corrections: Residential Programs

Overview

Residential Community Corrections facilities are an alternative to prison intended to help offenders return to their communities. Offenders that meet acceptance criteria are placed in residential programs instead of prison or transferred from Colorado's state prisons before release.

The residential programs provides a structured environment where offenders live under supervision but are allowed to leave the facility to work, attend treatment for mental health issues and/or substance abuse and reconnect with family and community.

Residential Community Corrections facilities are an alternative to prison intended to help offenders return to their communities. Offenders that meet acceptance criteria are placed in residential programs instead of prison or transferred from Colorado's state prisons before release. 

The residential programs provides a structured environment where offenders live under supervision but are allowed to leave the facility to work, attend treatment for mental health issues and/or substance abuse and reconnect with family and community. 

Benefits of Residential Community Corrections

  • It costs taxpayers less than incarceration
  • Offender's employment  offsets the costs of housing and treatment and allows payment of child support or restitution to victims
  • A gradual, supervised return to the community instead of direct release,  which leads to greater success in rejoining the community. 

After Release from Residential Community Corrections

Offenders typically transition from residential programs to non-residential programs that provide treatment in the community and a lower level of supervision. Currently, 26 non-residential programs operate in the state serving diversion offenders. 

Acceptance Criteria

The Denver Community Corrections Board will accept all referrals into the Denver Residential Community Corrections Program by any State of Colorado court, the Colorado Department of Corrections, or the Division of Youth Corrections with the following exceptions:

  1. Persons charged with a felony offense(s) who have not yet entered a plea or who have entered a “not guilty” plea and await trial or other judicial proceedings; except for those who have formally agreed to the terms of “deferred” prosecutions and/or judgment will remain eligible.
  2. Proposed diversion placements adjudicated in a court other than the Second Judicial District Court. This includes persons referred by the Colorado Department of Corrections/Parole Board that are not serving active sentences in the CDOC from either the 1st, 2nd, 17th, 18th or  20thJudicial District.
  3. Persons referred directly to a non-residential community correctional program without first being placed in a residential system.
  4. Persons currently or previously convicted of any felony offense involving the use, possession, or threatened use of a deadly weapon within five years of the most recent conviction.
  5. Persons currently or previously convicted of any criminal offense, the underlying factual basis of which involved a sex-related criminal offense.
  6. Persons currently or previously convicted of a felony involving child abuse.
  7. A person currently or previously convicted of arson or felony involving burning.
  8. Persons currently convicted of the sale, dispensing or possession for sale, manufacturing of narcotics/dangerous drugs.
  9. Persons currently or previously convicted of any acts instrumental in causing serious bodily injury or death, or any present felony or offense involving domestic violence or intimidation of a witness.
  10. Persons assigned to community corrections by the court after having previously absconded/escaped from a community correction facility or program within the preceding year.
  11. Persons previously convicted of felony escape from a correctional institution or correctional program within five years.
  12. Persons who have parole revoked within the preceding five years for the commission of a new crime, excluding all misdemeanors and city ordinance violations involving property crimes. There shall be no time limitation for parolees revoked for the commission of a new crime involving violent behavior or the use of a weapon.
  13. Persons convicted of a felony while on escape status, while on parole, or under correctional supervision (excluding probation supervision) within the preceding five years.
  14. Persons whose criminal history, correctional performance or treatment diagnosis demonstrate a history of violent behavior.

Frequently Asked Questions

How secure are community corrections residential facilities?

Community Corrections facilities, also called halfway houses, are not meant to be a confined setting for offenders. In fact, one of the primary goals of community corrections is to enable offenders to reintegrate and transition into the community.

Several measures are taken to ensure public safety in this process. Residents are only allowed to leave the facility for employment, treatment, or with staff-approved passes; and residents’ whereabouts are monitored.

Facility staff regularly search residents and the facility for contraband. They employ heightened security measures using the latest technologies. Less than two percent of residents in community corrections are terminated from the program for committing a new crime.

Are all offenders in community corrections residential facilities violent offenders?

There is nothing that precludes a violent offender from being placed in community corrections, but as with all referrals, the case must be approved by the Community Corrections Board.

How many residential facilities are located in Denver?

There are 10 residential facilities located throughout the City and County of Denver operated by public or private organizations. These facilities provide services to male and female offenders, including special populations such as the mentally ill and those with severe drug and alcohol addictions

Can someone from out-of-state be accepted into community corrections?

No, out-of-state referrals are not accepted for Denver Community Corrections programs.

How many clients does Denver accept through contracts with other jurisdictions?

Denver does not contract with other counties for services.

However, due to the specialized drug and alcohol treatment offered by the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center-Peer I and Haven Programs, Denver does allow other counties to refer individuals as needed. 

As with all proposed placements, they must be approved for placement by the Denver Community Corrections Board.

How many offenders are sent directly to community corrections rather than prison?

In Denver there are about 700 clients in residential beds, and roughly one-third are classified as diversion offenders. These are offenders sentenced directly by the Denver District Court to community corrections as an alternative to prison. These offenders typically are not eligible for probation sentences, and community corrections is seen as a viable alternative to a prison sentence.

How is the Program Funded

In Colorado, the community corrections system functions as a partnership between state and local agencies in collaboration with community corrections service providers. The state of Colorado oversees community corrections standards and adminsters funding for local correctional programs. The Colorado Department of Public Safety allocates funds through the Division of Criminal Justice. Visit the State of Colorado's website to learn more. 

 

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