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.
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- Persons referred directly to a non-residential community correctional program without first being placed in a residential system.
- 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.
- Persons currently or previously convicted of any criminal offense, the underlying factual basis of which involved a sex-related criminal offense.
- Persons currently or previously convicted of a felony involving child abuse.
- A person currently or previously convicted of arson or felony involving burning.
- Persons currently convicted of the sale, dispensing or possession for sale, manufacturing of narcotics/dangerous drugs.
- 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.
- Persons assigned to community corrections by the court after having previously absconded/escaped from a community correction facility or program within the preceding year.
- Persons previously convicted of felony escape from a correctional institution or correctional program within five years.
- 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.
- Persons convicted of a felony while on escape status, while on parole, or under correctional supervision (excluding probation supervision) within the preceding five years.
- Persons whose criminal history, correctional performance or treatment diagnosis demonstrate a history of violent behavior.