This memorandum provides an overview of state law concerning release on bail and the use of pretrial services programs. A summary of the work done by several Colorado counties together with the Pretrial Justice Institute, a nonprofit organization funded by the U.S. Department of Justice, and the JFA Institute, a nonprofit agency that provides statistical analysis, to develop a standardized Colorado Pretrial Assessment Tool that is also included.
Coronavirus (COVID-19) has impacted almost every aspect of society, including the criminal justice system, leaving crowded courts, prisons and jails especially susceptible to the outbreak. This memorandum provides an overview of how prisons in Colorado are reacting to this public health emergency.
