Colorado now starting serious reform efforts

As detailed in this local article, the new " Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice will sit down Friday to begin tackling questions on sentencing, recidivism and other factors contributing to the state's fast-growing prison population."  Here are more details about another state's efforts to deal with prison growth issues:

Gov. Bill Ritter, who set up the commission and appointed the 27 members, will speak at the first session.... The commission was an initiative of the governor, a former Denver district attorney, said Lance Clem, spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.  "The governor is concerned about the impact of incarceration on the state budget and how to find cost-effective alternatives to incarceration," Clem said.

The state has 23,000 inmates housed in facilities throughout the state and 10,000 parolees. Criminal justice officials expect the state's prison population to rise nearly 25 percent in the next six years.  The Department of Corrections budget is now more than $702 million. Statistics indicate 90-95 percent of prisoners will be released, but one of every two ex-cons will return to prison within three years. The commission will look at recidivism rates and prisoner re-entry, Weir said. It also will look at prevention and alternatives to incarceration, he said.