We are overseeing a measured two-year pilot program to accelerate the transition of certain eligible prison inmates to parole.
The first transitions are just now underway, but pronouncements of failure have already begun. On Oct. 18, The Denver Post editorialized about the pilot program’s “problems” and “limited potential.”
We strongly support this program and are fully dedicated to keeping public safety as our first priority. While fewer inmates or parolees may take part, and while we may not save taxpayers as much as initially estimated, this program allows us to modernize and improve the corrections system and achieve fiscal savings during these difficult times.
With 23,000 prison inmates and 12,000 parolees under our supervision, Colorado now spends more on corrections than it does educating approximately 220,000 college students. No matter how you analyze those numbers, this is an unsustainable set of circumstances.
Since Gov. Bill Ritter took office in 2007, he has made reducing Colorado’s chronically high recidivism rate a cornerstone of his administration. These initiatives have helped slow the rate of growth in our prison population. Based on evidence rooted in research and supported by many in the criminal justice and law enforcement community, the accelerated transition pilot program is a logical step forward for Colorado’s anti-recidivism initiatives.
The only inmates who will qualify are those getting out within 180 days anyway. The first group of inmates to qualify were released an average of 70 days early. And they are being released early into parole programs that will include enhanced supervision and monitoring and more intensive job-training, housing and substance-abuse services to help increase their likelihood of success.
The Parole Board has established very clear and rigorous review standards to determine which inmates will and will not be considered for an accelerated transition, utilizing three assessment tools and numerous criteria. Inmates likely to qualify are those most likely to succeed because of strong family support and a commitment to remain sober, and who are prepared for employment.
The most serious offenders — those currently incarcerated for Class 1 and 2 felonies such as first- and second-degree murder and rape, and those who are habitually violent — will not be considered. Other offenders will have a difficult time qualifying because the board will take into account victim input and whether the inmate behaved badly in prison.
We have discussed these criteria with the governor and he has endorsed them. There are no quotas attached to this pilot program. The governor has made it clear to us that all decisions be made with an eye towards public safety and are totally at the discretion of the Parole Board.
The Parole Board is composed of dedicated people with expertise in criminal justice and public safety, including a former judge, former victim advocate, former parole officers, former police officer and former corrections employee — all citizens committed to keeping Coloradans safe and making a positive difference for future generations.
As head of the Parole Board and the Department of Corrections, we have a combined 80 years of public safety and criminal justice experience between us. We’ve dedicated our entire careers to putting criminals behind bars. We aren’t about to start compromising our values or risk public safety — no matter how much money we might save.
David Michaud has served as chairman of the Colorado Parole Board since 2007. Ari Zavaras has twice served as executive director of the Department of Corrections and also as director of the Department of Public Safety.
