Colorado § 18-1.3-208 - Intensive supervision probation programs - legislative declaration.

§ 18-1.3-208. Intensive supervision probation programs - legislative declaration.

(1) The general assembly finds and declares that intensive supervision probation programs are an effective and desirable alternative to sentences to imprisonment, community corrections, or jail. It is the purpose of this section to encourage the judicial department to establish programs for the intensive supervision of selected probationers. It is the intent of the general assembly that such programs be formulated so that they protect the safety and welfare of the public in the community where the programs are operating and throughout the state of Colorado.

(2) The judicial department may establish an intensive supervision probation program in any judicial district or combination of judicial districts in order to provide supervision tailored to the specific characteristics that produce a risk classification requiring intensive services for the offender and to facilitate the offender's participation in rehabilitative programs intended to address those characteristics. When establishing such programs, the judicial department shall seek the counsel of the chief judge of the district court, the office of the district attorney, the state public defender or his or her designee, the county sheriff, the chief probation officer in the judicial district, the department of corrections, the local community corrections board, and members of the public at-large.

(3) The judicial department shall require that offenders in the program receive the highest level of supervision that is provided to probationers.

(4) When the court sentences any offender to probation, the probation department shall complete an initial assessment of the offender's risk and needs, using valid assessment tools approved by the state court administrator's office. Offenders who are determined through assessment to be high risk and who meet the acceptance criteria may be placed in an intensive supervision probation program by probation. Furthermore, intensive supervision probation may be used for an offender who has been under the supervision of probation for a period of time and a reassessment indicates the offender's risk of reoffense has increased to high and the offender meets the acceptance criteria of the intensive program. For purposes of this section, "offender" shall have the same meaning as that set forth in section 17-27-102 (6), C.R.S.

(5) The judicial department shall have the power to establish and enforce standards and criteria for the administration of intensive supervision probation programs.

(6) (a) It is the intent of the general assembly in enacting this subsection (6) to recognize that high-risk offenders can be managed in the community with the appropriate supervision and the use of evidence-based treatment programs and practices.

(b) The judicial department is directed to create and implement intensive supervision probation programs based on the current evidence for reducing recidivism by October 1, 2013. Intensive supervision probation programs must require the use of validated assessments to determine the offender's risk of reoffending. The judicial department shall develop acceptance criteria for placement in all intensive supervision probation programs. The judicial department shall develop criteria for offenders to transition from intensive supervision probation programs to regular probation, based on assessment of risk and need and program compliance. An offender may not be placed in or transferred out of an intensive supervision probation program without meeting established criteria.

Source: L. 2002: Entire article added with relocations, p. 1384, § 2, effective October 1. L. 2013: Entire section amended, (SB 13-250), ch. 333, p. 1925, § 35, effective October 1.

Editor's note: This section is similar to former § 16-11-213 as it existed prior to 2002.