*What is the mission of the Colorado Board of Parole?
Answer: The mission of the Parole Board is to increase public safety by evaluating an individual’s potential for successful reintegration to the community through the use of innovative evidence-informed practices.
* What types of hearings are conducted by the Parole Board?
Answer: There are primarily three types of hearings:
(1) application interviews, (2) rescission hearings, and (3) revocation hearings.
- Application Interview:
- In this type of hearing, the inmate is applying for discretionary parole. In most cases, after the application interview concludes, the initiating Board Member will either defer the inmate\'s application for parole for a specified time or release the inmate to discretionary parole. A second Board member will review the decision and approve it by affixing his/her electronic signature to the action. Only then, once the application action notice has two signatures, is the decision final.
- If an inmate meets either the statutorily defined full board criteria or the Colorado Parole Board\'s full board criteria, the initiating Board Member must refer the inmate\'s file to be reviewed by the full board, for release consideration. Conversely, if the initiating hearing officer elects to defer, he/she may do so, without referring the inmate before the full board.
- Rescission Hearing:
- If an inmate has gone before the Colorado Parole Board and has received discretionary parole, this parole date may be suspended and then rescinded for a variety of reasons. Once a discretionary release date has been suspended, a rescission hearing will then be scheduled to allow the Board the ability to re-evaluate the release decision, taking into consideration the information that prompted the suspension of the release date. Please refer to the Colorado Department of Corrections Administrative Regulation, AR 550-08 for a comprehensive list of events/items that could suspend a discretionary parole date.
- Revocation Hearing:
- Once an inmate has been released to parole, he/she must abide by the conditions of parole, as designated by the Board. If the parolee violates his/her conditions of parole, he/she may be brought before the Board by the Colorado Department of Corrections\' Parole Division for possible revocation of parole.
* May I attend a Parole Board Hearing, if so how do I arrange it?
Answer: Yes, Parole Board Hearings are open to the public, however, depending on the hearing you wish to attend, will dictate the procedure you must follow.
*If you wish to attend an application hearing: You must attend at the facility where the offender is located. Since each private facility and state facility has specific security requirements, you must contact the offender's case manager for information on how to apply for a security clearance before arriving at the facility.
*If you wish to attend a revocation hearing: You must attend at the jail where the parolee is located. Please contact the supervising parole officer for instruction on the clearance process.
* I cannot attend the Parole Board Hearing at the facility. Can I write a letter of support for the offender instead?
Answer: Yes, you may write a letter of support for the offender. However, please ensure the letter is sent to the inmate's case manager for upload into the DOC system. Case managers are responsible for uploading inmate information, so please do not send letters of support directly to the Parole Board. Letters sent directly to the Parole Board will be immediately sent to the inmate's case manager for processing. This delay may result in your letter not being uploaded in time for review by the Board.
* I am the victim of a crime, how do I receive notification of upcoming Parole Board Hearings?
Answer: If you are a victim of a crime and wish to be notified of upcoming hearings, it is imperative that you actively enroll with the Colorado Department of Corrections' Victim Service Unit Victim Services 1-800-886-7688. Once enrolled, you will receive timely notifications of upcoming hearings.
* I am the victim of a crime and I wish to attend a parole hearing, what do I need to do?
Answer: Please contact the Colorado Department of Corrections' Victim Service Unit for arrangements to attend parole hearings at 1-800- 886-7688.
* I wish to obtain a copy of the audio of a hearing. How can I accomplish this?
Answer: For individuals who are not a part of the Criminal Justice System, you must submit a CORA request to the Colorado Department of Corrections. For individuals who are a part of the Criminal Justice System, you must submit a CCJRA request to the Colorado Department of Corrections. For CORA / CCJRA requests, the Parole Board has designated the Colorado Department of Corrections to act on its behalf.
* How are hearings conducted?
Answer: The Parole Board conducts the majority of its hearings by video conferencing and telephone.
* What factors do you consider in making parole decisions?
Answer: The factors we consider are outlined in 17-22.5-404, C.R.S. (2017):
In considering offenders for parole, the state board of parole shall consider the totality of the circumstances, which include, but need not be limited to, the following factors:
(I) The testimony or written statement from the victim of the crime, or a relative of the victim, or a designee, pursuant to section 17-2-214.
(II) The actuarial risk of re-offense,
(III) The offender\'s assessed criminogenic need level,
(IV) The offender\'s program or treatment participation and progress,
(V) The offender\'s institutional conduct,
(VI) The adequacy of the offender\'s parole plan,
(VII) Whether the offender while under sentence has threatened or harassed the victim or the victim\'s family or has caused the victim or the victim\'s family to be threatened or harassed, either verbally or in writing,
(VIII) Aggravating or mitigating factors from the criminal case,
(IX) The testimony or written statement from a prospective parole sponsor, employer, or other person who would be available to assist the offender if released on parole,
(X) Whether the offender had previously absconded or escaped or attempted to abscond or escape while on community supervision, and
(XI) Whether the offender successfully completed or worked toward completing a high school diploma, a high school equivalency examination, as defined in section 22-33-102 (8.5), C.R.S., or a college degree during his or her period of incarceration.
(b) The state board of parole shall use the Colorado risk assessment scale that is developed by the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Public Safety pursuant to paragraph (a) of subsection (2) of this section in considering inmates for release on parole.
(c) (I) Except as provided in subparagraph (II) of this paragraph (c), the state board of parole shall also use the administrative release guideline instrument developed pursuant to section 17-22.5-107 (1)in evaluating an application for parole.
(II) The administrative release guideline instrument shall not be used in considering those inmates classified as sex offenders with indeterminate sentences for whom the sex offender management board pursuant to section 18-1.3-1009, C.R.S., has established separate and distinct release guidelines. The sex offender management board in collaboration with the Department of Corrections, the Judicial Department, the Division of Criminal Justice in the Department of Public Safety, and the State Board of Parole shall develop a specific sex offender release guideline instrument for use by the state board of parole for those inmates classified as sex offenders with determinate sentences.
* Is there a different procedure for violent offenders versus nonviolent offenders?
Answer: Yes. Individual Board members do not have the authority to parole offenders convicted of a violent crime. Instead, if a Board member believes he or she is a good candidate for parole, or would like the input of the other Board members, the member refers the offender to the entire Parole Board for consideration. The Board sits as a Full Board at least once a week and votes on parole applications for violent offenders. An offender needs at least 4 affirmative votes to be released on parole. In contrast, individual members retain the authority to make final release decisions for non-violent offenders.
*I have been notified of the application interview results and wish to appeal the decision. How can this be accomplished?
Answer: In accordance with the Rules Governing the State Board of Parole and Parole Proceedings, 8 CCR 1511-1 (9.03): Decisions resulting from Parole Application Hearings are not subject to appeal.
* How do you decide to revoke an offender's parole?
Answer: The Parole Revocation process is governed by 17-2-103, C.R.S. (2013). Each hearing is an independent event. The Parole Board member conducting the hearing is an objective hearing officer and accepts testimony and evidence from the Division of Adult Parole and the parolee. After reviewing all pertinent information, the Board member renders a decision.
* I have been notified by the offender of the revocation hearing results and wish to appeal the decision. How can this be accomplished?
Answer: Only the parolee or the parolee's attorney may appeal the parole revocation and the appeal must be sent to the Colorado State Board of Parole's mailing address and received within 30 days of the referenced revocation hearing.
* I wish to file a complaint against a parole officer. How can I accomplish this?
Answer: The Parole Board is a separate entity from the Colorado Department of Corrections, additionally, the Parole Board has no jurisdiction over the Colorado Division of Adult Parole. Please contact the Colorado Department of Corrections Parole Division with your concerns.