Denver has a population of about 600,000 and is situated 15 miles east of the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The Denver County Jail, located 10 miles from the city center, is a 1,634-bed facility that opened in 1956. In 2008, the jail’s average daily population was 2,009, or 23% over capacity. Due to its status as both a city and a county, Denver also has a second jail, the 158-bed Pre-Arraignment Detention Facility, which is operated by the city. Denver plans to open a new Justice Center in the summer of 2010.
Denver’s Crime Prevention and Control Commission (CPCC) was established in 2005, composed of criminal justice system stakeholders (including the jail), service providers, and community members. Among the CPCC’s initiatives was a jail-to-community reentry process. Since its selection as a TJC site in fall 2008, Denver has expanded upon these pre-existing jail reentry efforts, focusing on three major areas: assessing inmate needs, making programming more effective, and evaluating the initiative’s success. Progress made in each of these areas includes:
- Assessment: The Denver County Jail has implemented a screening instrument to determine each inmate’s risk of recidivism. During its second year of TJC assistance, the jail also plans to implement an in-depth assessment tool to identify the needs of those at a high risk of recidivism and better match these needs with the appropriate services.
- Programming: The initiative is working to implement evidence-based program curricula in both the jail and the Community Reentry Project (a community-based reentry center), and to ensure consistency in programming between the two. Four key areas of program content have been identified, and providers must now report regularly on the content of their programs.
- Data and evaluation: A data structure for evaluating the initiative’s effectiveness in reducing recidivism rates has been established.
A CPCC committee, the Community Reentry Committee, and task-specific subcommittees carry out this work. During its second year of TJC technical assistance, Denver hopes to build upon its assessment, programming, and evaluation efforts, as well as establish information-sharing networks, improve case management and transition planning, expand employment opportunities for jail-involved clients, and make the initiative more sustainable and broad-based.
At the inception of Denver’s TJC initiative in fall 2008, Mayor John Hickenlooper expressed enthusiasm about the project. “Our Crime Prevention and Control Commission has made great strides to reduce overcrowding in our jails by implementing alternatives to incarceration, expediting case processing, and targeting mental health and re-entry efforts,” he said. “Technical assistance from the National Institute of Corrections and Urban Institute on the Transition from Jail to Community initiative will enhance our comprehensive model and maximize cost-effective reintegration of our citizens into our community.”
For more information, visit the Denver Crime Prevention and Control Commission website at www.denvergov.org/crimeprevention or contact Shelley Siman: shelley.siman@denvergov.org.
