Prison

It’s unclear if the measures will be enough to offset the need for reopening one or two prisons.

A parole backlog and new laws lengthening sentences are leading to a surge in the prison population.

The Department of Corrections says it needs money to fund additional beds. But Colorado lawmakers don’t want to keep writing short-term checks without a long-term plan.

The reentry resources are meant to ensure a successful return to society for recently released prisoners.

Colorado’s state prisons have been near capacity since August, and predictions that the prison population will continue to grow have state lawmakers regularly debating the addition of more beds or contracting additional facilities.

In recent years, the governor has shortened sentences he saw as too severe.

A federal magistrate judge has rejected a bid by a former Colorado county clerk to be released from prison while she appeals her state conviction for orchestrating a data breach scheme driven by false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.

Colorado has not said whether it would consider transferring Peters to a federal facility.

Colorado’s prisons are understaffed and overcrowded, pushing inmates into county jails. The state’s emergency plan is now active, but local leaders say it’s only a temporary fix.

Low vacancy rates could trigger expedited parole hearings and halfway house placements.