Prison Overcrowding

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.

Lawmakers rejected a request to add hundreds of new prison beds, saying the state must first address staffing shortages and parole backlogs.

KUNC News and the Colorado Capitol News Alliance take a look at the top stories that mattered to our readers and listeners this year.

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.