First Regular Session
Sixty-second General Assembly
LLS NO. R990935.01 Jerry
Barry
STATE OF COLORADO
BY SENATOR Rupert, Phillips, Dennis, Feeley, Linkhart,
Martinez, Matsunaka, Pascoe, Reeves, Sullivant, Tanner, Thiebaut,
and Wham.
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 99-052
CONCERNING THE CREATION OF AN INTERIM COMMITTEE TO
STUDY CRIMINAL SENTENCING POLICIES OF THE STATE.
WHEREAS, The primary goal of the criminal justice
system must be to protect the safety of citizens in the community;
and
WHEREAS, The number of offenders incarcerated in
prisons in the state increased by over three hundred fifteen percent
from 1980 to 1996, and it is estimated that the inmate population
will increase by an additional twentyfive percent between
the years 1997 and 2000; and
WHEREAS, The increased cost to the state for incarcerating
so many persons is staggering as since 1980, general fund appropriations
to the department of corrections have increased by over six hundred
seventyfive percent and from 1992 to 1996, general fund
appropriations for the department of corrections increased by
over sixtytwo percent; and
WHEREAS, The answer to the problem of crime in Colorado
and the best method to protect our communities is not merely building
more prisons and spending a greater percentage of the state's
revenues on putting people behind bars; and
WHEREAS, Alternative punishments other than imprisonment
may be more costeffective and offer more longterm
protection to the citizens of the state; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixtysecond
General Assembly of the State of Colorado, the House of Representatives
concurring herein:
(1) That there is hereby created an interim
committee to work through the 1999 interim to study the criminal
sentencing policies of the state. The interim committee may consider,
but need not be limited to, the following issues:
(a) Use of private prison facilities;
(b) Length of sentences to incarceration;
(c) Mandatory minimum sentences to incarceration;
(d) Incarceration of the mentally ill;
(e) Incarceration of women;
(f) Incarceration of juveniles;
(g) The impact of incarceration on families
and children;
(h) Sentences for offenses related to
controlled substances and the availability of drug treatment programs
within and outside of correctional facilities;
(i) Parole and reintegration programs;
(j) The costeffectiveness and viability
of alternatives to incarceration; and
(k) Recidivism rates under incarceration
and alternative sentences.
(2) That the interim committee shall consist
of six members. The President of the Senate, the Minority Leader
of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives
shall appoint the members of the committee no later than thirty
days after passage of this Joint Resolution as follows:
(a) The President of the Senate shall
appoint two senators to serve on the interim committee, one of
whom shall be named chair of the interim committee, and the Minority
Leader of the Senate shall appoint one senator to serve on the
interim committee;
(b) The Speaker of the House of Representatives
shall appoint three representatives to serve on the interim committee,
one of whom shall be named vicechair of the committee and
no more than two of whom shall be members of the same political
party.
(3) That the interim committee is encouraged
to consult with advisory groups including but not limited to representatives
of the judicial department, district attorneys, criminal defense
attorneys, victims' advocates, law enforcement, the department
of corrections, community corrections, families of inmates, and
former inmates in conducting its studies.
(4) That the interim committee shall make
findings and recommendations regarding the issues reviewed in
this study, including but not limited to any necessary legislation,
and shall submit a written report on the interim committee's findings
and recommendations to the General Assembly no later than November
15, 1999. Legislation recommended by the interim committee shall
be treated as legislation recommended by any other interim committee
for purposes of any introduction deadlines or bill limitations
imposed by the joint rules of the Senate and the House of Representatives.
(5) That the interim committee shall meet
at least three times to fulfill its responsibilities in this study.
(6) That the members of the interim committee
shall be compensated as provided in section 22307,
Colorado Revised Statutes.
(7) That the Legislative Council staff
and the Office of Legislative Legal Services shall be made available
to assist the interim committee in carrying out its duties. All
personnel of the department of corrections shall cooperate with
the interim committee and with any persons assisting the interim
committee in carrying out its duties.
(8) That all expenditures incurred while conducting this study shall be approved by the chair of the Legislative Council and paid by vouchers and warrants drawn as provided by law from moneys allocated to the Legislative Council for legislative studies from appropriations made by the General Assembly.