Community Corrections

The Community Corrections Board screens referrals and recommends to the courts whether a person who committed an offense is eligible for placement in a local community corrections program. People who committed an offense enter community corrections either as a direct sentence for a criminal offense or probation violation (known as diversion) or as a condition of re-entry after serving a prison sentence (known as transition). The courts, Department of Corrections (DOC), and community corrections facilities decide whether a person who committed an offense is approved for placement.

The Community Corrections Board consists of 16 members. Ten members represent area agencies, including the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office, Diversus Health, Probation, Parole, Colorado Springs Police, Teller County Sheriff, Office of the Public Defender, District Attorney’s Office, and the 4th Judicial District and County Courts. The El Paso County Board of County Commissioners appoints six citizen members.

The Community Corrections Board receives referrals that the community corrections programs are willing to accept. The Board has approved automatic acceptance for some types of referrals, so not all offenders require individual approval by the Board. Referrals involving violence, sex offenses, 28 grams of drugs or more, drug distribution, weapons offenses, and crimes committed outside of the 4th Judicial District are criteria cases and require additional Board approval.

As of July 2023, the functions of the El Paso County Juvenile Community Review Board (EPC JCRB) have been suspended until further notice. The Division of Youth Services (DYS) does not currently have contracts with any residential providers in El Paso County requiring community placement reviews. When this changes, the JCRB will reconvene.

El Paso County Juvenile Community Review Board (EPC JCRB) screens juveniles being considered by the Department of Human Services (DHS) Division of Youth Services (DYS) for community placement. The board considers the following criteria for the screening of juvenile offenders for placement in the community from the DHS DYS:

• 1. That the juvenile is appropriate for community placement based on the information in the juvenile’s case file and history;
• 2. That placement of the juvenile in El Paso County will not present a danger to the approved facility or the community-at-large;
• 3. That a reasonable basis exists to believe the juvenile may substantially benefit from the available treatment programs of the approved facility; and
• 4. That rejection of the juvenile would impose a hardship not outweighed by the considerations of 1, 2, and 3 above.

Registered victims have the right to provide a verbal and/or written statement to the CCB to provide input.

Diversion clients are those who have active cases in Court. The Community Corrections Board (CCB) is voting whether a direct sentence to a community corrections program should be a possible sentencing option for the Court’s consideration. Please note that the assigned Judge makes the final decision regarding the defendant’s sentence in all instances. Diversion clients are renewed based on sentencing dates.

Transition clients are those who are currently in a Department of Corrections facility. The CCB is voting on whether or not that client should be transitioned from CDOC into the community through community corrections.

The Board reviews the packets before voting, and victim impact statements may be included for the CCB to review.

To assist victims with statements to the Board, we offer the following suggested questions:

• 1. Can this person who committed an offense be safely returned to the community? Why or why not?
• 2. How has this person who committed an offense’s actions affected you personally?
• 3. Do you think this person who committed an offense is a threat to harm you again? Why or why not?
• 4. Is there anything else you would like the CCB to know?

Tiffany Weaver, Community Corrections Specialist & Victim Services
17 N. Spruce Street
Colorado Springs, Colorado 80905-1407
tiffanyweaver@elpasoco.com
719-520-6795