One hundred years ago this week marked the beginning of Prohibition in the United States, which went into effect on January 17, 1920. Colorado, however, was actually one of several states that had gone “dry” even before national Prohibition. Voters approved an amendment to the State Constitution in the 1914 election, and an Act “Relating […]
Tag: crime
Beware of Government Impersonation Scams
So far this year, more than 12,000 people nationwide have fallen victim to government impersonation scams, resulting in a collective loss of $112 million, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The FBI and other agencies are warning consumers to be on the lookout for these malicious scams. This month, the FBI’s Denver division warned […]
“A Walk Through the System” – A Resource for Victims
One of the most frequently accessed resources in our library collection is A Walk Through The System: A Guide for Victims and Survivors. This guidebook was put together by victims’ services staff at the Colorado Department of Corrections. Victims may understandably be anxious or curious about what will happen to the person who committed the […]
20 Years After Columbine
This Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of one of the greatest tragedies in our state’s history, the April 20, 1999 Columbine High School shootings. Since then, while unfortunately school shootings do still take place, there have been many efforts to address school safety and prevent these kinds of incidents from occurring again. The Colorado School […]
Auto Theft Prevention Resources
Motor vehicle theft is on the rise, according to statistics from the Colorado Bureau of Investigation. There were 22,206 cases of auto theft in 2017, a 72% increase from 2014! Less than half of the vehicles were recovered. And vehicle break-ins are one of the most common types of property crimes in Colorado. So what […]
Business Identity Theft
Identity theft doesn’t just target individuals — businesses are also vulnerable to these types of crimes. Hijackers can steal financial information from businesses in order to pose as that business to establish lines of credit or make fraudulent purchases. How can your business protect itself from identity theft and cyber crimes? Three Colorado state agencies […]
Colorado Crime Statistics
The Colorado Department of Public Safety recently debuted a new crime statistics database. You can use the site to search statewide or by jurisdiction; year, back to 2008; and type of crime. For example, when you search property crimes, you get charts on location; type of weapon/force; injuries and victim types; time of day/day of […]
Tips for Avoiding Cyber Scams
October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. What can you do to avoid being a victim of cyber crime? Criminals are increasingly using the internet to target victims, either to steal their identities or scam them out of a lot of money – or both. Below are some common types of cyber fraud, and tips to […]
Colorado Jury Instructions for Criminal Cases
Each year the Colorado Supreme Court’s Model Criminal Jury Instructions Committee issues an updated instruction book for juries on criminal cases. This highly detailed document includes laws and information on the jury selection process and information specific to each different crime category, from homicide to traffic offenses and everything in between. The instructions also include […]
Community Corrections in Colorado
Felonies for controlled substances and assault increased in 2017 over the previous year, while theft and forgery were slightly down, according to the 2017 annual report of the Office of Community Corrections, which was released last week. A part of the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS), the Office of Community Corrections works to “enhance […]
School Safety Resources
Sadly, there has been another school shooting, and our thoughts are with Florida during this difficult time. The Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and other state agencies have many resources on school safety available to students, schools, and parents, such as CDE’s Safety & Security Facility Information webpage The State Publications Library’s Quick Guide to […]
New Laws in Effect January 1
On New Year’s Day several new laws, passed during the 2016 and 2017 legislative sessions, went into effect. The new laws are: HB16-1387, Health Insurance for Protein Allergic Conditions SB17-065, Transparency in Direct Pay Health Care Prices SB17-088, Participating Provider Network Selection Criteria HB17-1220, Prevent Marijuana Diversion to Illegal Market HB17-1231, Market Conduct Examinations Insurance […]
Executive Clemency
The governor’s power to grant or deny pardons has been in the news recently. How does an offender apply for a pardon or commutation of sentence? The answer can be found on the Colorado Department of Corrections’ Clemency Requests webpage. Here the steps for applying for clemency are outlined, along with facts about the process: […]
Preventing School Violence
A new school year has begun, and students deserve a healthy school experience free from violence, crime, and bullying. Several state agencies are working to help prevent school violence and provide all children and youth with a safe place to learn and grow. The Colorado School Safety Resource Center is the state’s main agency for […]
New Report on Heroin Use in Colorado
Today the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE) and several partner agencies released a new report on heroin use in Colorado. Heroin in Colorado: Preliminary Assessment is the product of the Heroin Response Work Group, which includes the Colorado Department of Human Services, the Colorado Attorney General’s Office, the Governor’s Office, and other […]
Colorado Missing Persons Day
Today has officially been declared Colorado Missing Persons Day. If you are looking for statistics on missing persons in Colorado, our library can help. The Colorado Bureau of Investigation publishes an annual report on missing children. Our library has issues from 1985 to the present on our website. CBI has also put together a list […]
Campus Security Reports
The Clery Act is a federal law passed in 1990 that requires campuses to collect and report campus crime and safety data. Here’s where you can find the reports published by Colorado’s state-funded colleges and universities: Adams State University Aims Community College Arapahoe Community College Colorado Mesa University Colorado Mountain College Colorado Northwestern Community College […]
Time Machine Tuesday: Colorado Prison Populations
How much has Colorado’s prison population grown in 40 years? As of July 31, there are 17,497 inmates in Colorado public and private prisons. This is quite an increase from 1976, when the incarcerated population was 2,260! This info is detailed in a 1978 report from the Department of Corrections, which analyzed how prison population […]
Offender Database and Information
Did you know that you can search a database for information on Colorado corrections inmates? On the Department of Corrections’ Offender Search website, you can search by name and/or their correctional number. Search results will include the offender’s name, age, corrections number, mugshot, ethnicity, gender, height, weight, eye color, hair color, parole/release/discharge dates as applicable, […]
The Cost of Corrections in Colorado
How much does it cost to keep an inmate in a Colorado correctional facility each day? The answers — contained in a Colorado Department of Corrections publication Cost Per Offender by Facility — may surprise you. Currently, the cost of housing a single inmate ranges between $53 and $224 per day, depending on the level […]