Colorado Inmate Search

Colorado inmate's search provides access to vital information about incarcerated persons. As of December 2024, the total number of persons locked up across Colorado state prisons was 13,151. Colorado prisons have an operational capacity of 13,907 inmates. Similarly, its county jail is home to around 13,000 inmates. Several counties in Colorado have a high inmate population. Fremont, Sterling, and Chaffee counties have the top 3 inmate populations at 3604, 2,126, and 1034 respectively. In terms of facility, the Sterling Correctional Facility is the largest prison in Colorado.

Inmate search tools are essential for locating individuals within the correctional system and providing support to families. Inmate search in Colorado promotes accountability, transparency, and accessibility. Families and friends may now stay informed about their loved ones, knowing their statuses while in prison. Also, legal professionals use inmate searches to track their case progress and ensure their clients are fairly represented.

What is Colorado Inmate Lookup?

Colorado Inmate Lookup is an online tool that allows members of the public to look up inmate information within the state's correctional facilities. This service is typically provided by the Colorado Department of Correction (CDOC) and various county sheriff's offices across the state for county jail inmate lookup.

Interested persons may conduct an inmate lookup through the Find an Inmate tool provided by the Colorado Department of Correction. You may use the inmate's DOC number or inmate's first or last name to look up the record. Similarly, you may use VINELink to access inmate records in Colorado.

Colorado inmate lookup tool provides information for families, legal representatives, and the general public. It helps stay informed about an inmate's status and location. Likewise, by offering updated and accurate information about inmates, the Colorado DOC builds confidence and promotes openness within the correctional system.

What Information Can You Find in a Colorado Inmate Search?

When you conduct an inmate search in Colorado, the result provides information about an individual's incarceration status within the correctional system. Generally, the following information is found when you conduct inmate searches in Colorado:

• Personal information, including name, age, ethnicity, gender, and height
• Inmate's DOC number
• Estimated date for parole eligibility
• Estimated mandatory release
• Current facility
• Sentencing information, including sentence date, sentencing county, and case number

How Are Inmate Records in Colorado Created and Stored?

Colorado inmate records refer to the paperwork that follows an offender through the prison system. They are first created when someone is arrested and detained in jail. Local law enforcement processes the suspect by filling out a RAP sheet which contains their name, address, and other personal details, and information about the crime they committed. All subsequent events in the inmate's life such as court dates, hearings, trials, and sentencing get added to the file.

The Colorado Department of Corrections is the agency in charge of keeping inmate records and updating them as things change. The records are kept in an online database, making it easy to perform a Colorado inmate search. Family, friends, legal professionals, and the public may conduct an inmate look-up to obtain information on the current status of incarcerated persons.

What Does Colorado's Prison System Look Like?

The Colorado prison system comprises various correctional institutions, including state prisons, county jails, and other facilities geared toward rehabilitating inmates. The CDOC is responsible for managing incarcerated individuals, while county jails are managed by local authorities. They are both saddled with ensuring the safety of inmates and the safety of persons who work within the correctional facilities.

Over 6,000 employees are working across 19 state-run correctional facilities in Colorado. These facilities vary on security levels from minimum to maximum security. The operational capacity of Colorado's prison system is 13,907, designed to accommodate the inmate population. The Colorado DOC has about 2,895 inmates incarcerated within the two private prisons in the state.

Colorado prisons are classified into security levels based on the risk posed by inmates. Minimum security (level I) is the least restrictive designed for nonviolent offenders serving short sentences with a record of good behavior. Medium security (level II and III) has stricter rules with more supervision than minimum security facilities. It is suited for inmates convicted of moderate-level crimes. Maximum security (level IV and V) facilities are stricter. They are closely monitored and restrictive facilities intended for persons with a history of violence or escapes.

Types of Correctional Facilities in Colorado

Colorado uses both state-owned/operated facilities as well as private prisons. Some of their juvenile detention centers are also privately owned and operated. There are also three federal prisons in Colorado for offenders who violate federal laws. The state has quite a few county jails but not one in every county. All of the facilities are overseen and managed by The Colorado Department of Corrections. They have only one women's prison located in Denver, Colorado. The Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services (DYS) is the agency in charge of the 14 juvenile detention centers in the state.

Colorado State Prisons

Colorado uses nineteen state-run prisons and two private prisons to house inmates. They include one women-only facility and one state penitentiary. The list of state prisons in Colorado includes:

• Arrowhead Correctional Center - ACC
• Arkansas Valley Correctional Facility - AVCF
• Buena Vista Correctional Facility - BVCC
• Centennial Correctional Facility - CCF
• Colorado State Penitentiary - CSP
• Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility - CTCF
• Delta Correctional Center - DCC
• Denver Reception and Diagnostic Center - DRDC
• Denver Women's Correctional Facility - DWCF
• Fremont Correctional Facility - FCF
• Four Mile Correctional Center - FMCC
• Limon Correctional Facility - LCF
• La Vista Correctional Facility - LVCF
• Rifle Correctional Center - RCC
• San Carlos Correctional Facility - SCCF
• Skyline Correctional Center - SCC
• Sterling Correctional Facility-SCF
• Trinidad Correctional Facility - TCF
• Youthful Offender System - YOS

Private Prisons

• Bent County Correctional Facility - BCCF
• Crowley County Correctional Facility - CCCF

Colorado County Jails

Colorado has sixty-four county jails in the state. They have a total of 67 counties, so not every county has a local jail. These confinement facilities are managed and operated by local law enforcement, usually the County Sheriff's Office. Below is a list of some Colorado county jails:

• Adam County Jail
• Arapahoe County Jail
• Boulder County Jail
• Denver County Jail
• El Paso County Jail
• Jefferson County Jail
• Larimer County Jail
• Mesa County Jail
• Pueblo County Jail
• Weld County Jail

Colorado Juvenile Detention Centers

The Colorado Department of Human Services, Division of Youth Services (DYS) oversees all youth detention center facilities, staff, and inmates. They have fourteen facilities. All of the programs and facilities prioritize continuing education as part of the rehabilitation process. While the state grants public access to state prison and county jail records, inmate records from juvenile detention centers are somewhat restricted. Generally, only the legal guardian and legal representative may conduct juvenile inmate searches in Colorado. The juvenile detention centers in Colorado include:

• Aspire Youth Services Center
• Betty K. Marler Youth Services Center
• Gilliam Youth Services Center
• Golden Peak Youth Services Center
• Grand Mesa Youth Services Center
• Marvin W. Foote Youth Services Center
• Phoenix Youth Services Center
• Platte Valley Youth Services Center
• Prairie Vista Youth Services Center
• Pueblo Youth Services Center
• Rocky Mountain Youth Services Center
• Spring Creek Youth Services Center
• Summit Youth Services Center
• Zebulon Pike Youth Services Center

Colorado Community Correctional Facilities

Colorado community correctional facilities offer an alternative to traditional incarceration. Typically, they focus on rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society. They offer these programs to reduce recidivism by providing an environment where individuals may access support while residing in the community. As of December 2022, 81,340 adults are under community supervision in Colorado.

The Office of Community Corrections under the Colorado Department of Public Safety oversees the program. Its primary aim is to reduce prison population, ensure public safety, and support offenders rehabilitation. Community Correction facilities offer programs focused on life skill development, employment assistance, and substance abuse treatment.

Colorado has 30 Community Correction facilities distributed across various counties. Each facility offers programs tailored to meet the needs of its community. For instance, the Denver Community Corrections offers programs such as dual diagnosis treatment and gender-specific support. Similarly, Jefferson County Community Corrections provides sentencing alternatives focusing on reducing recidivism through treatment, supervision, and reintegration services.

Why are People Incarcerated in Colorado?

Individuals are incarcerated for violent and nonviolent crimes in Colorado. A violent offense is when someone harms or threatens to harm another person. Violent crimes typically involve physical force or the intention to hurt someone. Common violent crimes in Colorado include assault, child abuse, aggravated robbery, murder, sexual assault, kidnapping, and arson.

Nonviolent offenses are when someone commits a crime without harming or threatening to hurt anyone. These crimes usually involve property or money offenses. They include shoplifting, drug possession, burglary, disturbing public peace, identity theft, forgery, embezzlement, and perjury.

For nonviolent offenders, the state emphasizes rehabilitation over punishment. It offers programs such as substance abuse, education training, and mental health disorder programs designed to address the cause of criminal behavior to reduce reoffense. However, incarceration remains mandatory for violent offenders.

Interested persons may find information about individuals incarcerated using Colorado's inmate search tool or VINELink. Inmate searches are essential to access information such as the inmate's current location, charges, release date, and incarceration status.

Colorado's Incarceration Rate and Statistics

Over the last 7 years, Colorado's incarceration rate has been on a steady decline, except for a spike in 2020. In 2020, Colorado experienced an all-time 7-year high incarceration rate at 614 incarcerations per 100,00. Despite the spike in 2020, Colorado's incarceration rate is at an all-time low at 265 inmates per 100,000 population.

The table below shows Colorado's year-end incarceration rate over a 7-year period.

Life After Incarceration in Colorado

Life after incarceration presents the challenge of reintegrating into society. To address the challenges of employment, housing, and accessing health care, the CDOC has a Community Re-Entry Specialist Program that partners with organizations to provide support for formerly incarcerated individuals. For instance, the Reentry Initiative provides support for mental health and substance abuse treatment.

Despite the state's best efforts in providing these programs to ensure former offenders do not return to prison, the state still ranks 5th in recidivism rate at 50%. This means that half of all inmates released commit an offense and end up in prison again.

How Does Parole Work in Colorado?

The Colorado State Board of Parole is the agency in charge of determining who gets released from prison and who does not. Parole works by releasing offenders before the end of their sentence. They must agree to specific terms, including meeting regularly with a parole officer and gaining employment and stable housing. If released inmates violate any of the stipulations, they will go back to prison to finish their sentences. Colorado had 9,050 inmates on parole as of December 2022.

Colorado Parole Population in 2022

How Does Someone Get Probation in Colorado?

Probation is an alternative to prison, and Colorado courts have the option of granting probation to first-time offenders or criminals who are not dangerous to others. These offenders are free to live their lives outside of prison but must follow some specific rules. If they violate these rules, their probation may be revoked, and they will end up in jail or prison. Colorado's population under probation as of December 2022 was 72.290.

Colorado Probation Population in 2022