Public Safety and Corrections

I am a firm believer that it is important for us to put resources into both prevention and prosecution of crime. As the Manager of Safety for Denver and a former Chief Deputy Denver District Attorney, I have personally seen the devastating consequences of crime in our communities. After the 1993 Summer of Violence in Denver, we took immediate steps to prevent kids from getting into crime and to prosecute those who do. Charlotte Stephens and I started the Safe City program which established summer jobs for youth, distributed a million dollars into the community for programs to give kids better alternatives, and established the curfew program. The number of juveniles arrested for crime went down 25% in the following years.

I am also quite concerned about the lack of mental health services available in the Dept. of Corrections. Mr. Zavaras, the Director of Corrections, told me that there are approximately 250 beds available for the approximately 5000 inmates who need some level of mental health treatment. In addition, the recidivism rates are alarming: over 50% of inmates will be back in prison within 3 years.

I will work to achieve:
  • Increased funding for community based youth violence prevention programs including tutoring opportunities, arts and sports based programs, after school activities, and mentoring
  • More accessible mental health treatment and awareness
  • Funding for mental health care in the Dept. of Corrections
  • Funding for substance abuse treatment programs in the Dept. of Corrections
  • Effective Re-entry programs for incarcerated offenders
  • Continued efforts to find alternatives to prison for non-violent offenders

The City was quick to respond to the Summer of Violence and the crime rate decreased as a result. However, recent shootings and violent incidents remind us that we cannot become lax. Too many of our young people get involved in gangs, substance abuse, and violence. We can take action to give them alternatives. For those who choose to violate the law anyway, they will be prosecuted fully; but we can save money and lives by putting resources on the front end. If an offender has substance abuse or mental health issues, we need to enable the Dept. of Corrections to provide some effective treatment and to prepare offenders for re-entry into the community.

When I was a member of the staff of the Office of the Denver District Attorney, I supported the sparing application of the death penalty in Colorado. For several years, I have been reconsidering this position and have come to the reasoned and principled conclusion that the death penalty no longer has a place in Colorado law. I will support a bill to abolish it in Colorado.