This bill changes how funding and capacity for juvenile detention in Colorado are handled:
Funding for Alternatives to Detention: Starting in the 2025-26 fiscal year, $1,980,137 from the state’s general fund will be allocated annually to the Department of Human Services for programs that place detained youth in environments other than detention.
Repeal of Emergency Detention Beds Requirement: The current requirement that $1,359,982 be used annually for temporary emergency juvenile detention beds is removed.
Increase in Juvenile Detention Bed Limits:
For the 2025-26 fiscal year, the maximum number of juvenile detention beds statewide increases from 215 to 254.
Starting in 2026-27, the cap will be set at 125% of the projected average daily population of juveniles in detention.
Exceptions to the Cap: Juveniles detained for acts that would be class 1 felonies if committed by an adult are not included in the detention bed cap.
Projection Requirement: The Division of Criminal Justice must include the average daily juvenile detention population projection in an existing report.
Annual Funding for Detention Beds: The General Assembly must allocate $1,359,982 annually, plus any additional funds needed to cover the projected juvenile detention population, to the Department of Human Services for juvenile detention beds.
Summary
For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, and for each state fiscal year
thereafter, the bill requires the general assembly to appropriate $1,980,137 from the general fund to the department of human services (department) for youth who are detained and can be placed in environments other than detention. Under current law, the department is required to use $1,359,982 of its annual appropriation for temporary emergency detention beds for juveniles. The bill repeals this requirement.
Under current law, only 215 juvenile detention beds are allowed
statewide. The bill:
•
For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, increases this cap to 254 juvenile detention beds; and
•
For the 2026-27 state fiscal year, and each state fiscal year thereafter, sets the cap at 125% of the juvenile detention average daily population projection (projection).
The cap excludes juveniles who are in detention for committing a
delinquent act that would constitute a class 1 felony if it were committed by an adult. The bill requires the division of criminal justice in the department of public safety to include the projection in an existing report.
The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate
$1,359,982, plus any additional amount necessary to fully fund the projection, to the department for juvenile detention beds.
