In Colorado, misdemeanors (including traffic cases) and petty offenses/infractions are filed directly with the court by law enforcement. Felony cases are first reviewed by the District Attorney's (DA) Office before filing. After reviewing and accepting a felony case, prosecutors decide what type of charges to file. This section presents data on all cases for which a law enforcement agency has filed the case (misdemeanors or petty offenses/infractions) or for which the DA's Office has decided to accept the referral and file the charges (felonies).
Why is this important? To support community safety, we want to maximize limited resources by focusing on serious crime while minimizing unnecessary punitiveness. Understanding the number and types of cases filed in the Office helps to ensure we use resources efficiently, effectively, and fairly.
Our office continues to implement ongoing data‑quality improvements as part of the dashboard project. Through this process, we have enhanced the accuracy of tracking traffic cases. The increase reflected in the misdemeanor filings is attributable to these improved reporting practices rather than a substantive change in case volume. Current figures represent consistently occurring traffic matters that were not fully captured in prior data reporting.
Our office continues to implement ongoing data‑quality improvements as part of the development of the public dashboard. Through this process, we have enhanced the accuracy of tracking traffic cases. The increase reflected in the misdemeanor filings is attributable to these improved reporting practices rather than a substantive change in case volume. Current figures represent consistently occurring traffic matters that were not fully captured in prior data reporting.
Our office continues to implement ongoing data‑quality improvements as part of the development of the public dashboard. Through this process, we have enhanced the accuracy of tracking traffic cases. The increase reflected in the misdemeanor filings is attributable to these improved reporting practices rather than a substantive change in case volume. Current figures represent consistently occurring traffic matters that were not fully captured in prior data reporting.
It is important to note that the DA's Office does not have direct influence on the volume of misdemeanor cases. The vast majority of misdemeanor cases are filed by law enforcement directly to the court without district attorney screening.
Indicators
Below are a set of indicators that provide additional context about cases filed. These indicators help the DA's Office ensure they are prioritizing cases effectively and charging cases appropriately.
It is important to note that the DA's Office does not have direct influence on the volume of misdemeanor cases. The vast majority of misdemeanor cases are filed by law enforcement directly to the court without district attorney screening.
Notes
- Each case is represented once, by the top charge filed.
- Warrants are excluded (for all cases identified as a warrant).
- Cases do not map directly to criminal incidents. One incident can result in multiple arrests and cases - or multiple incidents could result in the arrest and prosecution of a single individual.
- For definitions of charge types included in the dashboard, see the full list in Technical Notes.