Data Stories

Prison Sentences in Colorado’s First Judicial District

We regularly review data to inform and support our office policies, and we have recently looked into which cases are being dismissed. Cases are dismissed for many reasons, including but not limited to insufficient evidence, unavailability of a witness, or as part of a plea negotiation involving multiple cases. Cases can also be dismissed because an individual successfully completes our Pathways diversion program or a term of supervision on a deferred judgment. A prosecutor’s ability to evaluate a case and dismiss it when necessary is an essential tool for achieving justice in our community. This stands in stark contrast to the false trope that prosecutors solely focus on convictions. 

In the course of developing the Data Dashboard with the Prosecutorial Performance Indicators (PPI) project, we discovered that our previous data on dismissal reasons was insufficient and unreliable. This lack of sufficient data left us with only anecdotal insights into the reasons behind dismissals in certain types of cases. To address the need for improved data, we partnered with District Attorneys across Colorado and PPI to develop new codes that would capture more detailed reasons for case dismissals. These new reason codes became available in Fall 2023. Our office fosters a culture of shared responsibility for maintaining accurate data, and our dedicated staff quickly adapted to consistently entering case dismissal reasons.

With this new data element at our fingertips, we were able to meaningfully analyze dismissal trends. One of the case types that stood out to us was people charged with not having proof of their car insurance while driving. Traffic cases comprise the highest volume of cases (40%) in County Court and the greatest volume of dismissals. Since January 2023, 2,603 dismissed traffic cases were charged with driving without insurance (“no proof of insurance”, NPOI). In total, driving without insurance accounts for 38% of all County Court dismissals.

Using the new reason codes allowed us to see that 83% of NPOI dismissals were because an individual provided proof of insurance.  In our community, 65% comply independently by coming to their court appearance with proof of insurance in hand and 18% were able to obtain insurance with support from our Pathways program.

As a community that heavily relies on driving, our safety depends on everyone on the road being safe, licensed, and insured. Additionally, we must support those who are insured in maintaining their coverage, especially as insurance costs continue to increase. Having a better understanding of the “why” behind trends allows us to more strategically use our prosecutorial tools – like case dismissal – to achieve our community goals.

This new knowledge also ensures that our prosecutorial resources are focused on individuals who truly pose a risk to the community, rather than on those who may have simply forgotten their insurance card or have the ability to become safe, licensed, and insured drivers.

Since reviewing these findings, our office is exploring an administrative route to handling no proof of insurance cases, which may include providing a way for individuals charged with NPOI to submit proof of insurance without coming to court.

This is a great example of innovation resulting from the Data Dashboard and an office culture open to continuously exploring its data.

The 1st Judicial District Attorney’s commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy community for Jefferson and Gilpin County residents includes effectively and ethically holding people who victimize others accountable. Seeking justice for victims of homicide and their families is our highest priority.

In 2018, Colorado’s violent crime rate surpassed the national rate.

Nonetheless, like many communities, we experienced a peak in homicides in 2020, and while rates have been declining since then, they have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. Our homicide case filings by year are shown below. Approximately one-quarter of local homicides involve multiple defendants; each defendant is charged in their own case, so there are always more case filings than actual homicides. For example, in 2022, 25 homicide cases were filed for 15 deaths in the 1st Judicial District.

Homicide is the unlawful killing of a person by another. Here, we include murder in the first degree (“Murder 1”), murder in the second degree (“Murder 2”), and Felony Murder (when an individual is killed during the course of a felony committed by the defendant). More than 2/3 of our homicide filings are for Murder 1.

Although homicide cases comprised only 25 of the 18,403 cases we filed in 2023, they are much more likely to go to trial than other cases, and we dedicate a significant portion of our office resources to effectively prosecuting homicide cases.

Our Victim Witness Unit serves family members and loved ones throughout the case and during trial by providing support, information, and safe spaces such as the Porchlight Family Justice Center and the Victim Witness Center at the Courthouse.

Families also get to know our paralegals, a dedicated unit assigned to homicides and the unsung heroes of securing justice for murder victims. Our paralegal unit was one of the first in the state and supports the prosecution of homicide cases by:

·        Organizing, triaging, and sorting through a tremendous amount of media and electronic evidence ·        Helping with case strategy ·        Ordering CBI reports and coroner files ·        Filing motions and subpoenas ·        Organizing discovery, and ·        Keeping cases moving towards trial.

Paralegals play a crucial role in jury trials, often the first to arrive and the last to leave each day. They meticulously prepare displays, organize evidence, and create presentations for the jury. Collectively, they have contributed to over 100 trials and boast a combined experience of over a century within our office. Each member brings a unique skill set, from paralegal certifications from the State of Colorado to a master’s degree in Criminal Justice. One team member supports the Economic Crime Unit with specialized knowledge in forensic analysis and accounting, while another is nationally recognized for their expertise in detainer and extradition law. Because of the expertise and essential support provided by our paralegal unit, nearly 90% of our homicide cases since 2017 have resulted in convictions.