Colorado officials want to expand in-home detention to unemployed misdemeanor offenders and possibly to felons who violated parole. They city's two jails are well above capacity. Crowding at Denver's jails is causing officials to consider letting more criminals serve out their sentences at home with electronic monitoring.
With the jail population hovering some 800 above capacity, Denver County judges on March 3 will consider a proposal to expand the jail's house-arrest program. Currently, only inmates with jobs qualify for in-home detention. If the plan is approved, unemployed misdemeanor offenders would also be considered, but not if their charges involved domestic violence.
Discussions are also underway on the possibility of extending the program to felons jailed for probation violations.
"I think if it's properly monitored there's nothing wrong with it," said Chief County Judge Andrew Armatas.
But William Woodward, who last year reviewed the jail's operations for the National Institute of Corrections, cautioned that the program should have safeguards.
"Are they going to do risk assessments on these people to tell us how likely it is that they will do more crime?" asked Woodward, who criticized the jail in his report for failing to properly assess inmates.
Division Chief William Lovingier of the Denver Sheriff's Department said eligibility would be determined by the type of offense. Offenders released to their homes would receive periodic visits from sheriff's deputies who would make sure they are looking for jobs, he said.
"We're trying to stem the tide rather than just warehouse them in the jail," Lovingier said. "If we can get them out there and help them find employment and keep them incarcerated at their home, then we fulfill the judge's sentence and help that person become more stable."