When a person pleads guilty to or is found guilty of a felony crime, they may face a sentence to the Colorado Department of Corrections, or prison. Part of a prison sentence is that, upon release from custody, the person is supervised by parole. The amount of time a person must serve on parole is dependent upon the level felony. Colorado lawmakers are considering changing this policy, allowing those who are convicted of non-violent class 2 and class 3 felonies to serve three years of parole instead of five years.

Current Parole Sentences for Felony Crimes in Douglas and Arapahoe County

Under C.R.S. 18-1.3-401, in Arapahoe and Douglas County, parole sentences are as follows:

• Class 2 felony: 5 years of parole
• Class 3 felony: 5 years of parole
• Class 4 felony: 3 years of parole
• Class 5 felony: 2 years of parole
• Class 6 felony: 1 year of parole

For drug felonies:

• Drug felony 1: 3 years of parole
• Drug felony 2: 2 years of parole
• Drug felony 3: 1 year of parole
• Drug felony 4: 1 year of parole

Changes to Parole Sentences in Adams and Jefferson County: Who Would This New Law Affect?

Currently, in Jefferson and Adams County, anyone convicted of a class 2 or class 3 felony is required to serve 5 years of parole after they are released from DOC. Now, many crimes that are classified as class 2 and class 3 felonies are considered violent crimes. This bill would not change the parole sentence for someone with a violent conviction like Sexual Assault or Attempted Murder. However, crimes like Criminal Mischief and Theft, both of which can be charged as high-level felonies would be lessened. It also has a financial benefit for the state as the money saved by cutting down parole sentences could be reallocated to other areas.

Get Help Now

If you or someone you love has been charged with a felony crime and are worried about a prison and parole sentence, contact the best criminal defense attorneys from Sawyer Legal Group at 303-830-0880 today. Together, we can protect your future.Request a Free Consultation

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