(1) Any person sentenced for a class 2, class
3, class 4, class 5, or class 6 felony, or a level 1, level 2, level 3, or level 4 drug
felony, or any unclassified felony shall be eligible for parole after such person has
served fifty percent of the sentence imposed upon such person, less any time
authorized for earned time granted pursuant to section 17-22.5-405. However, the
date established by this subsection (1) upon which any person shall be eligible for
parole may be extended by the executive director for misconduct during
incarceration. The executive director shall promulgate rules and regulations
concerning when and under what conditions any inmate's parole eligibility date may
be extended. Such rules and regulations shall be promulgated in such a manner as
to promote fairness and consistency in the treatment of all inmates.
(2) (a) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, any person convicted
and sentenced for second degree murder, first degree assault, first degree
kidnapping unless the first degree kidnapping is a class 1 felony, first or second
degree sexual assault, first degree arson, first degree burglary, or aggravated
robbery, committed on or after June 7, 1990, and before July 1, 2004, which person
has previously been convicted of a crime which would have been a crime of violence
as defined in section 18-1.3-406, C.R.S., shall be eligible for parole after such
person has served seventy-five percent of the sentence imposed upon such person,
less any time authorized for earned time granted pursuant to section 17-22.5-405.
(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) shall not apply to
persons sentenced pursuant to part 10 of article 1.3 of title 18, C.R.S.
(c) (I) A person who is convicted as an adult of a class 1 felony following a
direct filing of an information or indictment in the district court pursuant to section
19-2.5-801, or transfer of proceedings to the district court pursuant to section 19-2.5-802, or pursuant to either of these sections as they existed prior to their repeal
and reenactment, with amendments, by House Bill 96-1005, which felony was
committed on or after July 1, 1990, and before July 1, 2006, and who is resentenced
pursuant to section 18-1.3-401 (4)(c), is not entitled to receive any reduction of the
person's sentence pursuant to this section.
(II) Repealed.
(2.5) (a) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, any person convicted
and sentenced for second degree murder, first degree assault, first degree
kidnapping unless the first degree kidnapping is a class 1 felony, first degree arson,
first degree burglary, or aggravated robbery, committed on or after July 1, 2004, but
before January 1, 2025, shall be eligible for parole after such person has served
seventy-five percent of the sentence imposed upon such person, less any time
authorized for earned time granted pursuant to section 17-22.5-405.
(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (2.5) shall only apply to:
(I) A person convicted and sentenced for a crime listed in paragraph (a) of
this subsection (2.5) that is a class 2 or class 3 felony offense; or
(II) A person convicted and sentenced for a crime listed in paragraph (a) of
this subsection (2.5) that is a class 4 or class 5 felony offense, which person has
previously been convicted of a crime of violence as defined in section 18-1.3-406,
C.R.S.
(3) Notwithstanding subsection (1) or (2) of this section, any person convicted
and sentenced for any crime enumerated in subsection (2) of this section,
committed on or after June 7, 1990, and before July 1, 2004, who has twice
previously been convicted for a crime which would have been a crime of violence as
defined in section 18-1.3-406, C.R.S., shall be eligible for parole after such person
has served seventy-five percent of the sentence served upon such person, at which
time such person shall be referred by the department to the state board of parole
which may place such person on parole for a period of time which does not exceed
the time remaining on such person's original sentence. For offenses committed on
or after July 1, 1993, such person shall be placed on parole for the period of time
specified in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(V), C.R.S. Section 17-22.5-402 (2) shall not
apply to any such offender.
(3.5) (a) Notwithstanding subsection (1) or (2.5) of this section, any person
convicted and sentenced for any crime enumerated in subsection (2.5) of this
section, committed on or after July 1, 2004, who has previously been convicted for a
crime which would have been a crime of violence as defined in section 18-1.3-406,
C.R.S., shall be eligible for parole after such person has served seventy-five percent
of the sentence served upon such person, at which time such person shall be
referred by the department to the state board of parole which may place the person
on parole for the period of time specified in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(V), C.R.S.
Section 17-22.5-402 (2) shall not apply to any such offender.
(b) The provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3.5) shall only apply to:
(I) A person convicted and sentenced for a crime listed in paragraph (a) of
subsection (2.5) of this section that is a class 2 or class 3 felony offense; or
(II) A person convicted and sentenced for a crime listed in paragraph (a) of
subsection (2.5) of this section that is a class 4 or class 5 felony offense, which
person has twice previously been convicted of a crime of violence as defined in
section 18-1.3-406, C.R.S.
(4) The governor may grant parole to an inmate to whom subsection (2) or (3)
of this section applies prior to such inmate's parole eligibility date or discharge date
if, in the governor's opinion, extraordinary mitigating circumstances exist and such
inmate's release from institutional custody is compatible with the safety and
welfare of society.
(4.5) (a) After considering any relevant evidence presented by any person or
agency and considering the presumptions set forth in section 17-34-102 (8), the
governor may grant early parole to an offender to whom subsection (1) or (2.5) of
this section applies when the offender successfully completes the specialized
program described in section 17-34-102 if, in the governor's opinion, extraordinary
mitigating circumstances exist and the offender's release from institutional
custody is compatible with the safety and welfare of society.
(b) When an offender applies for early parole pursuant to paragraph (a) of
this subsection (4.5) after having successfully completed the specialized program
described in section 17-34-102, the offender shall make his or her application to the
governor's office with notice and a copy of the application sent to the state board of
parole created in section 17-2-201. The state board of parole shall review the
offender's application and all supporting documents and schedule a hearing if the
board considers making a recommendation for early parole, at which hearing any
victim must have the opportunity to be heard, pursuant to section 24-4.1-302.5 (1)(j),
C.R.S. Not later than ninety days after receipt of a copy of an offender's application
for early parole, the state board of parole, after considering the presumptions set
forth in section 17-34-102 (8), shall make a recommendation to the governor
concerning whether early parole should be granted to the offender.
(c) The department, in consultation with the state board of parole, shall
develop any necessary policies and procedures to implement this subsection (4.5),
including procedures for providing notice to any victim, as required by sections 24-4.1-302.5 (1)(j) and 24-4.1-303 (14), C.R.S., and to the district attorney's office that
prosecuted the crime for which the offender was sentenced.
(5) For any offender who is incarcerated for an offense committed prior to
July 1, 1993, upon application for parole, the state board of parole, working in
conjunction with the department and using the guidelines established pursuant to
section 17-22.5-404, shall determine whether or not to grant parole and, if granted,
the length of the period of parole. Prior to the parole release hearing, the division of
adult parole shall conduct a parole plan investigation and inform the state board of
parole of the results of the investigation. If the state board of parole finds an
inmate's parole plan inadequate, it shall table the parole release decision and
inform the director of the division of adult parole that the parole plan is inadequate.
The director of the division of adult parole shall ensure that a revised parole plan
that addresses the deficiencies in the original parole plan is submitted to the parole
board within thirty days after the notification. The parole board is responsible for
monitoring the department's compliance with this provision and shall notify the
director of the division of adult parole if a revised parole plan is not submitted to
the parole board within thirty days. The state board of parole may set the length of
the period of parole for any time period up to the date of final discharge as
determined in accordance with section 17-22.5-402. If an application for parole is
refused by the state board of parole, the state board of parole shall reconsider
within one year thereafter whether such inmate should be granted parole. The state
board of parole shall continue such reconsideration each year thereafter until such
inmate is granted parole or until such inmate is discharged pursuant to law; except
that:
(a) If the inmate applying for parole was convicted of any class 3 sexual
offense described in part 4 of article 3 of title 18, C.R.S., a habitual criminal offense
as defined in section 18-1.3-801 (2.5), C.R.S., or of any offense subject to the
requirements of section 18-1.3-904, C.R.S., the board need only reconsider granting
parole to such inmate once every three years, until the board grants such inmate
parole or until such inmate is discharged pursuant to law; or
(b) If the inmate was convicted of a class 1 or class 2 felony that constitutes
a crime of violence, as defined in section 18-1.3-406, C.R.S., the board need only
reconsider granting parole to such inmate once every five years, until the board
grants such inmate parole or until such inmate is discharged pursuant to law.
(6) For persons who are granted parole pursuant to subsection (5) of this
section, the division of adult parole shall provide parole supervision and assistance
in securing employment, housing, and such other services as may effect the
successful reintegration of such offender into the community while recognizing the
need for public safety. The conditions for parole for any such offender under this
subsection (6) shall be established pursuant to section 17-22.5-404 by the state
board of parole prior to such offender's release from incarceration. Upon a
determination in a parole revocation proceeding that the conditions of parole have
been violated, the state board of parole shall continue the parole in effect, modify
the conditions of parole if circumstances then shown to exist require such
modifications, which circumstances shall be set forth in writing, or revoke the
parole and order the return of the offender to a place of confinement designated by
the executive director for any period of time up to the period remaining on such
person's sentence, including the remainder of the offender's natural life if
applicable, until the discharge date as determined by section 17-22.5-402 or one
year, whichever is longer. In computing the period of reincarceration for an offender
other than an offender sentenced for a nonviolent felony offense, as defined in
section 17-22.5-405 (5), the time between the offender's release on parole and
return to custody in Colorado for revocation of such parole shall not be considered
to be part of the term of the sentence. The state board of parole may discharge an
offender granted parole under this section at any time during the term of parole
upon a determination that the offender has been sufficiently rehabilitated and
reintegrated into society and can no longer benefit from parole supervision.
(7) (a) For any offender who is incarcerated for an offense committed on or
after July 1, 1993, upon application for parole, the state board of parole, working in
conjunction with the department and using the guidelines established pursuant to
section 17-22.5-404, shall determine whether or not to grant parole. The state
board of parole, if it determines that placing an offender on parole is appropriate,
shall set the length of the period of parole at the mandatory period of parole
established in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(V) or 18-1.3-401.5 (2)(a), C.R.S., except as
otherwise provided for specified offenses in section 17-2-201 (5)(a), (5)(a.5), and
(5)(a.7).
(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (7), for
any sex offender, as defined in section 18-1.3-1003 (4), C.R.S., who is sentenced
pursuant to the provisions of part 10 of article 1.3 of title 18, C.R.S., for commission
of a sex offense committed on or after November 1, 1998, the state board of parole
shall determine whether or not to grant parole as provided in section 18-1.3-1006,
C.R.S. If the state board of parole determines that placing a sex offender on parole
is appropriate, it shall set an indeterminate period of parole as provided in section
18-1.3-1006, C.R.S.
(c) If the state board of parole does not grant parole pursuant to subsection
(7)(a) or (7)(b) of this section because it finds an inmate's parole plan inadequate, it
shall table the parole release decision and inform the director of the division of
adult parole that the parole plan is inadequate. The director of the division of adult
parole shall ensure that a revised parole plan that addresses the deficiencies in the
original parole plan is submitted to the parole board within thirty days after the
notification. The parole board is responsible for monitoring the department's
compliance with this provision and shall notify the director of the division of adult
parole if a revised parole plan is not submitted to the parole board within thirty
days.
(8) (a) For persons who are granted parole pursuant to paragraph (a) of
subsection (7) of this section, the division of adult parole shall provide parole
supervision and assistance in securing employment, housing, and such other
services as may affect the successful reintegration of such offender into the
community while recognizing the need for public safety. The conditions for parole
for any such offender under this paragraph (a) shall be established pursuant to
section 17-22.5-404 by the state board of parole prior to such offender's release
from incarceration. Upon a determination that the conditions of parole have been
violated in a parole revocation proceeding, the state board of parole shall continue
the parole in effect, modify the conditions of parole if circumstances then shown to
exist require such modifications, which circumstances shall be set forth in writing,
or revoke the parole and order the return of the offender to a place of confinement
designated by the executive director for any period of time up to the period
remaining on such person's mandatory period of parole established in section 18-1.3-401 (1)(a)(V) or 18-1.3-401.5 (2)(a), C.R.S. Any offender who has been
reincarcerated due to a parole revocation pursuant to this paragraph (a) shall be
eligible for parole at any time during such reincarceration. The state board of parole
may discharge an offender granted parole under this section at any time during the
term of parole upon a determination that the offender has been sufficiently
rehabilitated and reintegrated into society and can no longer benefit from parole
supervision. In making any such determination, the state board of parole shall make
written findings as to why such offender is no longer in need of parole supervision.
(b) For sex offenders, as defined in section 18-1.3-1003 (4), C.R.S., who are
convicted of an offense committed on or after November 1, 1998, and who are
granted parole pursuant to paragraph (b) of subsection (7) of this section, the
division of adult parole shall provide parole supervision and assistance in securing
employment, housing, and such other services as may affect the successful
reintegration of the sex offender into the community while recognizing the need for
public safety. The conditions for parole for any sex offender shall be established
pursuant to section 18-1.3-1006, C.R.S., and section 17-22.5-404 by the state board
of parole prior to the sex offender's release from incarceration. Upon a
determination in a parole revocation proceeding that the sex offender has violated
the conditions of parole, the state board of parole shall continue the parole in
effect, modify the conditions of parole if circumstances then shown to exist require
such modifications, which circumstances shall be set forth in writing, or revoke the
parole and order the return of the sex offender to a place of confinement
designated by the executive director for any period of time up to the remainder of
the sex offender's natural life. The revocation hearing shall be held and the state
board of parole shall make its determination as provided in section 18-1.3-1010,
C.R.S. The state board of parole may discharge a sex offender from parole as
provided in section 18-1.3-1006 (3), C.R.S.
(9) The state board of parole shall consider the parole of a person whose
parole is revoked either for a technical violation or based on a self-revocation at
least once within one hundred eighty days after the revocation if the person's
release date is more than nine months from the date of the person's revocation;
except that a person whose parole is revoked based on a technical violation that
involved the use of a weapon shall not be considered for parole for one year.