State Reform Profile
Colorado
Colorado has been a national leader in drug policy reform and has meaningfully reduced its prison population through sentencing reform.
Key Statistics
Incarceration by Race
Incarceration rate per 100,000 residents. Racial estimates based on BJS/Sentencing Project methodology.
Recidivism Rate
Percent of people reincarcerated within 3 years of release. Source: BJS recidivism data series.
Cost vs. Alternatives
Active & Passed Reforms
5 initiativesAmendment 64 – Marijuana LegalizationView full details →
First state to legalize recreational marijuana, freeing thousands from prosecution.
SB 19-108 – Competency ReformView full details →
Overhauled mental competency restoration system to reduce jail stays.
HB 21-1314 – Drug DecriminalizationView full details →
Decriminalized personal-use drug possession, directing to treatment.
Data Sources & Methodology
Reform data sourced from state legislative records, BJS Criminal Justice Statistics, the Vera Institute Incarceration Trends dataset, and The Sentencing Project. AltReform prediction scores (0,100) are generated by our ML model trained on 20+ years of state-level reform outcomes, weighting recidivism reduction, racial equity impact, cost-effectiveness, and political feasibility. Statistics are the most recent available (2021,2024).
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