Denver May 2005 Election
Here's a story about Denver's efforts to keep offenders out of jail from the Denver Post [April 10, 2005, "Corrections efforts go beyond jail plan"]. From the article, "With Denver's vote on a $378 million jail-and-courts expansion approaching, critics question whether city officials have done enough homework to justify the scope of their plans. While few argue against Denver's need to expand its crowded jail system, opponents of the May 3 ballot issue charge that some programs designed to keep repeat offenders from returning to jail are only now getting underway. What's more, the city's tools for analyzing the number and nature of inmates in its jails are outdated, making it hard to identify inmates who could be rehabilitated to pare the jail population."
Diane Carman took a tour of the jail recently. She writes about it in her column in today's Denver Post [April 10, 2005, "Sheriff's tour slams door on doubts"]. According to Carman, "We peppered our guides with questions: What about diversion programs? Why must the courthouse be downtown? How did the city arrive at the estimate for future jail beds needed? What will happen to the old facilities? Sheriff Fred Oliva patiently responded. He's taken 179 citizens on 22 tours like this since January. At last we arrived at the complex of buildings surrounded with tall fences topped with concertina wire. We'd seen the TV commercials for the jail bond measure and read the stories, so we thought we knew what to expect. We were wrong."
7:34:48 AM 
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