Bill to Improve Youth Justice System Goes Into Effect
HB25-1146 increases the emergency detention bed cap and funds deflection programs
DENVER, CO – Bipartisan legislation to allocate $10 million to support youth justice sponsored by Senator Judy Amabile, D-Boulder, and Representative Shannon Bird, D-Westminster, goes into effect on July 1, 2025.
“This new law funds crucial programs to help kids get on the right path after a mistake and get connected to a community of support,” said Amabile. “The grant program aims to address the underlying causes of juvenile crime and treat them effectively – which is good for young people, their families, and our state. HB25-1146 is a balanced approach to keep Colorado communities safe while holistically supporting our youth.”
“This bipartisan law will make Colorado a safer place,” said Bird. “We know that many youth who commit violent crime often lack the support and guidance that they need to build a bright future for themselves. This law invests in programs to reduce recidivism and keep youth out of the justice system in the first place while also protecting our communities from harm by allowing more flexibility in the use emergency beds in detention centers.”
HB25-1146 is also sponsored by Senator Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, and Representative Dan Woog, R-Erie. The new law increases the number of emergency detention beds available under the statewide juvenile detention bed cap from 22 to 39, and allows more flexibility on when the beds may be used. It enhances transparency by requiring the Colorado Department of Human Services to publish a monthly report including the number of youth in detention and the number awaiting services.
To address concerns about staff interactions with detained youth, the law also establishes a pilot program for Department of Youth Services (DYS) staff at one facility to wear body-worn cameras during interactions with youth.
Additionally, the new law allocates over $3 million for deflection and community programs. The law creates the Deflection and Community Investment Grant Program in the Colorado Department of Public Safety to provide grants to eligible applicants to implement trauma-informed health and development deflection programs for youth, including Native American youth.
Finally, the law makes procedural changes to the juvenile justice system to repeal infrequently-used provisions and streamline case dismissal for some low-level charges, improving efficiency and fairness.
DYS operates 14 secure youth centers serving youth between the ages of 10 to 21. DYS also administers juvenile parole services. In 2023, HB23-1307 allowed DYS to administer 22 temporary emergency beds that did not count toward the detention cap of 215 beds.