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Support Municipal Sentencing Reform in Denver!

Colorado's municipal courts have become the most punitive courts for low-level offenses-- and Denver's municipal code is no exception.

With a recent Colorado Supreme Court decision, it's clear Denver’s municipal code is unconstitutional and outdated by allowing up to 30x higher sentences than state law for lowest-level poverty offenses like camping and petty theft of food or survival items.

Denver must update its municipal code to comply with the constitution and reflect Denver values. Council Members Lewis, Parady, and Gonzales-Gutierrez are doing just that by championing critical municipal sentencing reform efforts this year in Denver.

Here’s how you can help right now:

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Reach out to your city council member.

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What to say in your email

Use a clear subject line: Support Municipal Sentencing Reform in Denver!

  • Let them know that as their constituent, you support the sentencing reform efforts led by Council Members Lewis, Gonzales-Gutierrez, and Parady. 

  • Ask your council member to support this sentencing reform too. 

  • Explain why you support this reform. Check out the background information below for ideas.

  • Ask for a meeting with your council member if you feel comfortable!

If you’re writing to Council Members Lewis (District 8), or At-Large Council Members Gonzales-Gutierrez, and Parady– thank them for leading on this effort! 

Get educated.

Background Information

  • The threat of a 300 day jail sentence coerces people into pleading guilty, can impact immigration enforcement outcomes, and leads to significant instability in our neighbors’ lives. 

  • The Colorado Supreme Court has ruled that municipal codes allowing for sentences more severe than sentences for the same crime under state law are unconstitutional. 

  • Most often, people charged in Denver municipal court are poor, unhoused, have a substance use disorder, a mental health condition, or all of the above.

  • Extreme sentences for low-level crimes: Denver has a 300 day penalty as a catch all, “general penalty.” This means Denver’s Municipal Code allows for disproportionately long sentences when people are accused of crimes of poverty like sleeping in public,  petty theft, public consumption of alcohol, and more.

  • Denver City Council members Sarah Parady, Shontel Lewis, and Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez are proposing legislation that would bring Denver’s code in line with the CO Supreme Court decision and lay out a rational and thoughtful sentencing scheme for our city’s municipal court.

Why this reform matters

Denver’s current sentencing scheme is unfair.

  • Sentencing disparities between municipal and state courts inevitably lead to arbitrary and unequal justice.

  • It is unfair and illogical that when officers write tickets, they decide whether to charge in municipal court– with possible sentences 30x longer than in state court.

  • Public safety is served when we have rational, consistent sentencing, and when we don't arbitrarily punish poverty.

  • The possibility of long jail sentences has significant impacts for people with immigration cases, and creates more interactions with ICE. Municipal offenses should not threaten people’s entire livelihood with deportation.

Homelessness is not solved with incarceration.

  • More and more peole have lost housing in Denver in the wake of the high costs of living - we need a ramp out of homelessness for these folks, not a ramp into jail.

  • Jail exacerbates homelessness. Instead, Denver should invest in mental health support, substance use disorder treatment, and permanent housing solutions. Jail sentences are the least effective, most expensive, and an overall inhumane way to address homelessness.

We should align Denver’s ordinances with Denver’s values.

  • City Council has a duty to adopt a municipal code that represents Denver’s values. The current code does not reflect our values and leads to long jail sentences for poor and unhoused Denverites. 

  • With the recent ruling from the Colorado Supreme Court, leadership from this City Council can and should resolve issues in numerous municipal cases, while inaction may leave attorneys to litigate cases for years.

  • Denver’s municipal code and budget should reflect our community values, which means spending money on solving and preventing problems, not warehousing poor people in jails. 

  • Denver should lead in fair court practices and evidence-based policies. This legislation moves us away from 'catch-all' penalties that violate the Colorado Constitution and towards more rational and consistent penalties.

Ready to contact to your city council member in support of Municipal Sentencing Reform?

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