By Christopher N. Osher
The Denver Post
DENVER, Colo. — Colorado’s new executive director of corrections on Friday told legislators he is creating a new parole system that will start preparing prisoners for release before they hit the streets and will reduce high recidivism rates.
But Rick Raemisch said his vision of a parole system that succeeds in steering parolees toward success and away from a life of crime is nowhere near a reality today.
He issued a sobering assessment of current parole operations, saying it lacks accountability and struggles with a culture resistant to improvement and change.
“Unfortunately, parole is sort of a dumping ground right now,” Raemisch said of the attitude of how offenders are handled in Colorado. “It’s, ‘Here you go. You fix the problem.’”
Full story: Colorado corrections chief says parolees need more preparation