Correctional Facilities

C.R.S. tit. 17, art. 20
in effect

C.R.S. § 17-20-101 State institutions

17-20-101. State institutions. All correctional facilities under the supervision of the executive director, wherever located, shall be maintained as state institutions.

C.R.S. § 17-20-102 Administration of correctional facilities - wardens - reports

17-20-102. Administration of correctional facilities - wardens - reports. (1) The organization and administration of all correctional facilities under the supervision of the executive director shall be the responsibility of such executive director. (2) (Deleted by amendment, L. 93, p. 49, § 2, effective July 1, 1993.) (3) The wardens of correctional facilities shall report to such persons as the executive director designates at such times and on such matters as the executive director may require. Publications of all correctional facilities under the supervision of the executive director that are intended to be circulated in quantity outside such facilities are subject to the approval and control of the executive director or the executive director's designee.

C.R.S. § 17-20-103 Wardens and others - conservators of peace

17-20-103. Wardens and others - conservators of peace. The wardens of all correctional facilities under the supervision of the executive director and the staff of such correctional facilities shall be conservators of the peace. As such they shall have the power to arrest or cause to be arrested, with or without process, upon any grounds owned or leased by this state and used by such correctional facilities, any person who breaks the peace, has an outstanding arrest warrant, or is found upon said grounds violating any criminal law of this state and to turn such person over to local law enforcement for detainment and disposition. Local law enforcement authorities are obligated to respond at the facilities' request to carry out the provisions of this section.

C.R.S. § 17-20-104 Reduced time for good conduct

17-20-104. Reduced time for good conduct. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-105 Trusty prisoners - allowance

17-20-105. Trusty prisoners - allowance. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-107 Good time credit allowable

17-20-107. Good time credit allowable. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-108 Credits forfeited upon misbehavior

17-20-108. Credits forfeited upon misbehavior. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-109 Sections affect only certain prisoners

17-20-109. Sections affect only certain prisoners. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-110 Forfeiture for violation of rules

17-20-110. Forfeiture for violation of rules. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-112 Wardens shall record infractions

17-20-112. Wardens shall record infractions. It is the duty of the wardens to keep a record of all infractions of the prison rules and regulations, as prescribed by the department.

C.R.S. § 17-20-113 Behavior certificate - citizenship

17-20-113. Behavior certificate - citizenship. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-114 Federal prisoners - others

17-20-114. Federal prisoners - others. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-114.5 Restriction of privileges in correctional facilities - restriction of privileges because of lawsuit filed without justification

17-20-114.5. Restriction of privileges in correctional facilities - restriction of privileges because of lawsuit filed without justification. (1) Any person convicted of a crime and confined in any state correctional facility listed in section 17-1-104.3 is not entitled to any privileges that may be made available by the department. If any such person is required by the department to perform any available labor, participate in any available educational program or work program, undergo any available counseling, or any one or a combination of the foregoing and such person does not perform the labor, participate in the program, undergo the counseling, or do any one or a combination of the foregoing as required by the department, the department shall deny specified privileges to such person. The privileges that the department shall deny to such person include, but are not limited to, television, radios, entertainment systems, and access to snacks. If the department denies television privileges, it may allow a person to watch television for educational purposes, including public television broadcasts transmitted to or available to the facility. A person who is physically unable to perform labor, participate in an educational program or work program, or undergo counseling may be allowed the privileges specified in this subsection (1). Nothing in this subsection (1) shall be construed to grant as a right any such labor, program, or counseling or any privileges listed in this subsection (1). (2) (a) If any person is convicted of a crime and confined in any state correctional facility listed in section 17-1-104.3 or in any facility that houses adult offenders and such person files a lawsuit against the state of Colorado or against any state government official, officer, employee, or agent, the department or its agent having custody of the person shall deny specified privileges to such person if, upon the motion of any party or the court itself, a state or federal court finds that the action, or any part thereof, lacked substantial justification, was baseless, or was malicious or that the action, or any part thereof, was interposed for harassment. As used in this subsection (2), "lacked substantial justification" has the same meaning as that provided for such term in section 13-17-102 (4), C.R.S. (b) The privileges denied to a person pursuant to the provisions of this subsection (2) include, but are not limited to, the privileges described in subsection (1) of this section. The department or its agent having custody of the person shall deny the privileges to the person for a period not to exceed one hundred twenty days for any such lawsuit. (c) The department or its agent having custody of the person may not deny privileges to a person pursuant to the provisions of this subsection (2) if the court determines the lawsuit was asserted by the person in a good faith attempt to establish a new theory of law in Colorado. (d) The department or its agent having custody of the person may determine not to deny privileges to a person pursuant to the provisions of this subsection (2) if, after filing the lawsuit, a voluntary dismissal of the action is filed within a reasonable time after the person filing the dismissal knew, or reasonably should have known, that he or she would not prevail in the action.

C.R.S. § 17-20-115 Rehabilitation and work programs for rehabilitation, reentry, and reintegration

17-20-115. Rehabilitation and work programs for rehabilitation, reentry, and reintegration. All persons convicted of any crime and confined in any state correctional facilities under the laws of this state, except such as are precluded by the terms of the judgment of conviction, shall participate in a rehabilitation and work program that promotes the person's successful rehabilitation, reentry, and reintegration into the community, under such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by the department.

C.R.S. § 17-20-116 County or municipal roadwork

17-20-116. County or municipal roadwork. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-117 Inmate rehabilitation and work

17-20-117. Inmate rehabilitation and work. Every inmate shall participate in the work most suitable to the inmate's capacity and that promotes the inmate's successful rehabilitation, reentry, and reintegration into the community. Inmates who work in the department are not entitled to any right, benefit, or privilege applicable to employees of the state of Colorado.

C.R.S. § 17-20-119 Discharge - clothes, money, transportation

17-20-119. Discharge - clothes, money, transportation. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-121 Failure to observe conditions - penalty

17-20-121. Failure to observe conditions - penalty. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-122 Justification of officer

17-20-122. Justification of officer. If an inmate sentenced to any state correctional facility resists the authority of any officer or refuses to obey any officer's lawful commands, it is the duty of such officer immediately to enforce obedience by the use of such weapons or other aid as may be effectual. If in so doing any inmate thus resisting is wounded or killed by such officer or such officer's assistants, such use of force is justified and any officer using such force shall be held guiltless; but such officer shall not be excused for using greater force than the emergency of the case demands.

C.R.S. § 17-20-123 Insurrection - duty of citizens

17-20-123. Insurrection - duty of citizens. It is the duty of all the officers and other citizens of the state, by every means in their power, to suppress any insurrection among the inmates sentenced to any correctional facilities under the supervision of the executive director and to prevent the escape or rescue of any such inmate therefrom, or from any other legal confinement, or from any person in whose legal custody such inmate may be. If, in so doing or in arresting any inmate who may have escaped, such officer or other person wounds or kills such inmate or other person aiding or assisting such inmate, such officer or other person shall be justified and held guiltless; but such officer or other person shall not be excused for using greater force than the emergency of the case demands.

C.R.S. § 17-20-124 Visitors at correctional facilities

17-20-124. Visitors at correctional facilities. The following persons are authorized to visit any correctional facilities under the supervision of the executive director at pleasure: The governor and the judges of the supreme court, court of appeals, and district courts. No other persons shall be permitted to go within a correctional facility where inmates are confined, except as otherwise provided under prison rules or by special permission of the warden.

C.R.S. § 17-20-126 Correctional facilities for women

17-20-126. Correctional facilities for women. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-127 Canteen, vending machine, and library fund created - receipts - disbursements

17-20-127. Canteen, vending machine, and library fund created - receipts - disbursements. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-128 State authorized to receive Fort Lyon property - repeal

17-20-128. State authorized to receive Fort Lyon property - repeal. (Repealed)

C.R.S. § 17-20-129 Food donations to nonprofit organizations encouraged

17-20-129. Food donations to nonprofit organizations encouraged. Each correctional facility is encouraged to donate apparently wholesome food to one or more local nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy or poor individuals.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/images/olls/crs2024-title-17.docxFetched: 10/6/2026