CO Code § 19-2.5-1501 (2021)
2021 Colorado Code|Title 19 - Children's Code|Article 2.5 - The Colorado Juvenile Justice System|Part 15 - Facilities|§ 19-2.5-1501. Division of Youth Services - Created - Interagency Agreements - Duties of Administrators of Facilities in Connection With Voter Registration and Casting of Ballots - Reports - Definitions

     There is created within the department of human services the division of youth services, referred to within this section as the “division”, the head of which is the director of the division. The executive director of the department of human services shall appoint the director of the division pursuant to section 13 of article XII of the state constitution and the laws and rules governing the state personnel system. The director shall exercise powers and perform duties and functions within the office of the executive director of the department of human services in accordance with the provisions of this article 2.5 and as if transferred by a type 2 transfer as such transfer is defined in the “Administrative Organization Act of 1968”, article 1 of title 24.    The purposes of the division are to:   Increase public safety by providing rehabilitative treatment to help youth in the division's care make lasting behavioral changes to prepare themselves for successful transition back to the community;    Promote the physical safety of youth and staff within the division;    Promote a seamless continuum of care from the time of detention or commitment to discharge, in which youths' needs are met in a safe, structured environment with well-trained, caring staff who help youth identify and address their issues, be accountable, and accept responsibility for their actions;    Enable youth to develop healthy, supportive relationships with peers, adults, family, and members of their neighborhoods and communities; and    Provide youth with the tools necessary to become law-abiding, contributing members of the community upon their release.          The division may enter into agreements with the judicial department to combine provision of juvenile parole and probation services. Juvenile probation and parole supervision programs implemented pursuant to such agreements may not include provisions for supervision of juveniles sentenced to the department of corrections.      This subsection (3) applies to any individual committed to a juvenile facility and in the custody of the division who is eighteen years of age or older on the date of the next election.    The administrator of a facility in which an individual described in subsection (3)(a) of this section is committed shall facilitate the voting rights of the individual. In connection with such requirements, the administrator shall provide the individual with information regarding voting rights and how to register to vote and cast a mail ballot, provide the individual with voter information materials upon the individual's request, and ensure that any mail ballot cast by the individual is timely delivered to the designated election official. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, to satisfy the requirements of this subsection (3)(b), the administrator is exempt from any restriction under law on the number of mail ballots an eligible elector may deliver in person to the designated election official.    The administrator and the secretary of state shall post the type or kind of verification satisfying the requirements of section 1-1-104 (19.5)(d) in a prominent place on the public websites maintained by the department of human services and the secretary, respectively. The secretary shall provide notice to the county clerk and recorders as well as other designated election officials throughout the state that such verification constitutes an acceptable form of identification pursuant to section 1-1-104 (19.5) permitting the individuals possessing such identification to register to vote and cast a ballot.    The administrator shall forward applications made pursuant to this subsection (3) on a weekly basis, or on a daily basis during the last week allowed for registration prior to any election, to the county clerk and recorder of the county in which the facility is located, and, if the applicant resides in a different county from the facility, the application must then be forwarded to the county clerk and recorder of the county in which the applicant resides.    For purposes of this subsection (3), “administrator” and “voter information materials” have the same meaning as set forth in section 1-2-210.5 (5).       On or before July 1, 2018, and on or before each July 1 thereafter, the department of human services shall collect recidivism data and calculate the recidivism rates and the educational outcomes for juveniles committed to the custody of the department of human services who complete their parole sentences and discharge from department supervision. In collecting the recidivism data, the department of human services shall include any juvenile adjudication or adult conviction of a criminal offense within three years after parole discharge. Notwithstanding section 24-1-136 (11)(a)(I), the department of human services shall report the recidivism data, recidivism rates, and educational outcomes to the general assembly annually. The report must denote the demographic characteristics of the population considered in the report. In reporting on recidivism rates, the report must denote the types of criminal offenses committed, delineating between felonies and misdemeanors and between crimes that are included as a “crime” pursuant to section 24-4.1-302 (1) and other crimes.      History. Source: L. 2021: Entire article added with relocations,(SB 21-059), ch. 136, p. 687, § 2, effective October 1.    Editor's note:   This section is similar to former § 19-2-203 as it existed prior to 2021.