Criminal Legal Reform

The Constitution protects every person’s right to due process of law and humane treatment during incarceration regardless of race, socioeconomic status, age, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.

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Criminal Legal Reform is part of ACLU of Colorado's Campaign for Smart Justice.

The Constitution protects every person’s right to due process of law and humane treatment during incarceration regardless of race, socioeconomic status, age, gender, gender expression, or sexual orientation.

The ACLU has long been at the forefront of challenging police abuses and failures of the criminal justice system to protect due process rights. We work to ensure that constitutional rights apply to all, regardless of race, ethnicity or economics.

We are committed to comprehensive reform of our criminal legal system, including preventing unnecessary involvement of juveniles in the system, ending racial profiling, re-thinking overly harsh mandatory minimum drug sentencing laws, ensuring adequate representation for people accused of crimes, diverting substance abusers from prisons to treatment, respecting the human and constitutional rights of people in our correctional facilities, advocating for dignified community re-entry, and ending the broken death penalty system.

The Latest

Press Release
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Federal Judge Prohibits ICE from Making Warrantless Arrests in Colorado

A coalition of legal advocates filed the class action lawsuit in October 2025
Resource
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Home

Press Release
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ACLU of Colorado Demands that Colorado Bureau of Investigation Address Concerns after Former DNA Analyst Mishandled Numerous Cases

In a letter to the CBI, the ACLU of Colorado calls for a thorough, independent audit and demands transparency with the public about CBI’s response 
Press Release
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Habeas Petitions Filed by the ACLU Leads to the Release of Three People Unlawfully Detained by City of Pueblo 

On Friday, November 1, 2024, the ACLU of Colorado won three habeas petitions on behalf of three Colorado residents
Legislation
Jan 14, 2026

HB26-1039 Adding Municipal Jails to County Jail Oversight Requirements

The bill requires municipal jails to comply with existing jail data collection requirements, standards, and oversight. The bill limits a municipal jail to holding a person for no longer than 72 hours.
Status: Introduced
Position: Support
Legislation
May 16, 2025

HB25-1147 Fairness & Transparency in Municipal Court

Status: Vetoed by governor
Position: Support