A new bill signed into law last week is a small statutory change that brings a large philosophical shift designed to help young prisoners get mentoring from older inmates and end the cycle of negative prison culture.
On May 6, Governor Jared Polis signed a senate bill into law that will allow housing of older inmates who will serve as mentors in the Youthful Offender Services prison in Pueblo. The prison houses violent or high-level felony offenders ages 14 to 19 and currently has a population of 183 inmates.
Now that the bill has been signed, Colorado Department of Corrections Executive Director Dean Williams said developing the program is underway. Inmates will have a big say in how that program will work.