House Bill 1037 reduces prison sentences for non-violent offenders who complete higher education while incarcerated. The new law deducts six months for earning a certificate, one year for an associate or bachelor’s degree, 18 months for a master s degree and two years for a doctorate degree.
An effort to incentivize Colorado prisoners to pursue higher education took a major step forward on Tuesday, receiving near-unanimous approval from the state House of Representatives.
Colorado has among the worst recidivism rates in the country, with over 50% of people released from prison ending up back behind bars within three years. Lawmakers want to change