In 2015, 2016, and 2017, the Jail's average daily population (ADP) increased substantially. While there is no silver bullet answer for this increase, main contributors are thought to include increases in new drug felony arrests and increases in homeless/transient inmates, coupled with a significant pre-existing population with mental health and substance issues. Decreases in ADP occurred in 2018 and 2019. Larimer County is working to bring focus on behavioral health related services (such as the Co-Responder Program), and with these efforts there is hope the trend of a declining Jail population will continue.
2020 saw a significant decrease to the Jail's ADP. The causes may be related to the global pandemic (one possible effect among many being the impact to law enforcement and criminal justice practices), the availability of more co-responder mental health services, and/or the reclassification of felony drug offenses to misdemeanors. In 2021, the Jail's ADP began an upward trend. Criminal Justice Planning partners continue to collect data from multiple sources for these timeframes to analyze the factors that contribute to the ADP.
Criminal Justice Planning will continue to help address challenges related to the Jail population by monitoring and reporting on the status of the criminal justice system, identifying and implementing new treatment programs, working with system partners on new competency-related initiatives, advocating for legislation that meets the needs of our jurisdiction, and working with community partners to implement solutions.
In 2007, the Board of County Commissioners recognized the Larimer County Criminal Justice Advisory Committee (CJAC). The Committee is an advisory and policy level board consisting of County elected officials and other principal justice system decision makers. Learn more about CJAC.