DCJ Contact Us

700 Kipling, Suite 1000
Lakewood, Colorado 80215

Main: 303-239-4442

Fax:303-239-4491

For Media Inquiries please contact:
Paula Vargas
Director of Strategic Communications
CDPS_DCJ_PIO@state.co.us
Phone: 303-239-4442

CORA is Colorado’s open records statute which generally provides the public with access to government records subject to various exceptions.  §24-72-203, C.R.S.  Criminal justice records are specifically excluded from the scope of CORA and are instead subject to public disclosure under the CCJRA §24-72-302, C.R.S. 

There are several differences between the requirements of CCJRA and CORA. CCJRA does not impose CORA’s three-day deadline for response but instead requires a response within a reasonable time. The CCJRA also requires that the requester sign a statement affirming that the records will not be used for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain. Section 24-72-305.5, C.R.S. Additionally, the substance of what may be obtained through CCJRA is narrower than CORA, and the applicable legal standard is less prescriptive and entrusts more discretion to the agency.  

The CCJRA establishes two categories of records:
1. Records of official action. The CCJRA defines an official action as “an arrest; indictment; charging by information; disposition; pretrial or post trial release from custody; judicial determination of mental or physical condition; decision to grant, order, or terminate probation, parole, or participation in correctional or rehabilitative programs; and any decision to formally discipline, reclassify, or relocate any person under criminal sentence.” Section 24-72-302(7), C.R.S. The records of official action must be open for inspection.
2. Except for records of official actions, which must be available for inspection, all other criminal justice records may be open for inspection, subject to the discretion of the official custodian.

DCJ does not maintain all records for the State of Colorado, and there is not one single repository for all records in the state. DCJ is the custodian of records only for its services and programs within this divison, including those listed below. 

• Adulti and juvenile Justice Assistance
• Commuity Corrections
• Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management
• Liaison of rMissing and Murdered Indegenous Relatives
• Research and Statistics
• Victims Programs

The Division of Criminal Justice is not the custodian of the following records:

• medical records or reports
• driving /motor vehicle records
• background checks of individuals
• court proceedings/ cases / convictions from any county or district court
• reports filed with any law enforcement agency, this includes records and or footage of any kind

To request public records under the Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) or Criminal Justice Records Act, per provisions of CORA and the CDPS Colorado Open Records Act Policy, the Division of Criminal Justice may charge for research and retrieval of public records. The first hour of time associated with research and retrieval of public records is provided at no cost. For more than one hour, a maximum hourly rate is $41.37 for research and retrieval of public records. A quote will be given and payment must be received prior to retrieval work.

To move forward with a request related to only DCJ services, please submit a CORA request form.

In order to expedite service and minimize research/retrieval time and fees, it helps to be as specific in your request as possible. When possible, include information such as:

• The specific agency and unit you believe is the custodian of the record (we may be able to help determine this if you do not know)
• The specific document(s) you are looking for, or the type of document if you don't know the specific name
• The specific individuals or agencies referenced in the records (e.g. the name of a specific community corrections facility)
• The date of the record or the time frame for various records (e.g. board minutes from Jan. 15, 2021 or all board minutes from Jan. 1, 2015-Dec. 31, 2015)