Colorado Division of Criminal Justice

What Colorado Division of Criminal Justice does

The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) is a state government division within the Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS), created under Section 24-33.5-501 C.R.S. Its stated mission is to improve community safety, the quality of services to crime victims, and the effectiveness of services to offenders. It accomplishes this through six program offices — Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance (OAJJA), Office of Community Corrections (OCC), Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management (ODVSOM), Office of the Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (OMMIR), Office of Research and Statistics (ORS), and Office for Victims Programs (OVP) — plus the Office of Administration.

DCJ's core technology and product surface centers on the ORS data platforms: interactive dashboards covering jail populations, restrictive housing, jail bond compliance, community corrections outcomes, crime and policing, DUI, prison population projections, racial and ethnic disparities, and (newly) behavioral health crisis response under SB 25-042. It develops and maintains statutory risk and release instruments — the Colorado Risk Assessment Scale, Administrative Release Guideline Instrument, and the DVRNA — alongside federally adopted actuarial tools (Static-99R, Stable-2007, Acute-2007). OCC administers a performance-based contracting system governing 30+ community corrections facilities with metrics including successful completion, recidivism, Core Security Audit compliance, and PACE quality evaluation. ODVSOM oversees the SOMB and DVOMB treatment provider certification networks; OVP operates COSAKTrack (sexual assault evidence kit tracking), TrackIt, victim compensation, and human-trafficking council functions. All data collection is driven by statutory mandates (e.g., 24-33.5-518, 17-26-118, 17-22.5-404(2)(a)), with ORS serving as the state Statistical Analysis Center supported by the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics.

DCJ is funded through Colorado state appropriations and federal grants (notably the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant from the U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance) and does not generate commercial revenue or pricing; specific operating budget figures are not publicly disclosed for the division. It serves Colorado state and local government agencies (judicial districts, county sheriffs, municipal law enforcement), crime victims and survivors, adults and juveniles in the justice system, approved domestic violence and sex offender treatment providers, criminal justice researchers and policymakers, and Indigenous communities (via the OMMIR liaison). Distribution runs through direct state services, grant programs, certification of treatment providers, training (including the DV 100 and DV 101 CASCADE series), public dashboards, and active stakeholder engagement (newsletters, press releases, conferences, a director-led statewide tour, and the DCJ Podcast).

Name

Colorado Division of Criminal Justice

Legal name

Colorado Division of Criminal Justice

Website

https://dcj.colorado.gov

Company type

Public

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice is a Colorado state agency that administers criminal justice research, grant programs, risk assessment instruments, and statewide data dashboards. It serves state and local agencies, crime victims, offenders, treatment providers, and researchers across Colorado.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Criminal Justice Services

NAICS

Correctional Institutions (922140), Justice, Public Order, and Safety Activities (922)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

State/Provincial Corrections, Probation & Parole Administration (BPAIABAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Alternative Dispute Resolution & Restorative Justice Programs (BPAIAFAL)

Keywords

• Criminal justice services
• Crime victim services
• Community corrections programs
• Criminal justice research
• Offender treatment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Lakewood

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) is a state government division that improves community safety, quality of services to crime victims, and effectiveness of offender services through six program offices. It conducts criminal justice policy analysis, statistical research, program management, and grant administration, delivering validated risk assessment instruments, statewide data dashboards, community corrections oversight, victim compensation, and treatment provider certification across Colorado.

Product overview

The Colorado Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) operates as a multi-office government division providing criminal justice data systems, program management, and grant administration. The organization encompasses six program offices: Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance (OAJJA), Office of Community Corrections (OCC), Office of Domestic Violence and Sex Offender Management (ODVSOM), Office of the Liaison for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (OMMIR), Office of Research and Statistics (ORS), and Office for Victims Programs (OVP). Core technology products include ORS interactive dashboards (Jail Population, Restrictive Housing, Community Corrections, Bond Compliance) and assessment instruments (Colorado Risk Assessment Scale, Administrative Release Guideline, DVRNA). The OCC administers the Performance-Based Contracting system for 30+ community corrections facilities. ODVSOM oversees the Sex Offender Management Board and Domestic Violence Offender Management Board with associated provider networks. OVP manages victim compensation and grant programs including the Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System (COSAKTrack).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Office of Research and Statistics (ORS) Interactive Dashboards Public-facing interactive data dashboards providing Colorado public safety analytics including crime trends, jail populations, community corrections outcomes, prison projections, DUI statistics, and racial/ethnic disparity data, available to government agencies, researchers, and the public.
• Jail Population Dashboard Quarterly reporting dashboard tracking jail capacity, bookings, releases, average daily population, average length of stay, inmate demographics, and Medicaid status for Colorado county jails per statutory mandates, serving agency planners, researchers, and policymakers.
• Community Corrections Data Dashboard Dashboard tracking residential and non-residential community corrections outcomes including client success rates, program completion, and recidivism data across Colorado programs, serving state program monitors, facility managers, and policymakers.
• Colorado Risk Assessment Scale Validated risk assessment instrument developed by DCJ for use by the State Board of Parole to determine parole outcomes and assess recidivism likelihood of offenders, serving the Colorado Department of Corrections and State Board of Parole.
• Administrative Release Guideline Instrument DCJ-developed guideline tool for the State Board of Parole to use in making parole release decisions, supporting evidence-based parole determinations for criminal justice decision-makers.
• Sex Offender Risk Assessment Suite (Static-99R, Stable-2007, Acute-2007) Standardized risk assessment instruments used for sex offender management, including Static-99R offense clusters training and related actuarial instruments, serving the Sex Offender Management Board and approved treatment providers.
• Domestic Violence Risk and Needs Assessment (DVRNA) Risk and needs assessment instrument for domestic violence offenders used to inform treatment planning and supervision decisions, with scoring manual and policy guidance for strangulation cases, serving approved domestic violence treatment providers and the Domestic Violence Offender Management Board.
• Community Corrections Program Statewide system of over 30 residential and non-residential facilities providing intermediate sanctions for convicted adults, serving both diversion (pre-incarceration) and transition (post-incarceration) clients under local board oversight and Performance-Based Contracting arrangements.
• COSAKTrack (Colorado Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System) Colorado Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System for monitoring sexual assault evidence kit status from collection through forensic analysis, serving sexual assault survivors, law enforcement agencies, and victim advocates.
• Sex Offender Management Board (SOMB) Board setting standards and guidelines for treatment, evaluation, and supervision of sex offenders, including an approved provider list and training center, serving treatment providers, supervising officers, and the Colorado community.
• Domestic Violence Offender Management Board (DVOMB) Board establishing standards for domestic violence offender treatment, evaluation, and behavioral monitoring, with an approved provider network and technical assistance center, serving treatment providers, supervising officers, and domestic violence victim advocates.
• Office for Victims Programs (OVP) Division administering victim compensation, victim rights compliance, sexual assault victim emergency payments (SAVE), local victim assistance grants (VALE), and the Human Trafficking Council, serving crime victims and survivors across Colorado.
• Office of Adult and Juvenile Justice Assistance (OAJJA) Program office managing juvenile diversion, compliance monitoring, racial/ethnic disparity reduction, and grant programs for adult and juvenile justice systems, serving local governments, judicial districts, and community-based organizations.
• Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program Federal Edward Byrne Memorial JAG funding distributed to support law enforcement, prosecution, courts, and community-based justice programs in Colorado, with $3.3 million announced for 2026, serving state agencies, tribal governments, and local units of government.
• Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives (MMIR) Program Liaison office coordinating statewide response to missing and murdered Indigenous persons, maintaining an interactive dashboard and resource telephone line, serving Indigenous communities, families of missing persons, and tribal partners in Colorado.
• Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) System for Community Corrections Outcome-based payment model for community corrections using metrics including successful completion, recidivism, program compliance (Core Security Audit), and program quality (PACE Evaluation), serving the Office of Community Corrections and community corrections facility operators.
• Restrictive Housing Dashboard Dashboard reporting on inmates held in restrictive housing (22+ hours daily confinement) for Colorado jails with 400+ bed capacity, including demographics, mental health status, and outcomes, serving jail administrators, county sheriffs, and oversight bodies.
• Behavioral Health Crisis Response Dashboard Data collection and dashboard system for statewide behavioral health crisis response launched following passage of Senate Bill 25-042, serving behavioral health agencies, law enforcement, and policymakers.
• Racial and Ethnic Disparities Dashboard Interactive dashboard tracking racial and ethnic disparities across the Colorado criminal justice system, serving policymakers, advocacy organizations, and researchers.
• Jail Bond Compliance System System for tracking sheriff compliance with bond posting requirements, legal rights notices, and bond complaint processes per HB 21-1280 mandates, serving county sheriff offices, pretrial stakeholders, and accountability monitors.

Quantifiable outcome

• 47% reduction in juvenile incarceration rate (1997-2015)
• +2 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and supporting.

• U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS)coreOthersORS serves as the Colorado Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) supported in part by BJS under the State Justice Statistics Program to facilitate exchange of data and information. BJS funding supports criminal justice research and statistical analysis capabilities.
• U.S. Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)coreOthersDCJ website is supported in whole or in part through a grant from BJA, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. BJA funding supports DCJ operations and programs.
• Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSG Justice Center conducted comprehensive analysis of Colorado's juvenile justice system through the Improving Outcomes for Youth (IOYouth) initiative, including data review and stakeholder interviews. The partnership led to policy recommendations for the Improving Outcomes for Youth Statewide Task Force.
• Justice Information Research Network (JIRN)supportingOthersORS participates in the Justice Information Research Network (formerly Justice Research and Statistics Association) connecting Statistical Analysis Centers across the country for best practices and information sharing.
• Colorado Department of Public Safety (CDPS)coreOthersDCJ operates within CDPS, which includes CBI, CSP, DFPC, and DHSEM. CDPS provides executive leadership and departmental oversight for all division operations.
• Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI)supportingTechnology or IntegrationCBI is a sister division within CDPS that works with DCJ on criminal justice data collection, missing persons resources, and law enforcement coordination.
• Colorado Judicial BranchcoreOthersDCJ collaborates with the judicial branch on risk assessment instruments, sentencing guidelines, probation standards, and court data reporting as required by various statutory mandates.
• Colorado Department of Corrections (DOC)coreOthersDOC works with DCJ on parole board action forms, Colorado risk assessment scale development, and prison population projections as mandated by statute.
• Colorado Department of Human Services/Division of Youth ServicessupportingOthersDYS, part of CDHS, coordinates with DCJ on juvenile justice data, diversion programs, and the JJDP Council activities.
• County Sheriffs and Local Law Enforcement AgenciescoreOthersSheriff's offices across Colorado report jail data, bond compliance information, and use of force data to DCJ as required by statute. Local law enforcement agencies report contacts, arrests, and officer-involved shootings.
• Urban InstitutemajorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerThe Urban Institute was contracted by CDPS to make recommendations for performance-based contracting in community corrections regarding risk-informed outcomes, payment models, and implementation strategies.
• Government Performance Solutions, Inc.supportingImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerContracted in April 2021 to help develop and facilitate a transparent and inclusive stakeholder engagement process for OCC's response to the legislative Request for Information on performance-based contracting.
• National Criminal Justice Association (NCJA)supportingOthersDCJ Director Matt Lunn serves on the board of directors for the National Criminal Justice Association, connecting Colorado to national criminal justice initiatives and best practices.
• State Board of ParolecoreOthersThe State Board of Parole works with DCJ/ORS on parole hearing data, parole outcomes analysis, and use of administrative release guideline instruments as mandated by statute.
• Colorado Department of Public Health and EnvironmentsupportingOthersCDPHE works with ORS on substance-affected driving data including evidentiary breath alcohol test results and forensic toxicology laboratory certification for DUI cases.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency: Pennsylvania's criminal justice planning agency administering federal and state grants, providing research and policy support, and coordinating juvenile justice and victim services — a structurally similar statewide planning agency.
• Oregon Criminal Justice Commission: Oregon's statewide criminal justice policy and planning agency that conducts research, administers grant programs, and provides data analysis to policymakers — a close functional peer to Colorado's DCJ.
• New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services: State-level criminal justice planning, research, and program administration agency in New York that closely mirrors DCJ's structure, including statistical analysis, grant administration, and oversight of community corrections.
• California Board of State and Community Corrections: California's independent state agency responsible for criminal justice planning, grant funding, and community corrections oversight — directly comparable to DCJ's OAJJA and OCC functions in a much larger state.

Broad incumbents

• National Institute of Corrections: Federal center providing training, technical assistance, and resource dissemination for corrections — overlapping with DCJ's community corrections, training, and standards functions but at federal scale.
• Bureau of Justice Statistics: Federal statistical agency that supports DCJ's Statistical Analysis Center designation, collects national criminal justice data, and provides federal-level context — a broader incumbent funder and data partner.

Emerging players

• Vera Institute of Justice: National research and policy nonprofit producing criminal justice research, data dashboards (e.g., Incarceration Trends), and technical assistance to states — an emerging external alternative to state DCJ research functions.
• Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center: Nonprofit policy and research organization that partnered with CDPS on Colorado's IOYouth juvenile justice analysis; provides research, technical assistance, and policy recommendations comparable to DCJ's ORS outputs.

Others

• Bureau of Justice Assistance: Federal agency within DOJ that funds DCJ operations and core grant programs (including Edward Byrne Memorial JAG); a primary federal funding partner and ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
• National Criminal Justice Association: National membership association of state and local criminal justice policymakers, on whose board DCJ's Director serves; provides training, advocacy, and federal grant administration support to member agencies like DCJ.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=L7vhNzNDTuc&list=PL1reKkrHXYf-NaYGO2l5DKm4clfRI9s1z
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/colorado-division-of-criminal-justice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Colorado Division of Criminal Justice