When a juvenile is arrested in Colorado, the child may be released to a parent or responsible adult, referred for detention screening, or held for a prompt detention hearing. If the child remains in custody, the hearing generally must occur within 48 hours, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The district attorney then decides whether to file a delinquency petition, offer diversion, or decline to prosecute formally. Decisions made during
Probation and parole are terms often used interchangeably but refer to different legal concepts in Colorado. Both probation and parole involve the supervision of a convicted offender in the community, but they have distinct purposes, conditions, and requirements. Understanding the differences between probation and parole can be critical to navigating the criminal justice system.
Probation in ColoradoProbation is a form of community supervision that allows a person to serve
