Colorado Enacts Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing Law, Enabling Prosecutors to Revisit Past Cases in the Interest of Justice
Seven States Now Provide Prosecutors This Tool for Second Chances
June 4, 2026 (OAKLAND, CA) – Colorado is now the seventh state to adopt Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing (PIR), furthering the interests of justice and public safety. On June 3, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed SB26-115 into law, providing prosecutors across Colorado the authority to look back at past cases.
Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing allows prosecutors to review past sentences and determine whether a person can be safely released and reunited with their families. After an incarcerated person has served a significant amount of time and achieved rehabilitation, prosecutors have found that some past sentences merit a second look.
“We are grateful to leaders across Colorado who are committed to ensuring that justice is served and cost-effective,” said Hillary Blout, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of For The People. “This victory would not be possible without the work of Spero Justice Center, alongside a diverse coalition of law enforcement and defense stakeholders. By empowering prosecutors—the local officials most familiar with these cases—to revisit sentences that have served justice, we can uphold the rule of law while honoring the American values of redemption and fiscal responsibility.”
In states that have adopted PIR, prosecutors have resentenced youth charged as adults, aging populations who are no longer a threat to public safety, and incarcerated people whose outdated sentences do not align with current sentencing guidelines. Experience from other states shows that PIR maintains a recidivism rate significantly lower than the national average.
PIR also is a practical solution for state resources. As the prison population ages, healthcare costs rise while the public safety benefits of continued incarceration for rehabilitated individuals decline. By allowing for smarter resource allocation, Colorado can realize significant cost savings, freeing up funds for effective public safety interventions and victims' services. (The law ensures that victims must be notified and given a voice in any resentencing proceedings.)
PIR is a rigorous, case-by-case evaluation, and before any modification occurs, prosecutors must conduct a thorough review of the incarcerated person’s history, conduct while incarcerated, and reentry plans. By encouraging better behavior and offering a path toward redemption for those who have truly changed, the Colorado law, like others, aims to create a more effective and principled justice system.
About For The People
For The People is the national nonprofit that supports prosecutors who are implementing Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing in their jurisdiction through case review, data analysis and coordination with criminal justice stakeholders. For The People works with prosecutors, victims, defense attorneys, system-impacted people, and community organizations with the goal of reuniting families and restoring communities. In 2018, the organization worked to pass the nation’s first Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing law, enabling prosecutors to evaluate past sentences. Now, For The People provides policy and technical support to lawmakers and government officials to pass and enact Prosecutor-Initiated Resentencing laws. To learn more, visit fortheppl.org.