Diversion

ComCor’s Diversion program provides correctional and treatment services for offenders convicted of a felony who are sentenced by the courts to serve a community corrections sentence, pursuant to Colorado Revised Statute 17-27-104. These offenders are under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice, the Colorado Judicial Department, Division of Probation, and the El Paso County Community Corrections Board.

The typical Diversion client is sentenced to ComCor from one to eight years, but no longer than 12 years. Upon completion of the residential phase of the Diversion program, which is a minimum of 180 days, clients are transferred to the non-residential Diversion program to complete their sentence. According to the Colorado Division of Criminal Justice, approximately 50% of Diversion clients state-wide successfully complete their residential placement and have a mean length of stay of approximately 161 days.  In 2006, 60% of Diversion clients successfully completed their residential placement at ComCor.

ComCor’s Diversion program complies with all applicable Colorado Department of Public Safety, Division of Criminal Justice “Colorado Community Corrections Standards,” as required. The program also complies with all applicable American Correctional Association “Adult Community Residential Standards,” as required.

Eligibility for placement in ComCor’s Diversion program is based on the acceptance criteria set by the El Paso County Community Corrections Board through the El Paso County Department of Justice Services. The Board’s criteria for ComCor’s Diversion program can be found on their Website or the Offender Placement PDF.

ComCor’s Diversion program also has screening guidelines, which detail eligibility for placement and case factors that are considered when a referred offender is considered for acceptance into ComCor’s program. The Diversion program will accept an offender only if a court order has been issued specifying the offender’s sentence.

Referrals to ComCor’s Diversion program are initiated by the courts, probation departments, public defender’s office and private attorneys, and are then sent to the Department of Justice Services for initial processing. The referrals are then forwarded to ComCor’s Diversion program for a decision and disposition. Additional information on the referral process to ComCor’s Diversion program can be found on the Department of Justice Service’s Web site.

Each client participating in ComCor’s Diversion program is assigned a case manager, and a thorough assessment is conducted utilizing the state’s Standardized Offender Assessment-Revised assessment battery. A vocational needs screen is also conducted on each individual to determine if a more thorough vocational assessment is necessary.

The case manager collaborates with ComCor’s mental health clinicians, treatment staff and vocational staff to develop an individualized Supervision Plan for each client.  The Supervision Plan identifies and addresses criminogenic needs, risk factors and corresponding program and behavioral expectations, which will maximize the client’s chances for a successful program completion.

Diversion offenders may be required to participate in various treatment groups, life skills classes, and vocational programming while they are at ComCor. Each client in the Diversion program is monitored for alcohol and drug use, utilizing a well-established system of substance abuse testing.  They are required to be accountable 24 hours per day, seven days per week, through ComCor’s established system of accountability monitoring. They are required to meet regularly with their assigned case managers to discuss progress toward objectives identified in their individualized supervision plans and to address problems that may be impinging on their successful reintegration within the community.

While participating in the Diversion program, clients are required to maintain employment, pay court-ordered restitution, child support and other legal obligations, as well as ComCor program room and board fees. Diversion clients develop individualized budgets with their case managers that are used to track their employment and financial obligations while in the program.

Senior Program Manager
Jarle C. Wood
719.260.8002

ComCor Diversion Facility
3950 North Nevada Avenue
Colorado Springs, CO 80907
719.260.8002
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