Criminals who go to prison in our state typically don’t serve their full sentence. In fact, they often serve nowhere near the time that was meted out in court. That might come as a revelation to many law-abiding Coloradans, but it is standard procedure.

It sure helps explain the epic crime wave that has slammed our state.

Generally, felons in Colorado can be considered for parole after they have served only half their sentence. And that’s after subtracting “earned time” – credit given for participating in prison jobs, job training, literacy classes and assorted other activities – as well as credit for the time spent in jail while the inmate was a defendant awaiting trial.

As a result, hardened criminals routinely leave prison all too soon. Just as routinely, plenty of them commit more crimes. From time to time, an example makes the headlines.

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Like in May, when the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced Kenneth Dean Lee, 66, had been sentenced in District Court to 40 years in prison “for his latest assault involving a young child.”

Latest? Yes, this time, it was for a sexual assault on a 7-year-old girl in Aurora in 2021. He had entered the child’s apartment posing as an immigration official and demanded to interview the child alone in a bedroom, where he assaulted her. He then fled the scene.

It turned out Lee had been paroled the previous year for a 2014 conviction on charges involving almost identical incidents; only the victims were different. He was supposed to be serving 23 years to life but instead was released after only six years – to prey on Colorado’s children again.

It’s why Colorado needs the “Truth in Sentencing” citizens initiative making its way to next year’s statewide ballot. Initiative 71, written by the advocacy group Advance Colorado, would make the state’s most dangerous offenders serve most of their sentences.

Under 71, people with previous violent criminal records who were convicted of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, first-degree kidnapping, first-or second-degree sexual assault, first-degree arson, first-degree burglary or aggravated robbery between 1987 and 2025 would be required to serve at least 75% of their sentence before parole eligibility. Beginning in 2025, convicts would have to serve 85% of their time before becoming eligible for parole.

The proposal is overdue and – as Advance Colorado President Michael Fields wrote in The Gazette’s opinion section this year- Initiative 71 doesn’t overreach.

“While our state should absolutely work to rehabilitate certain offenders – especially for those dealing with addiction issues – we need to strike a proper balance,” Fields wrote.

“We’re not seeking to round up and lock up thousands of individuals. In fact, only about 449 individuals would be covered by this initiative last year.”

But that modest number includes some of the most dangerous criminals – repeat offenders such as Lee – who pose the greatest menace to Colorado communities.

As Fields also noted, “Colorado has one of the worst recidivism rates in the nation, and until our state gets serious about keeping violent offenders behind bars, we probably won’t see a significant change in that anytime soon. If legislators won’t step up and fix this problem, we’ll use the citizens initiative process to let voters weigh in directly.”

Amen.

The initiative has to pass muster at a hearing scheduled today before state regulators. After that, organizers can begin circulating petitions in hopes of gathering enough support to make it onto the November 2024 ballot.

Voters would be wise to enact it. It just might keep the next Kenneth Dean Lee behind bars awhile longer.

Denver Gazette Editorial Board