Menu 
Search Article 72 Public records
This is not an official copy of the statutes. Please visit LexisNexis Legal Resources for the most current version.
Part 3 Criminal justice records
24-72-301. Legislative declaration
(1) The general assembly hereby finds and declares that the maintenance, access and dissemination, completeness, accuracy, and sealing of criminal justice records are matters of statewide concern and that, in defining and regulating those areas, only statewide standards in a state statute are workable.
(2) It is further declared to be the public policy of this state that criminal justice agencies shall maintain records of official actions, as defined in this part 3, and that such records shall be open to inspection by any person and to challenge by any person in interest, as provided in this part 3, and that all other records of criminal justice agencies in this state may be open for inspection as provided in this part 3 or as otherwise specifically provided by law.
As used in this part 3, unless the context otherwise requires:
(1) "Arrest and criminal records information" means information reporting the arrest, indictment, or other formal filing of criminal charges against a person; the identity of the criminal justice agency taking such official action relative to an accused person; the date and place that such official action was taken relative to an accused person; the name, birth date, last-known address, and sex of an accused person; the nature of the charges brought or the offenses alleged against an accused person; and one or more dispositions relating to the charges brought against an accused person.
(2) "Basic identification information" means the name, place and date of birth, last-known address, social security number, occupation and address of employment, physical description, photograph, handwritten signature, sex, fingerprints, and any known aliases of any person.
(3) "Criminal justice agency" means any court with criminal jurisdiction and any agency of the state, including but not limited to the department of education, or any agency of any county, city and county, home rule city and county, home rule city or county, city, town, territorial charter city, governing boards of institutions of higher education, school district, special district, judicial district, or law enforcement authority that performs any activity directly relating to the detection or investigation of crime; the apprehension, pretrial release, posttrial release, prosecution, correctional supervision, rehabilitation, evaluation, or treatment of accused persons or criminal offenders; or criminal identification activities or the collection, storage, or dissemination of arrest and criminal records information.
(4) "Criminal justice records" means all books, papers, cards, photographs, tapes, recordings, or other documentary materials, regardless of form or characteristics, that are made, maintained, or kept by any criminal justice agency in the state for use in the exercise of functions required or authorized by law or administrative rule, including but not limited to the results of chemical biological substance testing to determine genetic markers conducted pursuant to sections 16-11-102.4 and 16-23-104, C.R.S.
(5) "Custodian" means the official custodian or any authorized person having personal custody and control of the criminal justice records in question.
(6) "Disposition" means a decision not to file criminal charges after arrest; the conclusion of criminal proceedings, including conviction, acquittal, or acquittal by reason of insanity; the dismissal, abandonment, or indefinite postponement of criminal proceedings; formal diversion from prosecution; sentencing, correctional supervision, and release from correctional supervision, including terms and conditions thereof; outcome of appellate review of criminal proceedings; or executive clemency.
(7) "Official action" means an arrest; indictment; charging by information; disposition; pretrial or posttrial release from custody; judicial determination of mental or physical condition; decision to grant, order, or terminate probation, parole, or participation in correctional or rehabilitative programs; and any decision to formally discipline, reclassify, or relocate any person under criminal sentence.
(8) "Official custodian" means any officer or employee of the state or any agency, institution, or political subdivision thereof who is responsible for the maintenance, care, and keeping of criminal justice records, regardless of whether such records are in his actual personal custody and control.
(9) "Person" means any natural person, corporation, limited liability company, partnership, firm, or association.
(10) "Person in interest" means the person who is the primary subject of a criminal justice record or any representative designated by said person by power of attorney or notarized authorization; except that, if the subject of the record is under legal disability, "person in interest" means and includes his parents or duly appointed legal representative.
(11) "Private custodian" means a private entity that has custody of the criminal justice records in question and is in the business of providing the information to others.
24-72-303. Records of official actions required - open to inspection
(1) Each official action as defined in this part 3 shall be recorded by the particular criminal justice agency taking the official action. Such records of official actions shall be maintained by the particular criminal justice agency which took the action and shall be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, except as provided in this part 3 or as otherwise provided by law. The official custodian of any records of official actions may make such rules and regulations with reference to the inspection of such records as are reasonably necessary for the protection of such records and the prevention of unnecessary interference with the regular discharge of the duties of the custodian or his office.
(2) If the requested record of official action of a criminal justice agency is not in the custody or control of the person to whom application is made, such person shall forthwith notify the applicant of this fact in writing, if requested by the applicant. In such notification, he shall state, in detail to the best of his knowledge and belief, the agency which has custody or control of the record in question.
(3) If the requested record of official action of a criminal justice agency is in the custody and control of the person to whom application is made but is in active use or in storage and therefore not available at the time an applicant asks to examine it, the custodian shall forthwith notify the applicant of this fact in writing, if requested by the applicant. If requested by the applicant, the custodian shall set a date and hour within three working days at which time the record will be available for inspection.
24-72-304. Inspection of criminal justice records
(1) Except for records of official actions which must be maintained and released pursuant to this part 3, all criminal justice records, at the discretion of the official custodian, may be open for inspection by any person at reasonable times, except as otherwise provided by law, and the official custodian of any such records may make such rules and regulations with reference to the inspection of such records as are reasonably necessary for the protection of such records and the prevention of unnecessary interference with the regular discharge of the duties of the custodian or his office.
(2) If the requested criminal justice records are not in the custody or control of the person to whom application is made, such person shall forthwith notify the applicant of this fact in writing, if requested by the applicant. In such notification, he shall state, in detail to the best of his knowledge and belief, the reason for the absence of the records from his custody or control, their location, and what person then has custody or control of the records.
(3) If the requested records are not in the custody and control of the criminal justice agency to which the request is directed but are in the custody and control of a central repository for criminal justice records pursuant to law, the criminal justice agency to which the request is directed shall forward the request to the central repository. If such a request is to be forwarded to the central repository, the criminal justice agency receiving the request shall do so forthwith and shall so advise the applicant forthwith. The central repository shall forthwith reply directly to the applicant.
(4) (a) The name and any other information that would identify any victim of sexual assault or of alleged sexual assault or attempted sexual assault or alleged attempted sexual assault shall be deleted from any criminal justice record prior to the release of such record to any individual or agency other than a criminal justice agency when such record bears the notation "SEXUAL ASSAULT" prescribed by this subsection (4).
(b) (I) A criminal justice agency or custodian of criminal justice records shall make the notation "SEXUAL ASSAULT" on any record of official action and on the file containing such record when the official action is related to the commission or the alleged commission of any of the following offenses:
(A) Sexual assault under section 18-3-402, C.R.S., or sexual assault in the first degree under section 18-3-402, C.R.S., as it existed prior to July 1, 2000;
(B) Sexual assault in the second degree under section 18-3-403, C.R.S., as it existed prior to July 1, 2000;
(C) Unlawful sexual contact under section 18-3-404, C.R.S., or sexual assault in the third degree under section 18-3-404, C.R.S., as it existed prior to July 1, 2000;
(D) Sexual assault on a child under section 18-3-405, C.R.S.;
(E) Sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust under section 18-3-405.3, C.R.S.;
(F) Sexual assault on a client by a psychotherapist under section 18-3-405.5, C.R.S.;
(G) Incest under section 18-6-301, C.R.S.;
(H) Aggravated incest under section 18-6-302, C.R.S.; or
(I) An attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in sub-subparagraphs (A) to (H) of this subparagraph (I).
(II) The notation required pursuant to subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b) shall be made when:
(A) Any record or file or both of official action is prepared relating to the commission or alleged commission of an offense enumerated in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b); or
(B) The name of any victim of the commission or alleged commission of any offense enumerated in subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b) for which official action was taken appears on the criminal information or indictment.
(I) Any employee of the court, officer of the court, or judicial officer notifies such agency or custodian of the name of any victim of the commission or alleged commission of any offense enumerated in subparagraph (I) of paragraph (b) of this subsection (4) when such victim's name is disclosed to or obtained by such employee or officer during the course of proceedings related to such official action; or
(II) Such record or file contains the name of a victim of the commission or alleged commission of any such offense and the victim requests the custodian of criminal justice records to make such a notation.
(d) The provisions of this subsection (4) shall not apply to the sharing of information by a state institution of higher education police department to authorized university administrators pursuant to section 23-5-141, C.R.S.
(I) Part 4 of article 6 of title 18, C.R.S.;
(II) Internet sexual exploitation of a child under section 18-3-405.4, C.R.S.;
(III) Enticement of a child under section 18-3-305, C.R.S.;
(IV) Internet luring of a child under section 18-3-306, C.R.S.;
(V) Soliciting for child prostitution under section 18-7-402, C.R.S.;
(VI) Pandering of a child under section 18-7-403, C.R.S.;
(VII) Procurement of a child under section 18-7-403.5, C.R.S.;
(VIII) Keeping a place of child prostitution under section 18-7-404, C.R.S.;
(IX) Pimping of a child under section 18-7-405, C.R.S.;
(X) Inducement of child prostitution under section 18-7-405.5, C.R.S.;
(XI) Patronizing a prostituted child under section 18-7-406, C.R.S.;
(XII) Human trafficking of a minor for involuntary servitude under section 18-3-503, C.R.S.;
(XIII) Human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude under section 18-3-504 (2), C.R.S.; and
(XIV) An attempt to commit any of the offenses listed in subparagraphs (I) to (XIII) of this paragraph (b).
(I) Any employee of the court, officer of the court, or judicial officer notifies such agency or custodian of the name of a child victim when such a name is disclosed to or obtained by such employee or officer during the course of proceedings related to such official action; or
(II) The record or file contains the name of a child victim and the child victim or the child's legal guardian requests the custodian of the criminal justice record to make such a notation.
(d) The provisions of this subsection (4.5) shall not apply to the sharing of information between:
(I) Criminal justice agencies, school districts, state institution of higher education police departments and authorized university administrators pursuant to section 23-5-141, C.R.S., assessment centers for children as defined in section 19-1-103 (10.5), C.R.S., or social services agencies as authorized by section 22-32-109.1 (3), C.R.S.;
(II) Public schools and school districts for the purposes of suspension, expulsion, and reenrollment determinations pursuant to sections 22-33-105 (5)(a), 22-33-106 (1.2) and (4)(a), and 19-1-303, C.R.S.; and
(III) The office of the child protection ombudsman, the office of the child's representative, the office of the respondent parents' counsel, child fatality review teams as defined in sections 25-20.5-404, 25-20.5-406, and 26-1-139, C.R.S., and state or county departments of human or social services in the exercise of their duties.
(5) Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the discretion of the district attorney to authorize a crime victim, as defined in section 24-4.1-302 (5), or a member of the victim's immediate family, as defined in section 24-4.1-302 (6), to view all or a portion of the presentence report of the probation department.
24-72-305. Allowance or denial of inspection - grounds - procedure - appeal
(1) The custodian of criminal justice records may allow any person to inspect such records or any portion thereof except on the basis of any one of the following grounds or as provided in subsection (5) of this section:
(a) Such inspection would be contrary to any state statute;
(b) Such inspection is prohibited by rules promulgated by the supreme court or by the order of any court.
(1.5) On the ground that disclosure would be contrary to the public interest, the custodian of criminal justice records shall deny access to the results of chemical biological substance testing to determine the genetic markers conducted pursuant to sections 16-11-102.4 and 16-23-104, C.R.S.
(2) to (4) Repealed.
(5) On the ground that disclosure would be contrary to the public interest, and unless otherwise provided by law, the custodian may deny access to records of investigations conducted by or of intelligence information or security procedures of any sheriff, district attorney, or police department or any criminal justice investigatory files compiled for any other law enforcement purpose.
(6) If the custodian denies access to any criminal justice record, the applicant may request a written statement of the grounds for the denial, which statement shall be provided to the applicant within seventy-two hours, shall cite the law or regulation under which access is denied or the general nature of the public interest to be protected by the denial, and shall be furnished forthwith to the applicant.
(7) Any person denied access to inspect any criminal justice record covered by this part 3 may apply to the district court of the district wherein the record is found for an order directing the custodian of such record to show cause why said custodian should not permit the inspection of such record. A hearing on such application shall be held at the earliest practical time. Unless the court finds that the denial of inspection was proper, it shall order the custodian to permit such inspection and, upon a finding that the denial was arbitrary or capricious, it may order the custodian to pay the applicant's court costs and attorney fees in an amount to be determined by the court. Upon a finding that the denial of inspection of a record of an official action was arbitrary or capricious, the court may also order the custodian personally to pay to the applicant a penalty in an amount not to exceed twenty-five dollars for each day that access was improperly denied.
(8) The allowance or denial of the right to inspect criminal justice records that contain specialized details of security arrangements or investigations shall be governed by section 24-72-204 (2)(a)(VIII).
24-72-305.3. Private access to criminal history records of volunteers and employees of charitable organizations
(1) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2001, p. 1233, § 1, effective June 5, 2001.)
(2) (a) As used in this subsection (2):
(I) "Authorized agency" means a division or office of a state designated by a state to report, receive, or disseminate information under the "Volunteers for Children Act", contained in Public Law 105-251, as amended.
(II) "Bureau" means the Colorado bureau of investigation created in section 24-33.5-401.
(III) "Care" means the provision of care, treatment, education, training, instruction, supervision, or recreation to children, the elderly, or individuals with disabilities.
(IV) "Convicted" means a conviction by a jury or by a court and shall also include a deferred judgment and sentence agreement, a deferred prosecution agreement, a deferred adjudication agreement, an adjudication, and a plea of guilty or nolo contendere.
(V) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2001, p. 1233, § 1, effective June 5, 2001.)
(V.2) "The elderly" means persons sixty years of age or older receiving care.
(V.5) "Individuals with disabilities" means persons with a mental or physical impairment who require assistance to perform one or more daily living tasks.
(VI) "Provider" shall have the same meaning as set forth in 42 U.S.C. sec. 5119c and includes an owner of, an employee of, an applicant seeking employment with, or a volunteer with a qualified entity.
(I) Felony child abuse, as specified in section 18-6-401, C.R.S.;
(II) A crime of violence, as defined in section 18-1.3-406, C.R.S.;
(III) Any felony offenses involving unlawful sexual behavior, as defined in section 16-22-102 (9), C.R.S.;
(IV) Any felony, the underlying factual basis of which has been found by the court on the record to include an act of domestic violence, as defined in section 18-6-800.3, C.R.S.;
(V) Any felony offense in any other state, the elements of which are substantially similar to the elements of any one of the offenses described in subparagraphs (I) to (IV) of this paragraph (b).
(c) (I) For purposes of this subsection (2), the bureau shall be designated an authorized agency. The executive director of the department of public safety shall identify by rule, consistent with applicable federal and state law, those entities that may serve as qualified entities. In addition, the director of the department of public safety may promulgate all reasonable and necessary rules to implement this subsection (2).
(II) For purposes of this subsection (2):
(A) The department of human services, created in section 24-1-120, may serve as an authorized agency for those qualified entities that are regulated by the said department. The state board of human services shall identify by rule, consistent with applicable federal and state law, those entities that may serve as qualified entities. In addition, the state board of human services may promulgate all reasonable and necessary rules to implement this subsection (2).
(B) The department of public health and environment, created in section 24-1-119, may serve as an authorized agency for those qualified entities that are regulated by said department. The state board of health shall identify by rule, consistent with applicable federal and state law, those entities that may serve as qualified entities. In addition, the state board of health may promulgate all reasonable and necessary rules to implement this subsection (2).
(C) The department of education, created in section 24-1-115, may serve as an authorized agency for those qualified entities that are regulated by said department. The state board of education shall identify by rule, consistent with applicable federal and state law, those entities that may serve as qualified entities. In addition, the state board of education may promulgate all reasonable and necessary rules to implement this subsection (2).
(d) Any authorized agency reporting, receiving, or disseminating criminal history record information pursuant to this subsection (2) shall request such information only through the bureau. The bureau, in responding to such request, shall access records that are maintained by or within this state and any other state or territory of the United States, any other nation, or any agency or subdivision of the United States including, but not limited to, the federal bureau of investigation in the United States department of justice.
24-72-305.4. Governmental access to criminal history records of applicants in regulated professions or occupations
(1) Any division, board, commission, or person responsible for the licensing, certification, or registration functions for any governmental entity, in addition to any other authority conferred by law, may use fingerprints to access, for comparison purposes, arrest history records of:
(a) Any applicant for licensure, registration, or certification to practice a profession or occupation;
(b) Any licensee, registrant, or person certified to practice a profession or occupation;
(c) Any prospective employee or any employee of a licensee, registrant, or person certified to practice an occupation or profession.
(2) The persons or entities authorized to access arrest history records pursuant to subsection (1) of this section may access records that are maintained by or within this state through the Colorado bureau of investigation.
(3) For the purposes of this section, "governmental entity" means the state and any of its political subdivisions, including entities governed by home rule charters, and any agency or institution of the state or any of its political subdivisions.
24-72-305.5. Access to records - denial by custodian - use of records to obtain information for solicitation - definitions
(1) Records of official actions and criminal justice records and the names, addresses, telephone numbers, and other information in such records shall not be used by any person for the purpose of soliciting business for pecuniary gain. The official custodian shall deny any person access to records of official actions and criminal justice records unless such person signs a statement which affirms that such records shall not be used for the direct solicitation of business for pecuniary gain.
(2) (a) It is unlawful for a person to obtain a copy of a booking photograph in any format knowing:
(I) The booking photograph will be placed in a publication or posted to a website; and
(b) A person who requests a copy of one or more booking photographs from an official custodian shall, at the time of making the request, submit the statement required by subsection (1) of this section; except that a custodian may allow a person who anticipates making multiple requests for booking photographs to submit the required statement once for all booking photographs requested during a specified period of time not to exceed one year. By signing the statement, the person is affirming that any booking photograph obtained from the custodian will not be placed in a publication or posted to a website that requires the payment of a fee or other exchange for pecuniary gain in order to remove or delete the booking photograph from the publication or website.
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 24-72-309, a person who violates a provision of paragraph (a) of this subsection (2) or who submits a false statement pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection (2) commits an unclassified misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of up to one thousand dollars.
(d) As used in this subsection (2), unless the context otherwise requires, "booking photograph" means a photograph or other image of a person taken by a criminal justice agency at the time that a person is arrested or detained by a criminal justice agency and prior to conviction.
24-72-305.6. County clerk and recorder access to criminal history records of election judges and employees - rules
(1) A county clerk and recorder shall request the criminal history records from the public website maintained by the Colorado bureau of investigation for all full-time, part-time, permanent, and contract employees of the county who staff a counting center and who have any access to electromechanical voting systems or electronic vote tabulating equipment. The county clerk and recorder shall request the records not less than once each calendar year prior to the first election of the year.
(2) A county clerk and recorder may request, in his or her discretion, the criminal history records from the public website maintained by the Colorado bureau of investigation for an election judge serving in the county. The secretary of state may, by rule promulgated in accordance with article 4 of this title, require that certain duties may be performed only by those election judges for whom a county clerk and recorder has requested criminal history records pursuant to this subsection (2). Such duties may include accessing the statewide voter registration system established pursuant to section 1-2-301, C.R.S.
(3) A county clerk and recorder authorized to access criminal history records pursuant to this section may access records that are maintained by or within this state directly through the public website maintained by the Colorado bureau of investigation. A county clerk and recorder that does not have access or authorization to use a credit card for conducting business on behalf of the county in which the clerk and recorder serves may request that the county sheriff for the county access the criminal records from the public website maintained by the Colorado bureau of investigation. Criminal records shall not be accessed pursuant to this section directly from the Colorado criminal justice computer system or the national criminal justice computer system.
24-72-306. Copies, printouts, or photographs of criminal justice records - fees authorized
(1) Criminal justice agencies may assess reasonable fees, not to exceed actual costs, including but not limited to personnel and equipment, for the search, retrieval, and redaction of criminal justice records requested pursuant to this part 3 and may waive fees at their discretion. In addition, criminal justice agencies may charge a fee not to exceed twenty-five cents per standard page for a copy of a criminal justice record or a fee not to exceed the actual cost of providing a copy, printout, or photograph of a criminal justice record in a format other than a standard page. Where fees for certified copies or other copies, printouts, or photographs of criminal justice records are specifically prescribed by law, such specific fees shall apply. Where the criminal justice agency is an agency or department of any county or municipality, the amount of such fees shall be established by the governing body of the county or municipality in accordance with this subsection (1).
(2) If the custodian does not have facilities for making copies, printouts, or photographs of records which the applicant has the right to inspect, the applicant shall be granted access to the records for the purpose of making copies, printouts, or photographs. The copies, printouts, or photographs shall be made while the records are in the possession, custody, and control of the custodian thereof and shall be subject to the supervision of such custodian. When practical, they shall be made in the place where the records are kept, but, if it is impractical to do so, the custodian may allow other arrangements to be made for this purpose. If other facilities are necessary, the cost of providing them shall be paid by the person desiring a copy, printout, or photograph of the records. The official custodian may establish a reasonable schedule of times for making copies, printouts, or photographs and may charge the same fee for the services rendered by him or his deputy in supervising the copying, printing out, or photographing as he may charge for furnishing copies under subsection (1) of this section.
(3) The provisions of this section shall not apply to discovery materials that a criminal justice agency is required to provide in a criminal case pursuant to rule 16 of the Colorado rules of criminal procedure.
24-72-307. Challenge to accuracy and completeness - appeals
(1) Any person in interest who is provided access to any criminal justice records pursuant to this part 3 shall have the right to challenge the accuracy and completeness of records to which he has been given access, insofar as they pertain to him, and to request that said records be corrected.
(2) If the custodian refuses to make the requested correction, the person in interest may request a written statement of the grounds for the refusal, which statement shall be furnished forthwith.
(3) In the event that the custodian requires additional time to evaluate the merit of the request for correction, he shall so notify the applicant in writing forthwith. The custodian shall then have thirty days from the date of his receipt of the request for correction to evaluate the request and to make a determination of whether to grant or refuse the request, in whole or in part, which determination shall be forthwith communicated to the applicant in writing.
(4) Any person in interest whose request for correction of records is refused may apply to the district court of the district wherein the record is found for an order directing the custodian of such record to show cause why he should not permit the correction of such record. A hearing on such application shall be held at the earliest practical time. Unless the court finds that the refusal of correction was proper, it shall order the custodian to make such correction, and, upon a finding that the refusal was arbitrary or capricious, it may order the criminal justice agency for which the custodian was acting to pay the applicant's court costs and attorney fees in an amount to be determined by the court.
24-72-308. Sealing of arrest and criminal records other than convictions. (Repealed)
24-72-308.5. Sealing of criminal conviction records information for offenses involving controlled substances for convictions entered on or after July 1, 2008, and prior to July 1, 2011. (Repealed)
24-72-308.6. Sealing of criminal conviction records information for offenses involving controlled substances for convictions entered on or after July 1, 2011. (Repealed)
24-72-308.7. Sealing of criminal conviction records information for offenses committed by victims of human trafficking. (Repealed)
24-72-308.8. Sealing of criminal conviction records information for offenses involving theft of public transportation services. (Repealed)
24-72-308.9. Sealing of criminal conviction records information for petty offenses and municipal offenses for convictions. (Repealed)
24-72-309. Violation - penalty
Any person who willfully and knowingly violates the provisions of this part 3 is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than ninety days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
This is not an official copy of the statutes. Please visit LexisNexis Legal Resources for the most current version.