As of May 28, 2025, 139 sentenced inmates (post-trial) are currently housed at the El Paso County Jail. These individuals await available bed space within the Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC). This number has steadily increased over the past few months and now exceeds the capacity of a large ward, which typically accommodates 80 people.
Our billing to CDOC utilizes a legislatively mandated rate of $77.16 per inmate per day. In contrast, the daily cost to house each inmate is $143.18, resulting in a daily shortfall of $66.02 per person.
For example, in April 2025, the projected invoice totaled $106,017.84, while the actual cost reached $255,573.84, resulting in a difference of $149,556.00. The reimbursement rate, set by the Colorado state legislature, remains significantly below the actual cost, placing a financial burden on our Office and the citizens of El Paso County.
This imbalance continues to strain our operations, requiring additional staffing, medical support, medication, and meals to sustain those in custody.
“El Paso County operates the largest single jail in Colorado, and we fully recognize the many factors contributing to the growing number of inmates awaiting transfer,” said Sheriff Joseph Roybal. “We value our past collaboration with the Colorado Department of Corrections aimed at reducing fluctuations in our population. However, the current situation cannot continue indefinitely. Colorado officials must determine the cause of this increase and implement a solution.
“As Sheriff, I remain committed to the safety of our incarcerated population and to the responsible use of taxpayer dollars. Reducing our average daily population is a key focus, and resolving the current backlog is critical in achieving that objective.”
The Joint Budget Committee recently withdrew significant funding due to a $1.2 billion deficit, resulting in the elimination of approximately 300 CDOC beds. Beginning on July 1, 2025, the state approved funding to reopen 100 beds. However, due to statutory limitations, budget allocations increased by less than 3%, and the additional beds will not be enough to accommodate El Paso County’s backlog, nor will they serve the 63 other counties facing similar challenges.
Sheriff Roybal continued, “I remain deeply concerned about CDOC funding and foresee continued unreasonable backlogs, along with a real risk of DOC facilities reaching maximum capacity in the near future. I urge the Colorado State Legislature and Governor Polis to prioritize resolving the reimbursement gap and the ongoing shortage of CDOC beds.”
El Paso County processes an average of 20 to 25 sentenced individuals each week. When combined with inmates awaiting transfer to the State Hospital for mental health treatment, more than 200 individuals remain in our jail system despite being under the jurisdiction of CDOC and the State of Colorado.
The average number of inmates awaiting the DOC backlog in 2025 is as follows:
January 2025 -55 individuals
February 2025-69 individuals
March 2025- 81 individuals
April 2025-79 individuals
May 2025-106 individuals
The financial responsibility and liability for these incarcerated individuals currently fall on taxpayers in the Pikes Peak region. The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office is actively tracking the discrepancies and forwarding the actual cost of incarceration to the State of Colorado.