Observatoire des droits humains (anglais seulement)

Colorado criminal cases are dismissed at a higher rate when prosecutors face heavier workloads

(Version anglaise seulement)

par Rebecca Dunlea, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Justice Studies, UMass Lowell

Nearly 1 in 5 felony cases filed in Denver and resolved in 2025 was dismissed with no strings attached.

For misdemeanor cases, the rate was 1 in 4.

A criminal case might be dismissed for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, evidence falls apart. Law enforcement, prosecutor or lab errors can similarly derail a case. Or perhaps prosecutors decide that pursuing it no longer serves the interests of justice. These situations are a normal, inevitable and sometimes even desirable aspect of the legal system.

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