The First Judicial District held its eighth Fresh Start warrant event, which cleared 99 low-level warrants and connected participants to community resources.
The event provides individuals with an opportunity to resolve outstanding warrants for low-level offenses. The program also connects folks with community resources that help prevent recidivism, such as substance use treatment, housing support, harm reduction services, and transportation assistance.
The event was held on June 7 at the Jefferson County Administration and Courts Facility.
67 of the warrants were for failure to appear and 25 were for failure to comply. In all, 61 cases were closed and 38 additional cases had warrants quashed and were set for new court dates.
First Judicial District Attorney Alexis King said she hopes that more counties will implement similar programs to Jeffco’s in the future.
“What’s truly powerful about Fresh Start is the collaboration, not just within the First Judicial District, but across jurisdictions, working together to strengthen public safety and use resources more effectively,” King said. “By uniting in this way, we remove barriers, support accountability, save taxpayer dollars, and help individuals get back on track; I hope to see even more counties join this effort in November.”
A spokesperson for the First Judicial District said that the Fresh Start events allow individuals to resolve outstanding warrants without the fear of arrest, and ease the strain on the justice system by “allowing law enforcement and court resources to focus on higher-risk cases.”
Most of the offenses eligible for Fresh Start are non-violent cases; offenses under the Victim Rights Act, weapons offenses and repeated driving under the influence cases remain ineligible for the program. However, some low-level felony drug and property offenses are eligible for the program
Similar events were held in Adams, Boulder, Broomfield and Denver counties on June 7 as part of a coordinated effort between the jurisdictions.
Since 2021, the First Judicial District has cleared 674 warrants through the Fresh Start program, which a spokesperson said saves taxpayers thousands of dollars. The next Fresh Start event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 15.