News / FJP Releases
FJP Files Brief Urging Colorado Supreme Court to End Ban on In-Person Jail Visits
March 31, 2026 (Denver, CO) — Fair and Just Prosecution (FJP) and Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), joined by a coalition of law enforcement leaders and justice system experts, filed an amicus brief urging the Colorado Supreme Court to review and reverse a lower court decision which allows Adams County, Colorado, to continue its ban on in-person visitation at the county jail.
Bans on in-person visits between incarcerated individuals and their loved ones undermine public safety and harm communities. Evidence from jurisdictions across the country shows that facilities that have eliminated in-person visits have seen increases in violence, disciplinary incidents, and mental health crises inside facilities. By contrast, jurisdictions that have restored visitation report safer conditions for both staff and incarcerated individuals. Research consistently shows that even limited in-person contact reduces recidivism and improves reentry outcomes.
Many of these bans, including the one in Adams County, are motivated by collecting payment from the exorbitant per-minute call fees charged to family and friends through private vendors. County agreements with these private companies create a direct incentive to eliminate in-person visitation, effectively turning family connection into a revenue stream.
Additionally, many people are subjected to pretrial incarceration merely because they are too poor to afford bail; therefore, the people most adversely affected by bans on in-person visits are those from communities where poverty is most prevalent. Any policy that punishes individuals based on their lack of financial resources further destroys confidence in the fairness of the criminal justice system.
“Criminal justice policies should be driven by what makes communities safer, not what squeezes profit from the need for human connection. A child’s desire to speak to their parent should never be seen as an opportunity for revenue,” said FJP Executive Director Aramis Donell Ayala. “The evidence is clear that in-person visits reduce violence, support mental health, and lead to safer reentry. Charging families for phone or video calls while eliminating in-person visits puts profit ahead of public safety and exploits vulnerable communities, deepening inequality and undermining fairness. It also erodes trust in the justice system, which is essential to keeping communities safe.”
Amici urge the Colorado Supreme Court to grant the petition and restore access to in-person visits, emphasizing that the Colorado Constitution protects the right to familial association and limits restrictions on people held pretrial to those justified by a legitimate governmental interest. These principles, along with sound public safety policy, support meaningful family contact during detention.