Colorado lawmakers consider how much wrongly convicted prisoners should be compensated

[Chad Feldheimer]

DENVER - How much does Colorado owe people imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit? How about $70,000 a year?

A state House committee starts work Thursday on a proposal to set compensation rates for people wrongly incarcerated. The bill was inspired by a western Colorado man who is surviving on food stamps and donations after serving a decade in prison for a rape and murder he didn't commit.

Robert Dewey was exonerated last year by DNA evidence and plans to visit the Colorado Capitol to argue in favor of compensation for the wrongly imprisoned.

The bill up for debate in a House committee sets compensation at $70,000 a year in prison, and $25,000 a year for people who were wrongly on parole, probation or a sex offender registry

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/ne...gly-convicted-prisoners-should-be-compensated

 

[QuinSnydersHair]

I was about to type that 70K is ludicrously high and that it should be based on the average annual income for someone with a similar educational background but that doesn't take into account the possibility of furthering education, earning above one's educational background, the career path one takes, or maybe most importantly, the suffering that that person and their family and friends have endured as well as how it will hinder their ability to gain employment once they get out (though they could probably make a ton of money off of speaking gigs if they're smart) so for that, $70,000 seems not only fair but maybe even low.

 

[Hartsock]

I make more than that not being in prison but the free sex would be nice.

 

[Gameface]

I think it matters a lot on why the person was wrongly convicted. If the police and prosecutor covered up evidence that pointed in a different direction, didn't follow up on credible evidence that might have led to a different suspect and especially if they fabricated evidence or solicited specific testimony that they had reason to believe was false then it has nothing to do with living expenses. They (the state) did enormous harm. The person in the article spent ten years in prison when he was innocent. How horrifying! That's more than 10% of the average person's life. That's about 20% of a person's adult life. So, 70K/yr for 10 years to give up 20% of your adult life and spend that time in a cage with rapists, murderers, thugs and what are typically going to be uneducated lowlifes? I'll Pass.

 

[Stoked]

In the cases where they were incarcerated for years and then were released because they were innocent?

Set them up with a publishers clearing house type thing. Say 10k a month for life.

 

[Hartsock]

In the cases where they were incarcerated for years and then were released because they were innocent?

Set them up with a publishers clearing house type thing. Say 10k a month for life.

Maybe 5k a month, untaxed, depending on where you live obviously, but 5k a month in utah will keep you comfortable enough.