Crime

By Boulder Channel 1 News Boulder, CO – October 28, 2025  In the shadow of Boulder’s iconic Flatirons, a crisis brews behind bars and beyond: Boulder County Jail’s addiction treatment programs are failing those who need them most, with relapse rates soaring and a glaring absence of proven peer-support models like Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). As the county touts its new Joe Pelle Center as a beacon of reform, critics question whether it’s repeating the same mistakes—eschewing AA and NA in favor of untested alternatives that leave inmates cycling back into addiction and crime.

Boulder County Jail, housing over 700 inmates at any given time, offers “substance abuse counseling” through its Behavioral Health Services. But insiders paint a bleaker picture. “It’s group sessions twice a week, maybe, if you’re lucky,” says one former inmate who served six months last year for possession. “No real structure. No AA meetings, no sponsors. I walked out worse off than when I went in.” Now three months sober through a private NA program, the individual echoes a chorus of complaints. County data, obtained via public records request, reveals a 68% recidivism rate among addiction-related offenders released from the jail in 2024—far above the national average of 50% for similar cases.

The jail’s programs, managed by Wellpath and Mental Health Partners, emphasize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medication-assisted treatment (MAT). While MAT can curb withdrawal, experts argue it’s no substitute for the spiritual and communal backbone of 12-step programs. “AA and NA aren’t just meetings; they’re lifelines,” says a University of Colorado addiction specialist. “Studies show participants in 12-step integration have 20-30% lower relapse rates. Boulder’s jail ignores that at great human cost.”

The Joe Pelle Center, Boulder County’s $25 million alternative sentencing facility that opened last week on Airport Road, promises “holistic reentry” for low-level offenders, including those with substance use disorders. With yoga studios, job training kitchens, and Flatiron views, it feels more like a community college than a lockup. Yet, programming details raise red flags.

The center’s curriculum, outlined in county memos, leans heavily on in-house therapy and vocational workshops—again sidelining AA and NA. “We’re innovative, not traditional,” says Pelle center spokesperson . “Our evidence-based approach includes telehealth MAT and peer mentoring, tailored to modern needs.” But skeptics aren’t buying it. “It’s questionable at best,” says Colorado Voices for Recovery. “Without AA/NA as the primary recourse, you’re setting folks up to fail. AA and NA are the only long-term support system available once people are released—no county program follows them home.”

The group points to a pilot program’s early stumbles: Of the 20 addiction-focused residents admitted since opening, three have already absconded, per sheriff’s reports. One parent, whose son is slated for the center next month, told Channel 1, “He needs meetings, not memos. Why reinvent the wheel when AA works—and keeps working after the doors open?”

Boulder County’s addiction epidemic—fueled by fentanyl, alcohol and isolation—demands more than good intentions. Without embracing proven paths like AA and NA, these facilities risk becoming revolving doors to despair.