Betrayed By The Law

What We Believe

Colorado law often fails to adequately punish criminals, especially those convicted of sex crimes, including rape and child solicitation. Loopholes in the justice system result in dangerous offenders being let out on probation for crimes that deserve a mandatory minimum sentence. When child predators get released with probation only, they often go on to re-offend and commit additional acts of violence. Under current law, child predators can be released back into homes and communities without serving appropriate jail time, at a judge’s discretion.

According to a 2025 study by The Fitch Law Firm, Colorado is ranked 11th for the state with the most sex offenses in the country, with 6,526 total reported sex offenses and 112 sex offenses per 100K residents. Mandatory minimum sentences for child predators is a common sense policy solution, along with elevating several of these crimes to a “crime of violence” in Colorado law.

Demanding serious consequences and jail time for participation in human trafficking against children is also vital in Colorado because, once again, the state ranks high on national lists for the prevalence of trafficking. In the fall of 2024, the Common Sense Institute reported that Colorado “had the nation’s 10th highest number of human trafficking reports,” and that the state “reached a record amount of human trafficking in 2023.”

Closing the possibility of parole for child predators is a deeply popular idea among Colorado citizens, with only 6% opposing the idea in a recent poll.

Kristi Burton Brown

Kristi is the Executive Vice President at the Advance Colorado Institute. She is also a member of the State Board of Education, representing Congressional District 4. Kristi is the former Chairwoman of the Colorado Republican Party – the first woman to be elected in 40 years and the youngest Chair in Colorado Republican history. Kristi is a constitutional attorney, focusing on First Amendment and Equal Protection issues and is admitted to the U.S. Supreme Court where she has submitted briefs in a number of landmark decisions, including Loper v. Raimondo (the case that overturned the Chevron Doctrine). She is a guest host for the Dan Caplis Show on 630 KHOW. Kristi lives with her family in Douglas County where she and her husband homeschool their children with a classical Christian education.

Michael Tsogt

Michael Tsogt is a Policy Analyst at the Advance Colorado Institute. His areas of policy and research include education, budget/fiscal matters, and TABOR. He has testified on a wide range of bills before the Colorado legislature, including a bill proposing education savings accounts for special needs and foster care kids in Colorado. During his undergraduate years, Michael was elected as an Academic Senator for student government, covered sports & entertainment for the student newspaper, and participated in several political fellowships and opportunities, including the Center for the Study of Government and the Individual as a Bastiat Fellow. Prior to COVID interrupting plans, Michael was accepted into a study abroad program at Oxford University where he had intended to study Aristotle and political philosophy for a semester. Michael graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in political science. He and his wife live in Colorado Springs.

At Advance Colorado, we believe in an education system that puts Colorado parents and students first through a system that emphasizes:

At the heart of Colorado’s school system is school choice, in which our state has been a national trailblazer for decades. – a system that has enjoyed deep, bipartisan support.

What We Do

We craft cutting edge policies that empower parents, taxpayers, and teachers and push back on the status quo interests that resist reform.

Our 2024 Policy Agenda includes several important education reform priorities. Read it HERE

This year, we are leading the charge to protect the school choice rights we currently have – rights that are annually under siege from the education establishment groups that want to eliminate your right to choose the best school for your children. We can secure our rights into the future through a school choice amendment to the Colorado Constitution.

Read our policy brief on this important issue HERE.

What You Can Do

We help citizens become advocates and leaders.

Whether you are a concerned parent, grandparent or taxpayer, Advance Colorado can equip you with the knowledge and tools to be an effective advocate for high quality, accountable schools. Learn more about our ambassador program.

And if you are interested in running to become a member of your local school board, you can apply to participate in the Advance Colorado Academy New Leader program. LINK If you are a current school board member, you can enroll in our “You’ve Won, Now What?” program. Learn more about our “You’ve Won, Now What?” program.