Scar on Justice: How Colorado’s CPS and DA System Protect Themselves at the Expense of Victims

The sentencing of former Larimer County child welfare caseworker Sandra Spraker is more than just another case —it’s a glaring example of a systemic failure, revealing how county and state governments prioritize self-preservation over justice. With Spraker initially charged with 99 counts, including forgery and official misconduct, her plea deal dismissed 97 of those charges without explanation. This outcome not only shortchanges accountability but also disrespects and ignores the families harmed by her actions—all while protecting the government’s own liability for systemic failure.

Protecting the System at All Costs

Spraker’s misconduct isn’t an isolated case of a rogue employee; it’s symptomatic of deeper flaws within Colorado’s Child Protective Services (CPS). By dismissing the vast majority of charges, the District Attorney’s (DA) office effectively shielded CPS from scrutiny. Public accountability would require answering uncomfortable questions: How many children were affected? How many families suffered irreparable harm due to negligence or malfeasance?

Instead, we’re left with a carefully curated narrative: no victims, no harm, no systemic issues—just a single “bad apple.” This narrative is as false as the records Spraker altered. Yet it’s convenient for CPS and the DA’s office, both of which would face significant legal and financial liability if they were forced to confront the real impact of Spraker’s actions.

Disrespecting Families to Limit Liability

Central to this systemic injustice is the deliberate erasure of victimized families. Despite evidence that Spraker mismanaged cases, falsified records, and misused public funds, CPS and the DA have insisted there were “no victims.” Families directly affected by Spraker’s actions have been ignored, their cases excluded from investigations, and their voices silenced in court. Why? Because acknowledging these families would expose the government to lawsuits, restitution claims, and public outrage.

One mother, whose case was actively managed by Spraker, submitted a powerful victim impact statement at the sentencing hearing. The judge admitted the statement into the record, yet the DA dismissed her plea, asserting she was “not a victim.” This blatant disregard isn’t just insulting—it’s a calculated effort to deny the existence of harm, thereby shielding CPS from accountability and the county from liability.

The refusal to engage with affected families extends beyond Spraker’s individual actions. Neither the sheriff’s office nor the DA bothered to investigate how many cases Spraker mishandled. This lack of curiosity is telling: uncovering the full extent of her misconduct would force the system to confront its own failures. Instead, CPS and the DA have opted for willful ignorance, leaving families to fend for themselves.

Judicial Irony and the Victims’ Rights Act

Adding another layer of injustice is the selective application of the Victims’ Rights Act (VRA), which is supposed to guarantee victims a voice in the judicial process. The law mandates that victims be informed, consulted, and allowed to participate in significant decisions, such as plea deals and sentencing. Yet, in this case, the DA’s office callously determined that no families qualified as victims, effectively dismissing the VRA’s protections.

This decision is as indefensible as it is ironic. While the court issued lofty statements about “all the victims” during Spraker’s sentencing, those same victims were denied recognition and excluded from proceedings. The mother who submitted her victim impact statement wasn’t allowed to read it. Families harmed by Spraker’s falsified records were left out of the investigation entirely. How can the justice system preach accountability while actively silencing those who were wronged?

A System Built to Avoid Accountability

The leniency of Spraker’s sentence underscores the government’s commitment to self-preservation. Three years of supervised probation, 60 days in a Work Release Program, and 300 hours of public service do not reflect the severity of her actions. Nor do they provide any restitution to families who suffered due to her falsified reports and fraudulent use of public funds.

The light sentencing, paired with the dismissal of 97 charges, sends a clear message: the system values its own liability protection over justice for families. By minimizing Spraker’s culpability, CPS and the DA have insulated themselves from the broader implications of her misconduct. If no victims are acknowledged, there’s no need to address systemic issues or implement meaningful reforms.

The Call for Transparency and Reform

This case demands more than outrage; it demands action. To restore public trust and protect vulnerable families, Colorado must enact systemic reforms, including:

  1. Transparent Accountability for CPS: The government must establish independent oversight of CPS (the Ombudsman is not independent) to investigate cases of misconduct and hold the agency accountable for systemic failures.
  2. Decertification of Caseworkers: Caseworkers guilty of misconduct must be barred from working in child welfare, with a public database tracking their certification status.
  3. Full Investigation of Caseloads and Potentially Affected Families: An investigator must investigate every case a caseworker was involved with and interview every family to assess how their family was potentially impacted.
  4. Stronger Enforcement of the Victims’ Rights Act: Prosecutors must adhere to the VRA, ensuring all victims are recognized, given a voice in the judicial process, and provide restitution to impacted families.

Another Scar on the Justice System and CPS

This case is another scar on Colorado’s justice and child protection systems, one that exposes the rot beneath its surface. CPS and the DA’s office have shown that they are more interested in protecting their own and the state’s liability than in protecting the families they serve. By refusing to acknowledge victims, dismissing charges without explanation, and minimizing Spraker’s punishment, they have undermined public trust and perpetuated a culture of impunity.

If we allow this to stand, we are complicit in a system that values its own survival over the well-being of children and families. It’s time to demand better—because the families ignored and erased by this system deserve justice, and Colorado deserves a child welfare system that works.

In part, this post leaned on reporting from Stephanie Butzer, Channel 7 News https://www.newsbreak.com/share/3703584374121-scar-on-the-justice-system-former-co-child-welfare-caseworker-is-sentenced?