HARTFORD – Governor Dannel P. Malloy announced Thursday morning that he is introducing a series of legislative proposals that build upon his “Second Chance Society” reforms that were adopted last year.
The proposals are designed to continue reducing the state’s decreasing crime rate, as well as insure nonviolent offenders are successfully reintegrated into society. One proposal eliminates bail for some offenders while another looks to raise the age of juvenile arrest to 20.
Malloy released a statement along with his Second Chance 2.0 proposals:
“Criminal justice is evolving, and Connecticut should be at the forefront of implementing cutting-edge strategies. These proposals would help break new ground. If we want to tackle the cycle of crime and poverty, if we want to continue to drive crime down even lower, then we must change our approach to criminal justice with long-term solutions. We cannot take a one-size-fits-all attitude to corrections and expect further gains – and we cannot treat a low-risk young adult the same way we treat a career criminal. The world is changing, and our approach to corrections should change with it. Our prisons cannot serve as crime schools. If we are to truly be about corrections, and if we are to truly work towards ensuring that those housed in our prisons never return, then we need to be a Second Chance society that invests in permanent improvement and reformation instead of permanent punishment. Crime is down to almost half-century lows, dropping faster here than in almost any other state. Recidivism is down. Our prison population is down. From our bail bonding system to our correctional strategy for young people, we need to change our criminal justice system so we can continue making Connecticut safer.”
“These are important initiatives that build on work already underway to make our communities safer, refocus at-risk youth, and put the systems in place to protect these and so many other gains,” Lt. Governor Nancy Wyman said in the statement. “Connecticut’s leadership on crime reduction and justice is significant, and so are the partnerships we continue to build with local government, advocates, and young people. We are shaping a stronger future for all of our residents.”
The reforms would make Connecticut a national leader on criminal justice reforms, according to Malloy’s office.
