CONNECTICUT, USA — In the midst of recent crime, law enforcement and some state lawmakers now calling for criminal justice reform, saying Connecticut’s current laws aren’t tough enough.
“It angers me to know what occurred, because of the harm that our officers and our residents innocently were put in, by the hands of these repeat offenders, these criminals that should not be on the street,” said Meriden Mayor Kevin Scarpati at a press conference Friday, after six arrests were made following a two-day crime spree.
“What are we doing in the state of Connecticut?” Meriden Chief of Police Rob Rosado said. “Whatever we're doing is not working and we need immediate change to protect our citizens and our officers on the frontlines.”
It’s not just law enforcement sounding alarm bells. Some state legislators say Connecticut laws need to change.
“I think that there were the best of intentions when the juvenile justice reforms were done prior to my being elected, but clearly, we need to go back and take a look at these things again,” added state Rep. Michael Quinn, (D-Meriden).
Quinn said current juvenile and repeat offender policies aren’t working.
“People make mistakes,” he continued. “I think when you make a mistake the first time, you probably should be dealt with differently than a repeat offender. But the problem is, we're treating too many repeat offenders the same way as we're treating first-time offenders and we have to put a stop to that.”
Republican lawmakers agree.
“It's demonstrating quite clearly that Connecticut is not capable of keeping our community safe and that we have to do something about this, because lives are in the balance,” said Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly.
However, criminal justice experts said Connecticut’s laws are actually some of the most successful in the nation.
“As it turns out, compared to pretty much any other state, Connecticut does a much better job of preventing crime among juveniles,” associate professor at the University of New Haven Mike Lawlor said. “At the end of the day, you know, reducing crime is the goal. Most crimes, whether it's juvenile or adult, are actually lower this year than they were in the past.”
Kelly said that doesn’t mean residents feel any safer.
“People don't feel confident that their government is protecting their things like cars and that they are not safe in their communities,” he added.
Safety is a top priority for lawmakers next session.
“You have my pledge that when we reconvene in February, I will be introducing legislation again, to crack down on the repeat offenders,” Quinn said.
Lawlor also said part of the issue is police and prosecutors not taking advantage of options and resources available to them, when it comes to recent reforms like juvenile detention.
While Quinn and Kelly both say swift action is necessary, neither said they would push for a special session.
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