Republicans in state Senate propose criminal justice reforms
Republicans in the state Senate on Wednesday proposed a drastic change in the police transparency rules adopted after the killing of George Floyd last year, along with a plan to come down harder on juvenile car thieves.
It is the latest effort by GOP minorities to propose criminal justice reforms, two months after their colleagues in the House of Representatives tried and failed to persuade majority Democrats to convene a special session amid allegations of rising violent crimes and stolen cars.
Proposals include improvements in response to crime; the better support of law enforcement personnel; and ways to look at the origins of criminal behavior, including issues of trauma, housforcement ing, jobs and education.
The package of proposals includes efforts to end recidivism and increase social-service spending to an unspecified level. It would also eliminate parts of the police transparency law that make it easier for rogue law enofficers to be decertified and not bounce from one town to another after disciplinary action.
The initial response from Democrats, who control the Senate 23-13 and the House 97-54, was
that Connecticut’s crime rate is among the lowest in the nation. State Sen. Gary Winfield, D-New Haven, co-chairman of the lawwriting Judiciary Committee, said that while he favors some of the proposals, they do not warrant a special legislative session.
State Senate Minority Leader Kevin Kelly, R-Stratford, pointed to homicide incidents statewide and in Waterbury, Hartford and New Haven in particular.
“We need immediate action to properly respond to crime,” Kelly said during a noontime news conference outside the east entrance of the State Capitol, supported by eight members of his caucus, most of whom represent suburban districts. “We need to ensure that law enforcement and our justice system have the tools to keep all people safe.”
Outlining a proposal they call “A Safer Connecticut,” the multi-faceted proposal would address responses to crime and create mentoring services to help steer young people away from accepting criminal opportunities.
“People, our constituents, are asking and demanding results,” Kelly said. “This is what we hear when we go back to our communities. I don’t know what the Democrats hear, but I believe the people deserve this response. We want to have the conversation, because they deserve better.”
“It’s bringing everything together,” said state Sen. John Kissel of Enfield, a top Republican on the Judiciary Committee. “It’s a holistic approach. These things should really happen now, not yesterday, and while some of these will have to be addressed in the Judiciary Committee in the next legislative session, a lot of these things can take place right now. And the public depends on it, right now.”
The GOP proposals include:
More use of rules that allow juvenile cases to be transferred to adult court.
Mandatory around-theclock GPS monitoring for juveniles arrested for violent crimes if they are awaiting trial on previous charges.
Speedy, next-day arraignments for juveniles.
An assessment of services within the criminal justice system, including the Department of Children and Families.
Easing the way for students to gain occupational licenses and other workforce development programs.
Winfield, speaking online with reporters later in the afternoon, said that ideally, next-day arraignments would be a good idea, but he warned the dangers of putting teenagers into the system with adults.
“I think that’s a conversation that’s ongoing,” Winfield said. “If you think that the answer is to get services for these young people, then that’s what we work on. But to say we’re going to get services by putting
them into a deeper, moredangerous end of the system, where they’re in contact with people that we likely don’t want them in contact with, is not something that I think makes a lot of sense.”
Winfield said funding programs is important. “Clearly there are things in there that even I have advocated for, but the proposal as a whole is what I’m responding to, and as a whole I don’t think we should be going into special session,” he said. “When I look at the facts, I don’t see a need to enact the proposal before us.”
Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, co-chairman of the Judiciary Committee, noted that several of the GOP proposals had been expressed earlier this summer in bipartisan talks that ended without agreement.
“Connecticut remains one of the safest states in the country,” Stafstrom said in a statement. “Crime has decreased over the past several years because of our approach to be smart on crime, not reactive. While some of the proposals offered by state Senate Republicans require further study and research, others will reverse common-sense policy and move our state backward.”
In August, the Judicial Branch announced that it would make the sharing of information on juvenile defendants easier to share with local police and prosecutors, to help decide whether recently arrested youths should be detained.
On Tuesday, and again Wednesday, Gov. Ned Lamont said he was open to proposals. “Yeah, if there are some constructive ideas that require legislative approval, you know that’s fine by me,” Lamont said on Tuesday.
The governor recently visited a program for atrisk youth called The Wilderness School. On Wednesday, he said his administration had taken a lot of steps to provide support services in the criminal justice system.
Asked what his idea of “constructive” would be, Lamont said concrete proposals.
“Things that make a difference,” Lamont replied. “Not rhetoric about getting tough on law-andorder, but ways that we can, you know, maybe you want to put car theft as one of the serious crimes, listed as such, so we can get them on an accelerated docket. There’s some things that would make a difference. Whether we do that in special session or regular, we should do it.”
As for the wave of youth crime the Republicans warn about, Lamont said on Wednesday, “The data shows that we are one of the safest states in the country with one of the lowest levels of violent crime in the country.”
He added, “We’ve gone through incredible distress over this last year and a half,” which has added to some criminal activity. But he said there is not a cookie-cuttr way to manage the issue.