Connecticut
Contact Information
The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance (CTJJA) is a statewide coalition under the auspices of RYASAP. Current members include Connecticut Voices for Children, Center for Children's Advocacy, the Tow Foundation, Office of the Child Advocate, Office of the Chief Public Defender, SAG members, private providers and parent advocates. The mission of CTJJA is to end the criminalization of children in Connecticut. CTJJA promotes a safe, effective, and equitable service continuum for children and adolescents involved in, or at risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system.
Primary Contact Name: Abby Anderson
Position: Executive Director
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Phone: 203-579-2727
Website: http://www.ctjja.org
Twitter: @CTJJA
Facebook: @CTJJA
Legislation
Bill Number: HB 7389
Type of Reform
Confidentiality of Records Reform - Preserved confidentiality in a juvenile's case transferred under the discretion of the court to the regular criminal docket in the event that such case may be transferred back to the docket for juvenile matters and implemented the recommendations of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee.
Year: 2019
Bill Number: HB 7050
Type of Reform
Transfer & Raise the Age Reform - Reviewed children's treatment in the juvenile court prior to being transferred to the adult criminal docket, raised the age for transfer to fifteen years of age, raised the age of a child to eighteen.
Year: 2015
Bill Number: HB 5215
Type of Reform
Raise the Age Reform - Returned 16 and 17-year-olds (violent offenders excluded) to the juvenile justice system.
Year: 2007
Reports
Incarcerated/Detained Youth - An Examination of Conditions of Confinement (January 2019)
Office of the Child Advocate's review of conditions for youth incarcerated in state-run facilities confirms that children/youth of color remain disproportionately confined and incarcerated in Connecticut’s state-run facilities and that the deeper youth go into the correctional system, the less likely they are to receive any developmentally appropriate programming — supports necessary to help youth change their behavior and successfully discharge back to their communities without committing new offenses.
Juvenile Justice Reform in Connecticut: How Collaboration and Commitment Have Improved Public Safety and Outcomes for Youth (February 2013)
This report highlights the past two decades of Connecticut’s successful efforts to improve responses to youth who engage in delinquent behavior and to reduce the number of youth placed into detention centers, correctional training schools, and/or other residential facilities. Specifically, the state reduced residential commitments from 680 in 2000 to 216 in 2011 (nearly 70 percent), even though most 16 year-olds, who were previously treated as adults, are now handled in the juvenile system. The state has also closed one of its three state-operated detention centers and reduced the under 18 population in Connecticut's adult prisons from 403 in January 2007 to 151 in July 2012. Meanwhile, Connecticut expanded its investment in evidence-based, family-focused adolescent treatment programs from $300,000 in 2000 to $39 million in 2009.