ACLU of Connecticut Statement Regarding Second Chance Society 2.0

During an appearance before the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee today, Governor Dannel Malloy announced new details regarding his proposals for two justice initiatives: reforming Connecticut’s bail system by eliminating cash bail requirements for misdemeanors, and raising the maximum age when an individual can enter the juvenile justice system from 17 to 20 years old. The ACLU of Connecticut supports expanding the juvenile justice system to include young people whose decision-making capabilities are still developing.

“We expect that the presumption of open access to juvenile court proceedings will continue to exist in harmony with the protections afforded by the First Amendment. Connecticut needs and deserves a truly fair justice system,” said Stephen Glassman, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Connecticut. “Our current bail system penalizes people for being poor, and it has no place in a modern society. It is broken, because it is tearing apart lives and families. Meanwhile, young people who make mistakes deserve a second chance to succeed. As the governor and his representatives rightly pointed out this afternoon, both proposals will benefit from additional study to address any potential concerns, and we look forward to them being strengthened by public input and the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee’s analysis.”

David McGuire, Legislative and Policy Director of the ACLU of Connecticut, said: “We applaud Governor Malloy’s leadership in helping Connecticut to be a national model for twenty-first century justice. Bail should be based on a person’s flight risk or danger to society, not on the money in his or her pocket. Young people who make mistakes should have a second chance, not find the deck stacked against them for the rest of their lives. We look forward to learning more about the details of both of the governor’s proposals.”