COVID and Juvenile Justice: CTJJA Urges Release of Detained Youth in CT
Bridgeport, CT (March 25, 2020) – During a COVID-19 press briefing yesterday, Governor Ned Lamont confirmed that contrary to what his regional counterparts are doing, his administration has no intention to release Connecticut's incarcerated population, which includes about 140 children under the age of 18. The majority of those youth are in the custody of the Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division facilities, and the remaining are in the custody of the Department of Correction. This declaration came on the heels of the Department of Correction releasing details on its implementation of efforts to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the state’s correctional facilities.
Governor Lamont and the DOC's strategy fail to address the urgent need to release the 140 youth who are presently incarcerated in facilities throughout the state. As such, the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance has put forth the following asks to keep the public informed and to protect the rights and wellness of our state's most vulnerable residents:
The Department of Corrections must provide a separate report detailing its strategy to address the unique need of incarcerated and detained youth.
DOC must follow The Court Support Services Division lead in providing weekly updates on the rate of release and the ongoing support and treatment of Connecticut's currently incarcerated youth.
Governor Ned Lamont must launch an inter-departmental concerted effort to ensure Connecticut's most vulnerable youth are supported and able to either strategically transition back to their respective homes or other safe environments where their needs can be met.
The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance is requesting a response to these asks by Friday, March 27, 2020, at 12:00 PM.
The Judicial Branch has proved it is already working to safely release as many youths as possible. Since last week, the Judicial Branch has reduced the incarcerated population from 76 to 70. Similar measures across agencies could happen more quickly if state leaders were charged with collaborating and if emergency financial resources were available to meet each child and family's individualized need for safety and stability. As such, CTJJA is calling on Governor Lamont to urgently exercise his executive power to give state agencies the charge to partner with DOC and CSSD and ensure as many youth as possible can be released safely and with their needs met.
"While we understand the DOC's urge to have balanced measures during this crisis, children's health, safety, and futures can't be left hanging in the balance. We have an obligation to protect and invest in them at all costs," said Jordyn Wilson, CTJJA Justice Advisor. "Adequate social distancing cannot happen in youth secured facilities. Frequent hand washing and other forms of hygiene can't happen in a cell or in solitary confinement. Various Boards of Education are providing distance learning and resources for their students to excel and thrive under these conditions, but we have no information on similar measures for detained and incarcerated youth. Given their lack of transparency and the open investigations of the conditions in their facilities, we cannot be assured that youth are being supported and protected in the care of DOC."
As of Wednesday, March 18, 2020, the Court Support Services Division of the Connecticut Judicial Branch reported that 52 children are being held in detention and 24 children incarcerated within the REGIONS secure units of juvenile detention. On the same day, the Department of Correction reported 47 boys and 2 girls incarcerated in its prisons. With only 125 children to support in these systems, CTJJA maintains that a safe, strategic and immediate release of these youth is not to much to ask to take to save lives.
"The path to incarceration for most youth is paved with an extreme lack of access to the same opportunities as their peers in life," said Christina Quaranta, CTJJA Deputy Director. "It's time to change that by releasing as many young people as possible to ensure their safety and the safety of the community-at-large. During this unprecedented time in Connecticut's history, we must take care of all people, youth especially. And it's inexcusable to leave young people behind bars and in cells, while the rest of the state and world are allowed to prepare and protect themselves from COVID-19."
This crisis has presented Connecticut with an opportunity to examine its policies on incarcerating and detaining young people and to address the racial disparity that exists in our incarcerated populations. With black and brown kids making up the majority of presently incarcerated youth, CTJJA maintains that leaving Black and brown kids behind bars as sitting ducks for COVID-19 is dangerous and morally reprehensible. Governor Lamont, Judge Carroll III, and Commissioner Cook have a duty to protect the young people of Connecticut, both behind bars and in the communities. Anything less is unacceptable.
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About the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance: The Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance is a youth/adult partnership working to end the criminalization of youth. The Alliance works to disrupt and dismantle the pathways that funnel children and youth into the juvenile justice system by using organizing, advocacy, and policy tools to protect the rights, futures, and well-being of potentially, currently, and formerly incarcerated youth, while also ensuring youth who are detained, incarcerated, and involved in the courts and legal systems receive safe, fair, and dignified treatment.