CTJJA--Current Problems

The purpose of the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance is to promote a safe, effective, and equitable continuum of care for children and adolescents in, or at risk of involvement in, the juvenile justice system.

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African-American and Latino/a children are over-represented at all levels of Connecticut's Juvenile Justice System. As compared to Caucasian children, African-American and Latino/a children are more likely to be detained until disposition, receive more jail/prison time in adult court, and account for a vast majority of juveniles in residential placement. In 1998, African-American and Latino/a youth represented 22% of the 10-16 year-old population, yet constituted 49% of the youth referred to Juvenile Matters, 71% of youth placed in detention, 71% of youth placed at Long Lane School, and 68% of youth transferred to adult court.

Girls represent 34% of Connecticut's court-involved youth population, while the national arrest rate of girls under the age of 18 is 27%. They typically enter the system for minor offenses. We know the girls most at-risk of entering the system are subject to Families With Service Needs petitions, Latina, and have suffered physical and/or sexual abuse at home. Yet, we do not provide sufficient rehabilitative services in the communities in which they live to prevent these girls from entering the juvenile Justice system for delinquency charges.

In 1999/2000, there were 15,911 delinquency cases in Connecticut and 3,408 of those youth were admitted to detention. An estimated 60% of the detained children have mental health problems and are in need of treatment.

How Does Poor Juvenile Justice Facility and Program Planning Affect Legislation?

Lack of coordination among state agencies and insufficient funding for community-based preventive programs has harmed young people in the juvenile justice system and provided the impetus for lawsuits against the state. Court-involved youth and their families are legislators' constituents and should become a legislative priority.

How Can You Help?

Legislative candidates and community members can help by raising awareness in your community about the serious deficiencies in Connecticut's juvenile justice system and encourage your constituents and neighbors to become involved in the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance. Once elected, legislators can support legislation that helps remedy the systemic flaws, such as substitute Bill #5760 that will be re-introduced in the legislature in the 2003 session. You may view the bill text and history at www.cga.state.ct.us.

Are there alternatives to expensive detention and correctional facilities?

Absolutely. As part of the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Juvenile Detention Reform Initiative, counties across the country such as Multnomah County, Oregon and Sacramento County, California are decreasing over-dependency on detention and incarceration and reducing recidivism by implementing inexpensive alternatives such as changing case-processing procedures, enhancing comprehensive community-based programs, creating community detention, and hiring detention release expeditors.

"You cannot build your way out of overcrowding. Ultimately, how many beds you need and don't need depends on policy and program choices. Connecticut is going to be doubling its detention capacity at the same time the juvenile crime rate is going down. The supposed correlation between incarceration and reudcing crime is mainly a myth."
Bart Lubow, Senior Associate, Annie E. Casey Foundation, January 2002

The Connecticut Juvenile Justice is a statewide collaborative effort to raise awareness of adjudicated and pre-adjudicated youth, to educate the public about the juvenile justice system, and to make public-policy recommendations to improve conditions and resources for the juvenile justice population. For more information, contact the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance at (203) 579-2727 ext. 307 or email us here.