Free Daily Headlines :

  • COVID-19
  • Vaccine Info
  • Money
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Justice
  • More
    • Environment
    • Economic Development
    • Gaming
    • Investigations
    • Social Services
    • TRANSPORTATION
  • Opinion
    • CT Viewpoints
    • CT Artpoints
DONATE
Reflecting Connecticut’s Reality.
    COVID-19
    Vaccine Info
    Money
    Politics
    Education
    Health
    Justice
    More
    Environment
    Economic Development
    Gaming
    Investigations
    Social Services
    TRANSPORTATION
    Opinion
    CT Viewpoints
    CT Artpoints

LET�S GET SOCIAL

Show your love for great stories and out standing journalism

ACLU of Connecticut unveils latest criminal justice priorities

  • Justice
  • by Clarice Silber and CTMirror Contributor
  • January 17, 2019
  • View as "Clean Read" "Exit Clean Read"
ACLU criminal justice organizer Sandy LoMonico speaks at a press conference on Thursday

ACLU criminal justice organizer Sandy LoMonico, flanked by lawmakers and advocates, speaks at a press conference on Thursday.

Three formerly incarcerated Connecticut residents working for the American Civil Liberties Union’s Smart Justice campaign unveiled a pair of legislative proposals on Thursday that dovetail with the organization’s nationwide initiative to end racial disparities in the justice system and cut the prison population in half.

“The Smart Justice campaign is grounded in the knowledge that those closest to the problem are closest to the solution of mass incarceration,” said Sandy LoMonico, who was hired by the ACLU of Connecticut as a criminal justice organizer.

LoMonico, who will be working with ACLU field organizers Anderson Curtis and Gus Marks-Hamilton, said the organization has “invested in the leadership of formerly incarcerated people as experts who must be part of the decisions our state makes about the future of this justice system.”

The trio are newly minted lobbyists who will lead the organization’s charge in pushing for criminal justice reforms at the State Capitol. They detailed their priorities for the year’s legislative session at a press conference on Thursday afternoon with state lawmakers.

These priorities are reflected in two bills that have been filed but don’t yet have bill numbers.  The first would expand the scope of Connecticut’s anti-discrimination laws to include safeguards for those with a criminal record, and the second would require the collection and reporting of aggregate data regarding prosecutorial work.

ACLU of Connecticut Executive Director David McGuire said the proposed legislation arose out of recommendations made by Gov. Ned Lamont’s transition committee on criminal justice reform.

The first bill, proposed by Rep. Robyn Porter, D-New Haven, would prevent discrimination for those with a criminal record in areas like employment, housing, public education and accommodations, insurance, credit transactions, and public programs and services.

Curtis, who wore a bright blue t-shirt emblazoned with “People. Not Prisons,” said former inmates struggle to find stable housing and secure employment to support their families because of discrimination and legal barriers.

The other measure would require aggregate data about defendants’ demographics, charges, plea deals, bail requests, pretrial detention, diversionary programs, and sentencing recommendations be reported annually to the state Office of Policy and Management. That information would also be made available to the public.

“Transparency is critical for our democracy—with this legislation Connecticut will join other states, like Florida and Massachusetts, that have passed bills that require prosecutors to release data about their decisions,” Marks-Hamilton said.

The state’s Division of Criminal Justice is currently working on creating a state funded digital case-management system for the state’s 13 judicial districts. Marks-Hamilton said he hopes the system will make it simple for prosecutors to easily share those statistics.

Chief State’s Attorney Kevin Kane said the state is still developing that system but is close to a pilot. Kane said releasing the system will allow the division to participate in the state’s newly implemented Connecticut Information Sharing System (CISS), a comprehensive criminal justice information system.

Kane said he thinks the idea is worthwhile, noting “they want transparency and oversight and we want to be able to achieve justice on every case.”

“And if the momentum they achieve to get oversight helps us get our case-management system in place and working well so we can do our job to achieve justice in every case, it will be good,” he added.

Porter, whose son was incarcerated and has been out of prison for three years, described felonies as “scarlet Fs that actually crucify people for a lifetime.”

“And we have people that have done things that have been criminal and they’ve been convicted and they’ve done their sentence and they’ve come home and their heart’s desire is to do right and be right,” Porter said.

Sign up for CT Mirror's free daily news summary.

Free to Read. Not Free to Produce.

The Connecticut Mirror is a nonprofit newsroom. 90% of our revenue comes from people like you. If you value our reporting please consider making a donation. You'll enjoy reading CT Mirror even more knowing you helped make it happen.

YES, I'LL DONATE TODAY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Clarice Silber

CTMirror Contributor

SEE WHAT READERS SAID

RELATED STORIES
What we’ve lost, what we’ve learned during our year of COVID
by CT Mirror Staff

On March 6, 2020, Gov. Ned Lamont announced that the first case of COVID-19 had been detected in Connecticut, and within weeks, life as we knew it was a memory. Schools were shut down, universities emptied, businesses shuttered. Those of us who were fortunate enough to be able to work from home set up shop at our […]

Few tenants facing eviction have an attorney. Top lawmakers are poised to change that.
by Jacqueline Rabe Thomas

Legislation that would provide tenants facing eviction the "right to counsel" is a top priority for legislative leaders.

Equity issues dominate hearing on Lamont’s marijuana bill
by Kelan Lyons and Mark Pazniokas

The administration's testimony took up the hearing's first five hours. More than 130 people are signed up to speak.

Three weeks into COVID-19 vaccinations, DOC has vaccinated 10% of inmates, 40% of staff
by Kelan Lyons

Fewer than 850 incarcerated people had been vaccinated as of Feb. 22.

Judiciary Committee hears testimony on changes to last summer’s police accountably bill
by Kelan Lyons

One police chief said they need more time to train officers on new use-of-force rules.

Support Our Work

Show your love for great stories and outstanding journalism.

$
Select One
  • Monthly
  • Yearly
  • Once
Artpoint painter
CT ViewpointsCT Artpoints
Opinion The public health bill no one is talking about, but should be
by Brian Festa

On February 16,  the legislature's Public Health Committee conducted a public hearing on two bills, S.B. 568 and H.B. 6423, both of which would eliminate the religious exemption to mandatory vaccinations for Connecticut schoolchildren.  The hearing was capped at 24 hours, depriving nearly 1,500 members of the public who had registered for the hearing their opportunity to be heard.  The vast majority of those who did testify, and who submitted written testimony, opposed the bill.  The committee is expected to vote on the bill as early as  today. 

Opinion Students need more resources, fewer officers
by Tenille Bonilla

"School resource officer" is just a nice way to say cop. But what students really need is more resource and less officer.

Opinion The Board of Regents’ changes must not shortchange its students or faculty
by Carrie Andreoletti, PhD

As a university professor and a lifespan developmental psychologist, I tend to approach my work from a developmental perspective. This means I aim to foster a lifelong love of learning and to help others find a sense of meaning and purpose, as well as confidence in their ability to reach their goals. My approach to higher education is shaped by my desire to provide the best possible education for my students. This is why the recent Board of Regents’ proposed changes at the four state universities have me worried.

Opinion How to close schooling opportunity gaps created by the pandemic
by Carol Gale

We ask school district leaders to trust your public servants whose daily work life involves assessing student needs and planning or modifying instruction to meet those needs. Listen to their voices, as we have, and allocate precious resources on interventions that will offer increased opportunities for Hartford students to succeed.

Artwork Grand guidance
by Anne:Gogh

In a world of systemic oppression aimed towards those of darker skintones – representation matters. We are more than our equity elusive environments, more than numbers in a prison and much more than victims of societal dispositions. This piece depicts a melanated young man draped in a cape ascending high above multiple forms of oppression. […]

Artwork Shea
by Anthony Valentine

Shea is a story about race and social inequalities that plague America. It is a narrative that prompts the question, “Do you know what it’s like to wake up in new skin?”

Artwork The Declaration of Human Rights
by Andres Chaparro

Through my artwork I strive to create an example of ideas that reflect my desire to raise social consciousness, and cultural awareness. Jazz music is the catalyst to all my work, and plays a major influence in each piece of work.”

Artwork ‘A thing of beauty. Destroy it forever’
by Richard DiCarlo | Derby

During times like these it’s often fun to revisit something familiar and approach things with a different slant. I have been taking some Pop culture and Art masterpieces and applying the vintage 1960’s and 70’s classic figures (Fisher Price, little people) to the make an amusing pieces. Here is my homage to Fisher -Price, Yellow […]

Twitter Feed
A Twitter List by CTMirror

Engage

  • Reflections Tickets & Sponsorships
  • Events
  • Donate
  • Newsletter Sign-Up
  • Submit to Viewpoints
  • Submit to ArtPoints
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Commenting Guidelines
  • Legal Notices
  • Contact Us

About

  • About CT Mirror
  • Announcements
  • Board
  • Staff
  • Sponsors and Funders
  • Donors
  • Friends of CT Mirror
  • History
  • Financial
  • Policies
  • Strategic Plan

Opportunity

  • Advertising and Sponsorship
  • Speaking Engagements
  • Use of Photography
  • Work for Us

Go Deeper

  • Steady Habits Podcast
  • Economic Indicator Dashboard
  • Five Things

The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue, Hartford, CT 06105. Phone: 860-218-6380

© Copyright 2021, The Connecticut News Project. All Rights Reserved. Website by Web Publisher PRO