The historic declines coincide with a demand for equity as racial disparities in the incarcerated populate have widened during COVID-19.
Kelan Lyons
Kelan is a Report For America Corps Member who covers the intersection of mental health and criminal justice for CT Mirror. Before joining CT Mirror, Kelan was a staff writer for City Weekly, an alt weekly in Salt Lake City, Utah, and a courts reporter for The Bryan-College Station Eagle, in Texas. He is originally from Philadelphia.
Posted inPolitics
Keep youths out of the justice system, or hold them accountable? Judiciary committee advances bills that do both
Republicans were concerned about a provision in one bill that would erase certain juvenile records.
Posted inGovernment, Justice
DCF commissioner says old juvenile detention center could humanely shelter migrant kids
Officials say a closed juvenile detention center’s history should not rule out repurposing it as a shelter for migrant children.
Posted inPolitics
Gov. Lamont’s cannabis bill passes out of Judiciary Committee, but not without changes
Revisions allow medical card-holders to grow their own plants and proposes that 55% of revenue go toward social-equity efforts.
Posted inJustice
As federal lawsuit progresses, lawyers ask to sue in state court over negligence in prison death of 19-year old
A federal judge ruled that Karon Nealy Jr. “had an autoimmune disease that cost him his life.”
Posted inPolitics
In the wake of yet another mass shooting, Blumenthal says, ‘This time feels different.”
Waterbury Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo said Connecticut’s gun safety measures are working but federal action is needed.
Posted inJustice
Writing from their prison cells, the incarcerated submit testimony about their time in solitary confinement
One man wrote from his cell at Northern that solitary confinement is a “prison system within a prison system.”
Posted inJustice
New data show car thefts are declining, despite a pandemic bump
In 1991, there were 26,254 car thefts in Connecticut. In 2019, there were 5,964.
Posted inPolitics
House approves bill delaying changes to police deadly force rules
Under the bill, the changes governing police officers’ use of deadly force would go into effect Jan. 1, 2022.
Posted inJustice
2nd Circuit rules CT’s ‘special circumstances’ law for former death row inmates is unconstitutional
The state is still reviewing the ruling to determine its next steps and how it affects the eight men.
Posted inJustice
Connecticut’s sole supermax prison is closing. What comes next for the men who used to be on death row?
Should those confined to prison for the rest of their lives be held on “special circumstances,” or is incarceration enough?
Posted inJustice
For many with criminal convictions in their past, the ‘Clean Slate’ bill would open doors long closed
Proponents of the bill say it will help those with criminal records get jobs and obtain housing.
Posted inNews
Vaccine rollouts discriminates against CT residents of color, federal complaint alleges
The complaint is at least the second since Feb. 22, when officials announced the vaccine would be distributed by age.
Posted inPolitics
Equity issues dominate hearing on Lamont’s marijuana bill
The administration’s testimony took up the hearing’s first five hours. More than 130 people are signed up to speak.
Posted inNews
Disability Rights CT files federal complaint over age-based vaccine rollout
The complaint alleges the state’s age-based vaccine distribution plan discriminates against people with disabilities.