Eleni Kavros DeGraw

• Worked with the Judicial Branch to speed up the arraignment process for juveniles to decrease criminal acts in the interim. (https://www.ctpublic.org/2021-12-09/connecticut-will-speed-up-court-process-for-some-juvenile-offenders)
• Enacted a policy change in the Judicial Branch has given police departments 24/7 access to juvenile records when seeking a detention order. Police departments now can gather all the necessary information before a judge reviews the situation. This information is vital when determining if a detention request should be granted.
• Provided over-time funding to hard-hit towns for their police departments. Governor Lamont provided ARPA dollars to towns experiencing increases in car thefts.
  • With these funds, several towns in central CT have formed a car theft task force which has been successful in tracking repeat offenders and making arrests.
  • Goal is to share best practices from the task forces statewide and then fund such programs in an ongoing way as needed.
• Began collecting data on how often Judges deny a request by law enforcement to detain.
  • Judicial Branch has been asked to articulate their reasons for not issuing such a detention order.
• Budgeted for additional funding to the Judicial Branch to implement family navigator programs.
  • These programs assist parents and guardians of repeat offenders so that the family can get the services they need.

While I am grateful that car thefts have decreased in our district, I know that to the people who have a theft, it can be very challenging and emotionally draining. That's why, as you will see below, we are working hard to address what we have heard from the public, law enforcement, and the judiciary to improve outcomes.
 
I hope you'll read through the update today for some Monday inspiration from Canton's own Dogology owner, Marissa Squires, and her inspiring service to animals in Poland who were also fleeing the war in Ukraine. I continue to be impressed with how so many have responded to this crisis with an open heart and such breathtaking humanity.

• Increase funding to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) to expand Regional Police Task Forces devoted to motor vehicle crimes. (Appropriates money for regional crime reduction strategies.)
• Work with the Judicial Branch to speed up juvenile arraignments.
• Provide additional funding to the Judicial Branch for juvenile probation flex funding accounts to get youth on probation into afterschool, sports, or job training programs.
• Require GPS monitoring for repeat juvenile offenders.
• Grow Connecticut's REGIONS Programs by allocating funding to Juvenile Justice Outreach Services.
• Provide flexibility with the 6-hour hold at a community correctional center or lock-up if an arresting officer is in the process of seeking a detention order.

HB 5417 is smart on crime, includes provisions to address some of the challenges law enforcement face when attempting to solve a crime, and invests in community-based programs to reduce recidivism. We negotiated with our Republican partners to establish a training program for police officers on when to apply for and issue a detention order, to require judges who decline a detention order to articulate in writing why the order was declined, and redefine car theft in Connecticut.

As the committee and legislative leaders developed the proposal, House Democrats stood in firm opposition to Republican efforts to permit the transfer of juveniles to adult court and reopen a centralized juvenile jail. There is a trove of data that demonstrates these approaches to crime are detrimental to our communities. As we work to address juvenile crime in our state, we cannot fall back on the reactionary measures of our past.

 The House and Senate must vote on the proposal before it goes to the governor's desk for consideration.
 
Please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions or concerns.