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Malloy Proposes Initiatives To Reduce Crime, Help Nonviolent Offenders

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, Conn. -- In a major public policy address at Yale Law School, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy unveiled a series of “Second Chance Society” initiatives.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy unveiled "Second Chance Society" initiatives for nonviolent offenders.

Governor Dannel P. Malloy unveiled "Second Chance Society" initiatives for nonviolent offenders.

Photo Credit: File

The initiatives are designed to continue the progress being made in reducing the state’s already dropping crime rate, which is currently at a 48-year low, as well ensuring nonviolent offenders are reintegrated into society and become productive members of Connecticut’s economy. 

“These initiatives build upon the progress we’ve made in recent years reducing crime rates across Connecticut. They will help break the cycle of crime and poverty that hurts too many families and communities,” Malloy said. “Offenders should be held accountable and there should be punishment. But punishments for nonviolent offenses should not last a lifetime. They should not destroy a person’s hope for redemption or a better future.” 

Malloy is proposing to take action on five key areas: 

  • Reclassifying certain nonviolent offenses; 
  • Eliminating mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent drug possession; 
  • Streamlining the parole system to make it more efficient and effective and the pardons system to give ex-offenders a greater chance at employment; and
  • Creating real job and housing opportunities for ex-offenders. 

These policy initiatives come as a new bipartisan national consensus is building behind a Second Chance Society in states across the country, including in Texas, Mississippi, Georgia and Alabama. 

Over the last four years in Connecticut, a number of new initiatives have been implemented that are having a strong impact on reducing the crime rate in the state, including restoration of the state’s crime lab to eliminate backlogs, removal of dangerous guns from the streets with gun buy backs and more. Violent crime is down 36 percent and criminal arrests have decreased by nearly 28 percent.

Violent crime in the state’s three largest cities has fallen 15 percent since 2008.

“Because of these policies, fewer innocent people have been victimized and violent offenders are serving more time in prison than ever before,” Malloy said. “We have to do better in Connecticut. We have to become a Second Chance Society where we don’t permanently punish nonviolent offenders, swelling our prisons and creating lifetime criminals out of people who made one mistake."

The initiatives will be included in Malloy's legislative package of proposals for the 2015 session of the General Assembly. 

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