Connecticut House Bill HB06706

Connecticut 2019 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/29/19
• Refer: 1/29/19

Caption

An Act Concerning An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The "raise The Age" Law In Combating Juvenile Crime.

Impact

If enacted, HB 06706 would lead to the accumulation of critical data regarding juvenile crime trends in relation to the changes brought by the 'Raise the Age' law. Evaluating the impact will help state lawmakers determine whether the intended goals of the legislation, such as lowering juvenile crime rates while providing more rehabilitation-focused approaches, are being met. The findings from this evaluation could have significant implications for future legislation related to juvenile justice and public safety, informing decisions on whether to amend, enhance, or further support initiatives aimed at youth offenders.

Summary

House Bill 06706, titled 'An Act Concerning An Evaluation Of The Effectiveness Of The "Raise The Age" Law In Combating Juvenile Crime,' aims to assess the impact of the recently enacted law which changed the age at which certain individuals could be tried as adults in juvenile courts. The bill mandates that the Judicial Department conduct a thorough comparison of juvenile crime rates before and after the implementation of the 'Raise the Age' law and present the findings to the state legislature’s judiciary committee. This requirement is intended to provide lawmakers and the public with a clearer understanding of the effectiveness of the law in reducing juvenile crime rates.

Contention

While the bill primarily focuses on data collection and evaluation, there may be points of concern among legislators and advocacy groups regarding the interpretation of the data and its implications. Proponents believe that a solid evaluation will lead to informed decision-making and potentially reinforce the need for the 'Raise the Age' law. However, opponents may argue that focusing solely on juvenile crime rates ignores broader systemic issues within the juvenile justice system and could lead to misinterpretations that reinforce punitive approaches rather than rehabilitation. Thus, how the findings from this evaluation are presented and acted upon will be pivotal in future discussions about juvenile justice reform.