The ACLU-CT believes in a society where all people, including those who have been convicted or accused of a crime, have equal opportunity to contribute to society and build successful and fulfilling lives. One of the biggest injustices faced by people living with a criminal record are the myriad of collateral consequences flowing from that criminal record, which persist for years, even lifetimes, after a person finishes the punishment they were sentenced to. Connecticut is making strides toward eliminating collateral consequences of criminal records, but to achieve this goal, the state cannot continue to impose new collateral
consequences. Unfortunately, this is exactly the effect of legislation that requires needless background checks or that erects unnecessary barriers for people living with criminal records. By mandating background checks, this bill creates another collateral consequence.
