H.B. 5199, An Act Concerning Probation Periods following Conviction for Certain Sexual Misconduct Crimes Against Minors

The punishment suggested by this bill does not have deterrent utility or make our society stronger or safer, so we ask the Committee to oppose House Bill 5199. This bill proposes to add four offenses to the enhanced probation periods set forth in Section 53a-29(f) of the Connecticut General Statutes. This statute requires that certain offenses have a mandatory minimum probation period of ten years, with provisions for up to thirty-five years of probation. Since this probation enhancement was statutorily created in 1993, it has been updated to add more offenses and more
severe punishments on numerous occasions. The ACLU-CT believes in reasonable probation periods that are backed by evidence. Probation extends the reach of the criminal legal system by creating a culture of supervision where people are often set up to be reincarcerated. One in 63 Connecticut adults is under community supervision (probation or parole), subjecting them to potential job loss, disconnection from family, and housing instability. The excessively long probation period set forth in Section 53a-29(f) – up to thirty-five years – is not evidenced-based and will not make our communities or children safer.