News & Commentary

Closure is just the first, minimum step. Any time Connecticut closes a prison, the state must also do these three things.

We need a robust Inspector General pursuing police accountability, and the challenges facing this role make clear that local and statewide elected officials also need to do more.

Here's what the four finalists had to say about police accountability and racial justice.

Justice would be people never being hurt or killed by police in the first place, ending systemic racism, and reallocating policing budgets to instead go to things that create real public safety. But police accountability is also necessary, and the Inspector General must be prepared to seek it.

A knee-jerk reaction to leverage incarceration to solve this problem is like using a sledgehammer to crack an egg.

We are committed to ensuring this country’s disastrous war on drugs ends, and that will only happen by ensuring the equitable enforcement of this law. It is within this context the ACLU and CTJA write this letter to assure you that we will be observing the adherence to the new law.

During this session, the ACLU of Connecticut weighed in with testimony on more than 150 bills. We supported and helped pass bills that advance prison reform, civil rights and liberties.

Clean Slate is a good policy that will make our communities safer, will create new economic opportunity and growth, and will help redress the long and enduring legacy of racial injustice in our criminal justice system.

"We'll discuss civil liberties and rights wins this legislative session, what lies ahead, and innovations that made this year different from any other."