Press Releases

ACLU of Connecticut lawyers and advocates are leading experts on civil rights, civil liberties, and constitutional freedoms. They are regularly sought out by leading media to provide a voice to the most important issues facing Connecticut. If you are a member of the press and wish to speak with a representative of the ACLU of Connecticut, please contact us at media@acluct.org. If you are a member of the media and wish to receive ACLU of Connecticut press releases, please send your name, the outlet for which you work, your email address, and phone number to media@acluct.org with the subject line “Press Release Distribution.”

Mar 14, 2022

Governor, Attorney General Sued Over Prison Debt

Federal class-action lawsuit seeks to stop state from charging people for each day spent in prison.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal System
Feb 09, 2022

Chief State’s Attorney’s Resignation Shows Need for Accountability in State’s Attorney System to Prevent Future Misconduct

During a Criminal Justice Commission meeting today, Chief State’s Attorney Richard Colangelo announced he would resign. His resignation comes on the heels of an investigation into his decision to hire a state budget official’s daughter while Colangelo was lobbying that official for raises.
Issue Areas: Smart Justice, Criminal Legal System
Jan 18, 2022

New Website Centralizes Connecticut Statewide and Local Police Contracts and Police Commission Information for First Time

Project Flashlight, launched today by the ACLU of Connecticut, is an interactive website that centralizes, summarizes, and maintains information about the powers that town and statewide governments have traded away to police.
Issue Areas: Policing, Racial Justice, Criminal Legal System
Oct 13, 2021

Reaction to Senate Republican Caucus Proposal to Roll Back Criminal Legal Reform and Police Accountability Laws

The Connecticut Senate Republican caucus released a proposal to roll back Connecticut laws related to criminal legal reform and police accountability. The following is a reaction from Claudine Fox, ACLU of Connecticut public policy and advocacy director.
Issue Areas: Youth and Student Rights, Criminal Legal System, Racial Justice, Policing
May 27, 2021

Reaction to Senate Passage of Policing Legislation, S.B. 1093

The Senate last night voted to approve a bill that would ban no-knock raids by police, create limitations on when police can issue an order to people, roll back protections against stop and frisk passed into law in 2020, and exclude some people from Clean Slate protections in another bill.
Issue Areas: Policing, Criminal Legal System
May 27, 2021

NAACP & ACLU Celebrate Abolition of Prison Gerrymandering in CT

Effective immediately, and in time for the state’s once-a-decade redistricting process, Connecticut will count incarcerated people at their home communities, rather than their place of incarceration, for purposes of redistricting.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal System, Racial Justice
May 12, 2021

NAACP and ACLU Celebrate Historic General Assembly Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Abolish Prison Gerrymandering

After more than a decade of legislative attempts at similar legislation, a bill to end prison gerrymandering today passed out of the General Assembly and now awaits action from Governor Lamont.
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal System, Racial Justice
May 05, 2021

NAACP and ACLU Applaud Historic Senate Passage of Bipartisan Legislation to Abolish Prison Gerrymandering

For the first time, the Senate has passed legislation to abolish prison gerrymandering, by a near-unanimous, bipartisan vote of 35-1. The bill now awaits action by the House, where Speaker Matt Ritter will determine whether and when to bring S.B. 753 to a floor vote. 
Issue Areas: Racial Justice, Criminal Legal System
Apr 28, 2021

NAACP, ACLU Call for Senate Vote to End Prison Gerrymandering

Legislators, civil rights advocates push for General Assembly to pass historic legislation
Issue Areas: Criminal Legal System, Racial Justice, Voting Rights