Title: Sentencing Task Force Survey of Priorities Results
1Sentencing Task ForceSurvey of PrioritiesResults
2Question 1
- For this question respondents were asked to
prioritize the following Sentencing Task Force
statutory requirements - Identify overarching criminal justice sentencing
goals and policies - Define current sentencing trends by offense types
and offender characteristics - Analyze sentencing trends by offense types and
offender characteristics - Review the actual versus intended impact of
sentencing policies - Determine the direct and indirect costs
associated with sentencing policies. - Review the fines and terms of imprisonment
specified for violations of criminal statutes.
3Question 1 Results
The majority of respondents feel that
identifying overarching criminal justice
sentencing goals and policies should be a
priority for the Sentencing Task Force.
4Question 1 Results Cont
This chart represents the average answers for
each question, answers remain consistent
5Answers Provided for the Other Category
- Lack of judicial discretion
- Reform the bail-bond situation including better
uniform guidelines for the court to use in
imposing amounts of money on defendants. - Eliminate absolute statutes and classify all
offenses in order to provide uniformity - Racial impact on sentencing
- Establishment of a sentencing commission.
6Questions 2, 3 4
- For the following questions, respondents were
asked to circle all answers that apply. - Answer e was an open ended answer which allowed
respondents to provide information they felt was
relevant but was not included.
7Question 2
- What aspects of Connecticuts sentencing policies
are working well? - Truth in Sentencing laws
- Mandatory Minimum Sentencing for violent
offenders - Alternative Sentencing
- Community Supervision
- Other
8Question 2 Results
The majority of respondents feel that the
current Alternative Sentencing policy is working
well
9Answers Provided for Option e
- All work. We need to balance public safety,
cost effectiveness and fairness. - Mandatory Minimums are usually Draconian and
apply more to drug offenses not usually violent
offenders
10Question 3
- What aspects of Connecticuts sentencing policies
are working well? - Truth in Sentencing laws
- Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
- Alternative Sentencing
- Community Supervision
- Other
11Question 3 Results
The majority of respondents feel that the
current Mandatory Minimum Sentencing policy is
working well
12Answers Provided for Option e
- Bail bond Industry.
- Not enough supervision in may cases, flat
sentences
13Question 4
- What aspects of sentencing goals and policies
would you like to explore in greater detail? - Impact on recidivism
- Judicial discretion
- Structured sentencing (ex. Mandatory Minimums,
85 rule) - Increased alternative sanctions
- Other
14Question 4 Results
For this question, answers a through d are
nearly equally distributed with only 6 of
answers that indicated other aspects should be
explored.The majority of respondents feel that
both the impact on recidivism and increased
alternative sanctions should be explored in
greater detail. Respondents felt that Judicial
discretion and structured sentencing were equally
important.
15Answers Provided for Option e
- Reduce the number of offenses which can result in
incarceration. - Do away with Mandatory Minimums
- All of the above answers need to consider public
safety and handling offenders accountable. System
must have discretion defined.
16Question 5
- Given the statutory mission of the Sentencing
Task Force to identify and make recommendations
for criminal justice policies in Connecticut,
aside from sentencing, what other topics would
you suggest we explore? - Note this question was open ended
17Answers Provided to Question 5
- Points of discretion-plea bargaining
- Probation, parole, TS, revocation,
classification, etc. - Reform our entire bail-bond process
- Impact of pre-trial incarceration
- overuse of FTAs
- Decriminalization for certain minor offenses
- Clear standards for probation violators
- Expand opportunity for sentence modification
- The importance of judicial independence
- The finding of community reintegration
18Answers Provided for Question 5 cont..
- Alternative programs for young offenders (mental
health, education, vocation training, boot camps)
- More inmate transition programs
- Methods to reduce recidivism
- Collateral consequences of conviction.
19Question 6Preferred Days Times to Meet
- Best day Mondays
- Alternate day Tuesdays
- Time Afternoons, for both Mondays and Tuesdays