Sentencing Task Force Survey of Priorities Results

1
Sentencing Task ForceSurvey of PrioritiesResults
2
Question 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.

3
Question 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.
4
Question 1 Results Cont
This chart represents the average answers for
each question, answers remain consistent
5
Answers 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.

6
Questions 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.

7
Question 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

8
Question 2 Results
The majority of respondents feel that the
current Alternative Sentencing policy is working
well
9
Answers 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

10
Question 3

• What aspects of Connecticuts sentencing policies
  are working well?
• Truth in Sentencing laws
• Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
• Alternative Sentencing
• Community Supervision
• Other

11
Question 3 Results
The majority of respondents feel that the
current Mandatory Minimum Sentencing policy is
working well
12
Answers Provided for Option e

• Bail bond Industry.
• Not enough supervision in may cases, flat
  sentences

13
Question 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

14
Question 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.
15
Answers 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.

16
Question 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

17
Answers 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

18
Answers 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.

19
Question 6Preferred Days Times to Meet

• Best day Mondays
• Alternate day Tuesdays
• Time Afternoons, for both Mondays and Tuesdays