In this issue…
Protecting Young People in Connecticut
Connecticut Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call
Quotes of the Week
Young People in Connecticut Need Community Investments Not Surveillance and Cages
This month, Senate Republicans released “A Better Way to A Safer Connecticut,” a blueprint for juvenile justice that is anything but a way to a safer Connecticut. The plan covers three areas: Crime Response, which includes measures like mandatory fingerprinting for any young adult arrested (but not convicted) of a crime; Prevention and Opportunity, which includes workforce development and vocational training programs; and Support Police, which includes the rolling back laws, like qualified immunity, and increasing funding to local police for social media data collection.
This plan represents a dangerous step backwards for Connecticut as young people are going to be criminalized in new, insidious ways. The measures in this plan will inevitably impact poor Black and brown young people and their families the most. For the last 30 years, Connecticut has been a leader in criminal justice reform. The hard work of organizers, activists, advocates and lawmakers led us to major criminal justice victories during the pandemic, including Clean Slate and Police Accountability. Connecticut cannot afford to lose the wins it has gained due to tired, racist, fear-mongering tactics from Republican lawmakers.
To legitimately impact the criminal justice system in positive ways, Connecticut must:
- Cut the number of people held in jails and prisons. Cut the number of people on probation and parole. Cut correctional staff. Cut the funding for police departments, prosecutors, and correctional staff.
- Shut jails and prisons down.
- Invest in the communities most harmed by systemic racism and mass incarceration, securing real community safety through housing, education, health care, and other supports and services.
It’s time to #CutShutINVEST.
Join us for the next CT Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call
We’re one week away from our November CT Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call! If you’re interested in learning more about what’s happening with criminal justice reform in Connecticut, then you don’t want to miss this call. Every month we’re joined by organizers, advocates, and community members working on every aspect of criminal justice reform in the state — and each call starts with an insider report from the lobbyist, about what’s happening behind the scenes. Register here to join us on Thursday, November 4 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon.
We hold these calls on the first Thursday of every month. The goals of the CT Statewide Criminal Justice Reform Call are to:
- Highlight issues, campaigns, and projects that groups are working on to advance statewide reform;
- Identify ways to align, coordinate, and support each other in the work to end mass incarceration in Connecticut;
- Strengthen community organizing and advocacy organizations to build movement in Connecticut.
The short legislative session is going to begin in early 2022 – join us to learn more about what’s happening and about the organizations across Connecticut working to end mass incarceration in our state.
If you have any questions about the statewide call or would like to be a presenter on the call, please contact Kenyatta at kenyatta@katalcenter.org.
Katal Quotes of the Week
These are some of the quotes we’re thinking about this week.
“When people criticize me for not having any respect for existing structures and institutions, I protest. I say I give institutions and structures and traditions all the respect that I think they deserve. That’s usually mighty little, but there are things that I do respect. They have to earn that respect. They have to earn it by serving people. They don’t earn it just by age or legality or tradition.”
― Myles Horton
“All that you touch you Change. All that you Change Changes you. The only lasting truth is Change.”
― Octavia E. Butler, Parable of the Sower
Sign up for the Katal New York Update
We announced in March that, after nearly 5 years, we’re ending the Katal Weekly Update, and moving to two separate email updates — one for Connecticut, another for New York. If you’d also like to keep up what we’re doing in New York, click here to sign up for the Katal New York Update!
Be safe as possible out there, and get vaccinated as soon as you can. If you want to get involved, learn more about our work, or just connect, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Katal works to strengthen the people, policies, institutions, and movements that advance health, equity, and justice for everyone. Join us: web, Twitter, Facebook! Email: info@katalcenter.org. Phone: 646.875.8822.
