HARTFORD, Conn. — The clock is ticking for lawmakers to pass a bipartisan bill to address juvenile crime. Governor Ned Lamont is also standing in support of the legislation.
"I'm really proud of the fact that on a strong bipartisan basis we have the juvenile crime bill that's a misnomer it's really taking care of kids getting them back on track those that maybe made a mistake, give them the support they need," Lamont said.
The bill was expected to be voted on by the House on Wednesday but was not called up. It looks to crack down on repeat offenders by giving judges more access to juvenile criminal records and allowing the judicial system to track repeat offenders through GPS monitoring and extending the time a juvenile can be held from six to eight hours.
Safe Streets Connecticut wants to see lawmakers take action on the bill. They said it's not perfect, but they feel their voices have been heard.
"This bill is a really good start for making Connecticut a safer place. There are other items we would've liked to see in this bill that will have to wait until the next general session," said John Porriello, of Safe Streets CT. "We don't have time to waste on this, we need to act now."
On Wednesday, Republicans agreed this bill is only the beginning of the changes they'd like to see when it comes to addressing an uptick in crime.
"I think it's not really time to spike the football. We certainly have a long way to go. This is only one piece of reform that we really should be looking at. You know people want accountability, they want to feel safe in their homes," said State Representative Vincent Candelora.
Not everyone is in favor of the bill though. The Connecticut Justice Alliance is opposed, arguing it makes it easier to send young people to detention and doesn't provide enough funding for diversionary programs.
"Our issue with the bill is that it is being portrayed as something that is going to reduce crime and improve the lives of Connecticut's youth and it's not going to do that because it doesn't address the root of any of the issues of what kids are dealing with and why they end up committing crimes," said Christina Quaranta, executive director, of the Connecticut Justice Alliance.
The bill does address crimes like car break-ins and thefts, making it so the penalty is no longer based on the value of the vehicle but rather how many times the offense is committed. It also creates stricter sentences for more violent crimes.
Gaby Molina is a reporter and anchor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at mmolina@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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