Connecticut Residents Overwhelmingly Favor Youth Justice System Focused on Prevention and Rehabilitation
New survey shows strong bipartisan support for youth justice reforms and growing support for closing youth prisons in Connecticut
Bridgeport, CT (March 29, 2021) – The Connecticut Justice Alliance and Youth First Initiative today released a new survey that revealed 75% of Connecticut residents favor a youth justice system that focuses on prevention and rehabilitation and outlined strong support for proposals to reform the system in Connecticut.
“Residents of this state understand that incarceration and punishment do not build safer communities. If we want a legal system that is effective, humane, and serves our youth we have to focus on rehabilitation and prevention. This poll confirms that,” said Christina Quaranta, Executive Director, Connecticut Justice Alliance. “With this immense support, Legislators have the opportunity this session to enact reforms to our systems that continue to move Connecticut in a more just direction and support the system-impacted young people in our state.”
The survey, conducted by GBAO strategies, discovered support for prevention and rehabilitation is high regardless of education and political affiliation. Democrats, independents, and Republicans all prefer focusing on prevention and rehabilitation over punishment and incarceration with at least 3-in-5 of each party backing this position (90%, 70%, 63% respectively).
“For years, the American people have recognized that youth prisons are dangerous, inhumane, and ineffective, and understand that more needs to be done to support alternatives to incarceration.” said Liz Ryan, Executive Director, Youth First. “The polling is clear and it's time for more elected officials to listen and take the necessary steps to make a positive change in the lives of young people.”
The survey of 500 adults found:
Connecticut Residents Do Not Want a Justice System Focused on Punishment and Incarceration: 75% favor a youth justice system that focuses on prevention and rehabilitation
Strong Support For Proposals To Reform Youth Justice System In Connecticut: Connecticut residents broadly support a wide range of specific policy proposals aimed at reforming the country’s youth justice system into one that focuses on rehabilitation instead of just punitive incarceration policies
Support For Closing Youth Prisons Is Growing: 63% of Connecticut residents favor closing youth prisons, up from 49% in 2019. After Connecticut residents learned more about the rationale for closing youth prisons, support grew even further—from 63% to 78%
Connecticut Residents Favor Federal Incentives And Funding To Aid Youth Justice Reforms: 80% favor Congress providing financial incentives to state and local governments that shift investments away from incarcerating youth and towards community services for youth
Majority Supports Releasing Youth In Order To Slow COVID-19 Spread In Youth Prisons: 71% support early release for youths deemed not a threat to public safety to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in youth prisons
Connecticut Residents Overwhelmingly Believe In Rehabilitation, Counseling, And Giving Youth A Chance To Better Themselves: Both law enforcement households (79%) and non-law enforcement households (83%) believe that rehabilitation is superior to incarceration
The Connecticut Justice Alliance continues to advocate for practices, policies and investments that work to keep kids out of the justice systems and prevents system-impacted youth from re-entering the system by focusing on rehabilitation and addressing the root causes of youth criminalization.
View the results of the poll here
