Connecticut Justice Alliance Condemns Consideration of Former Youth Prison CJTS to House Unaccompanied Migrant Youth

Bridgeport, CT (April 9, 2021) – In response to the Lamont administration’s plans to consider utilizing the former youth detention facility the Connecticut Juvenile Training School to house unaccompanied migrant youth, CTJA Executive Director Christina Quaranta has shared the following statement:

“Connecticut has the opportunity here to be a leader and set an example for how other states can step up during this humanitarian crisis. In our eagerness to support children at our borders we cannot forget the trauma and harm that was caused at CJTS. Using a former youth prison can not be an option.

“CJTS was closed for many reasons, one of the most significant being it was not built to care for, support, or heal youth -- especially youth already going through such significant trauma. Even if all evidence that CJTS is a maximum security, hardware secure facility is removed, it still remains a large, cinderblock building, with inadequate living space for young people.

“Lamont’s team needs to bring together a group of culturally, linguistically, subject matter competent, non-governmental folks to look at this issue. Individuals who have experience working with and caring for children who are refugees or unaccompanied minors must be at the table with decision-making power.

“Ultimately, there can be no long-term solution until we tackle the underlying issues. Connecticut must hold the Biden Administration responsible for addressing the policies that force families to make an impossible decision at our border -- go back to a location that is unsafe or leave their children behind.”