News

Racial Profiling Public Forum to be Held in Danbury

August 22, 2024

The Connecticut Racial Profiling Prohibition Project is working to improve the relationship between the public and the police. Several times each calendar year, CTRP3 hosts community forums in towns across the state, inviting community members and law enforcement to join in a conversation about racial profiling, traffic policing, and public safety.

Our next forum will be held on Wednesday, September 18th at the Danbury Public Library – 170 Main Street, Danbury, Connecticut.

Doors open at 5:30 pm with the event to begin at 6:00 pm. Light refreshments will be served. No advance RSVP is required and all are welcome.

Recent community forums have also been held in Bridgeport, Branford, Middletown, New London, and Waterbury.

Visit CTRP3.org for more information about our work or email imrp@uconn.edu with any questions about this specific event.

Community Conversation on Bail Reform

August 21, 2024

The Connecticut Sentencing Commission, along with the IMRP, Full Citizens Coalition, Next Level Empowerment Program, and ACLU Smart Justice of Connecticut, recently hosted a community conversation on Connecticut Bail Reform.

Audience members joining in the community conversation.

A crowd of more than 40 people gathered at the Dixwell Q House in New Haven to hear from presenters about the opportunities and challenges of a pretrial system without cash bail.

Retired Superior Court judge of New Jersey, Hon. Martin G. Cronin was the featured speaker. Panelists included Gus Marks-Hamilton of the ACLU of Connecticut, Alderman Troy Streater of New Haven’s 21st Ward, and civil rights attorney Alex Taubes. Ray Boyd, co-founder of Next Level Empowerment program, served as moderator for the event.

“We need to hear from our community and make changes that are fair and just for all,” stated Alderman Troy Streater. “Connecticut can learn from other states like New Jersey and Illinois which have made progress in bail reform. We can take their lessons and make the system better for everyone, making sure that only those who are truly a risk are kept in jail.”

Judge Cronin noted the difficulty in both changing longstanding systems and methods to quantify risk in manners that are non-discriminatory, while answering questions from the audience.

Ray Boyd served as event moderator

The event highlighted ideas that are both common sense and bipartisan and the need to push towards a system that is equitable and fair and that prioritizes community safety. Ray Boyd shared his personal story and invited audience members to stay engaged in future events and discussions. Most notably, the Connecticut Sentencing Commission’s annual symposium will take place on Thursday, November 21st at UConn School of Law and will focus on pretrial justice in Connecticut.

 

 

 

Intern Insights: Josephine Burke, UConn Rising Sophomore

August 13, 2024

 

IMRP INTERN INSIGHTS

Written by Josephine Burke

 

I first learned about the Sentencing Commission in the fall of 2023, during my freshman year at UConn, when Executive Director Alex Tsarkov visited my advocacy and public policy course as a guest speaker. As Alex spoke to our class about the Commission’s efforts to promote pretrial justice and to improve outcomes for individuals with mental health treatment needs in the criminal justice system, I immediately felt a connection with the work and knew that I wanted to get involved.

My passion for advocacy and community organizing, coupled with my academic interest in the legal and criminal justice systems, make this internship a perfect fit. As a student with a human rights concentration, I am interested in the ways that historic structures of injustice shape the criminal justice system, and how we can analyze, understand, and work to improve these structures and systems. Working with the Sentencing Commission has allowed me to pull from and explore these interests while gaining new perspectives about how our systems function and how to enact meaningful change.

A cornerstone of my internship has been the invaluable mentorship of Patricia O’Rourke, CTSC Research Associate. Though I’m early in my degree, I’ve been able to engage directly with meaningful projects due to her unwavering support, guidance, and trust. Alongside Patricia, I have begun to compile and distribute resources to increase awareness of the Commission’s projects and initiatives and to make its work more accessible to students and professors.

Most of my work this summer has involved projects related to the Mental Health Subcommittee of the Sentencing Commission. Some highlights include researching for and drafting a memo addressing the concerns of a lawmaker about the impact of recently passed legislation on the ability of incarcerated individuals with mental health treatment needs to return to community settings and creating a presentation on the connections between mental health treatment and reentry.

The presentation to the Sentencing Commission Mental Health Subcommittee provided an overview of the SAMHSA 2023 report, Best Practices for Successful Reentry From Criminal Justice Settings for People Living With Mental Health Conditions and/or Substance Use Disorders, and  introduced housing as a key aspect of reentry. The main goal was to give a comprehensive review of the guide to the Mental Health Subcommittee members by discussing key elements of reentry for individuals with mental health and substance use treatment needs, as well as evidence-based interventions for improving reentry outcomes for these individuals.

In addition to the guide, I had the opportunity to supplement the presentation by building on a topic of personal interest that I have spent much time researching this summer: Housing. Given housing’s pivotal role in successful reentry, I was excited to reintroduce this issue to the commission and open a conversation that could potentially lead to further research.

Preparing for the presentation involved developing a deep understanding of the guide and evaluating the information most relevant to the Commission’s focus on reentry, including housing. While it was at first intimidating to present to a group of experienced individuals in the criminal justice, advocacy, and research fields just a few months into my first-ever internship, I am happy to have been in a position to convey crucial information about the challenges faced by those with mental health and substance use treatment needs in the transition from carceral settings.

This internship has allowed me to build connections with dedicated researchers and advocates, explore and expand my interests, and understand what it means to have a real impact. The experiences and knowledge I have gained underscore the heavy impact of research in enacting progress, allowing me to explore many available subject areas and potential career paths. I am proud to have been a part of the Commission team this summer and I continue to be inspired by the work being done.

Headshot of Josephine

 

 

Josephine Burke is an honors undergraduate student at the University of Connecticut studying political science, human rights, and Spanish. She has been interning with the Connecticut Sentencing Commission since May.

For more information about the Sentencing Commission, visit their website: https://ctsentencingcommission.org/

Interested in working with the IMRP?  Check out our “Work with Us” page for information on staff positions, student employment and internships. 

Community Connections created

August 7, 2024

Earlier this summer, the CT Children with Incarcerated Parents Initiative opened doors at the IMRP’s new home – UConn Hartford – to families impacted by parental incarceration with its inaugural “Community Connections” event.

Attendees participated in a variety of workshops and browsed resource tables of community partners, and enjoyed a catered lunch by Bear’s BBQ in Hartford. View our highlight video for an overview of this event!

 

Advisory Board Members Work Together

August 2, 2024

CTRP3 advisory board members represent different interest groups but work collaboratively to gain consensus on challenging issues.

Intern Insights: Irina Ahmed, Human Rights MA Student

July 31, 2024


 

 

IMRP Intern Insights

Written by Irina Ahmed

 

I’ve always been interested in law, specifically criminal justice.

Growing up, I witnessed significant social injustices during family visits to Bangladesh, where I saw children starving and people suffering. These early experiences ingrained in me a deep desire to pursue a career in law and human rights as I hope to contribute to meaningful change.

IMRP’s dedication to improving public policy and promoting justice has been the perfect place for me to start this journey.

On the first day of my internship, I was immediately incorporated into a series of focus groups conducted by our researchers and those of a partner organization based in California. The goal of this ongoing work is to hear the voices of Department of Corrections (DOC) officers, to understand their challenges, and to gather insights to seek both improvements within the system and internal agents of change.

Through listening and note-taking, I learned that many DOC officers are facing high levels of stress, burnout, and concerns for workplace safety. This understanding helps us to develop strategies to improve their working conditions and support them more effectively. One of the most significant aspects of my role has been working closely with DOC officers, building relationships, and understanding their challenges and perspectives.

One of the highlights of my internship thus far is a trip I took to Washington State to represent IMRP. I traveled with Department of Correction officers from York Correctional Institution to visit the Washington Corrections Center for Women. The goal of the visit was to observe methods utilized at WCCW and to determine which transformative corrections practices could be implemented in Connecticut facilities.


This experience was eye-opening. It was my first time working closely with DOC officers, allowing me to form personal relationships and gain firsthand insight into their dedication and challenges. This project underscores the importance of supporting these officers, as their well-being directly impacts the effectiveness of the correctional system.

My internship with the IMRP has deepened my understanding of the complexities and demands of working within the criminal justice system. I’ve learned the value of building strong relationships, listening actively, and facilitating meaningful change. As a result, and as I prepare to return to my studies this fall, I am further committed to pursuing a career in law. I understand that change cannot be achieved by one person alone, but being part of a collective effort to drive improvement is both fulfilling and impactful.

I am grateful for the opportunities I have had and am excited to continue working towards meaningful change in the future.

Summer, 2024.

Stay tuned for further insights from IMRP contributors!