Bridgeport Detention Center:

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Bridgeport Detention Center
Is an 88-bed Jail the Best Plan for Bridgeports
Young People?
Fernando J. Muñiz Executive Director
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About the Connecticut Juvenile Justice Alliance

• The Alliance was founded in 2001 by RYASAP, the
  Center for Childrens Advocacy, Connecticut
  Voices for Children and the Tow Foundation.
  
• Our mission is to promote a safe, effective and
  equitable service continuum for children and
  adolescents involved in, or at risk of
  involvement in, the juvenile justice system.

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How does the juvenile justice system work in
Connecticut?
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Overview of the System
Connecticut's juvenile justice system is a
statewide system of juvenile courts, detention
centers, private residential facilities and
juvenile correctional facilities.
13 Juvenile Courts (Superior Court, Juvenile
Matters) 3 Public Juvenile Detention Centers (Har
tford, Bridgeport, New Haven) Private residential
facilities Community-based programs Correctiona
l facilities
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Age of Jurisdiction
In Connecticut, delinquents are persons who, pri
or to their sixteenth birthdays, have violated or
attempted to violate any federal or state law,
order of the Superior Court, or any local or
municipal ordinance.
DID YOU KNOW? Only Connecticut, New York and Nort
h Carolina have 15 as the upper age of
jurisdiction for juvenile matters.
The other 47 states set 16 or 17 as the upper ag
e of jurisdiction for juvenile matters.
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Law Enforcement Response
1. Issue a warning and release the juvenile.
2. Confer with parents and release the juvenile.
Initial Contact
3. Make a referral to a community-based
organization.
4. Make a referral to formal diversion services,
where available (JRB, YSB, etc.).
5. MAKE AN ARREST.
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Decision-Making Points in the Juvenile Justice
System
Make an Arrest ?
Juvenile Detention ?
Adult System ?
Formal Handling ?
Adjudication ?
Disposition ?
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What is a Detention Center, anyway?
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Purpose of Detention

• a strong probability that the child will run away
  prior to court hearing or disposition,
  
• a strong probability that the child will commit
  or attempt to commit other offenses injurious to
  him or to the community before court disposition,
  
• probable cause to believe that the child's
  continued residence in his home pending
  disposition will not safeguard the best interests
  of the child or the community because of the
  serious and dangerous nature of the act or acts
  he is alleged to have committed,
• a need to hold the child for another jurisdiction
  or
  
• a need to hold the child to assure his appearance
  before the court, in view of his previous failure
  to respond to the court process.
  

In the adult system, we would call this facility
a JAIL.
Connecticut General Statutes Section 46b-133.
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Who are the Kids in Detention?

• Only 21 of children in detention are serious
  juvenile offenders
  
• More than 60 of children on probation or in
  detention are there for violating a court or
  take-into-custody order
  
• Almost 50 of children in detention have mental
  health problems
  
• 65 of the children in detention have been
  involved with drugs
  
• 78 of children in detention are
  African-American or Latino.
  
• Bridgeport Juvenile Justice Task Force
• Who are the Children in the juvenile justice
  system? A Snapshot of the Bridgeport Juvenile
  Court, 2002

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Proposed Bridgeport Facility

• New courthouse for juvenile matters
• 44 secure rooms expandable to 88 beds
• Total construction costs to exceed 55 million

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Do we need 88 beds in the new Bridgeport
Detention Center?
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Juvenile Arrest Rates, Ffld County
Murder Down 50.0
Robbery Down 42.6 Aggravated Assault Do
wn 32.0 Burglary Down 69.8 Larceny/Theft
Down 42.1 Motor Vehicle Theft Down 69.0 Arson
Down 77.1 Vandalism Down 60.6 Weapons
Down 71.0 Drug Violations Down 48.6
The Property Crime Index went down 51.67 from
1994 to 2001. The Violent Crime Index went down
34.04 from 1994 to 2001. The Total Crimes Ind
ex went down 48.5 from 1994 to 2001.
Snyder, H., Puzzanchera, C., Kang, W. (2003)
Easy Access to FBI Arrest Statistics 1994-2001
Online. Available http//ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstabb/
ezaucr
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We dont need 88 beds!

• According to the FBI, juvenile crime in Fairfield
  County has decreased nearly 50 since 1997.
  
• According to OJJDP, Connecticuts juvenile
  population is expected to decrease by 2 by the
  year 2015
  
• The current detention center has a capacity of 24
  youth
  
• The population in Bridgeport detention has ranged
  from 8 to 25 youth during 2004
  
• Average length of stay and average daily
  population in Connecticuts detention centers are
  down over the past 5 years.

OJJDP Statistical Briefing Book. Online.
Available http//ojjdp.ncjrs.org/ojstatbb/populat
ion/qa01102.asp?qaDate19990930. September 30,
1999.
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But what if someday we need more space to
accommodate overcrowding?
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The Common Sense Test
Run to the hardware store and buy a sump pump.
Try to find the source of the leak.
Take out a second mortgage and make the basement
bigger to accommodate the inflow of water.
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Expert Opinion on Expanding Detention Capacity

• "You cannot build your way out of overcrowding.
  Ultimately, how many beds you need and don't need
  depends on policy and program choices.
  Connecticut is going to be doubling its detention
  capacity at the same time the juvenile crime rate
  is going down. The supposed correlation between
  incarceration and reducing crime is mainly a
  myth."
• - Bart Lubow, Senior Associate,
• Annie E. Casey Foundation, January 2002