Press Releases
05/06/2018
Gov. Malloy Announces Prison Population at Historic Lows
Drops to Lowest Level Since 1994
(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that Connecticut’s prison population has dropped to 13,500 inmates. This marks a year-over-year decline of 1,000 inmates, and the lowest level since 1994. The decline in prison population is coupled with the lowest reported crime rates the state has seen in more than 50 years, and the largest reduction in violent crime of any state in the nation over the last four years.
“Today marks yet another milestone day in Connecticut’s fight to reduce crime by adopting best practices regarding juveniles and young adults and creating real second chances for motivated individuals in the criminal justice system,” Governor Malloy said. “Generations of mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters were locked away and introduced to a life of crime instead of being offered a chance to right their wrongs and become productive members of their communities. The reforms we’ve instituted in Connecticut are changing lives for the better – and we have the results to prove it. I look forward to seeing our state continue to lead the nation in criminal justice reform, for the sake of our families, our communities, and our safety.”
At the same time that our prison population is dropping to historic lows, the reported crime and arrest rates in Connecticut are dropping precipitously:
- The annual total number of reported crimes in Connecticut has dropped 26 percent compared to 2008; and
- The total number of statewide arrests in Connecticut has dropped 29 percent compared to 2008, and are down 10 percent in 2018 compared to last year’s record low total.
Recidivism rates have been declining in each of the four categories that are regularly monitored by the Connecticut Office of Policy and Management – new arrests, new convictions, returns-to-prison for any reason, and returns-to-prison to begin a new sentence of incarceration – and the prison population is projected to drop by 726 prisoners (approximately 5.25 percent) over the next year, continuing the precipitous drop the state has observed during the course of this administration.
By January 2019, the state’s prison population is projected to fall to 12,901; dropping below 13,000 for the first time since September 1993. The all-time high inmate population was on February 1, 2008 when it reached 19,893.
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