Subcommittees

Community Awareness
Review, and if necessary propose new educational curricula on hate crimes in CT middle schools and high schools, and the resources that are needed to support this endeavor; 2. Examine current measures in CT and best practices in other states to build trust between communities and state agencies on hate crimes, and to support communities that have been the targets of hate crimes.

Subgroups:

Hate Speech/Free Speech
Examine the extent of bias-motivated speech (including, inter alia, incitement and true threats) in Connecticut, and review current statutes and enforcement of those statutes to determine whether they are sufficient; 2. Examine the relationship between online hate speech and offline harms in CT; 3. Examine whether and how state law enforcement could use social media to track, investigate, and prevent hate crimes.

Hate Crimes Prevention and Education
Examine and propose measures to be taken by state agencies (including law enforcement) to prevent or reduce the risk of hate crimes being committed in the first place

Public Education Outreach/Campaign
Propose a new campaign to improve public awareness of hate crimes in CT and the commitment of state agencies to combat hate crimes

Hate Crimes Reporting and Analysis
Determine the nature and types of hate crimes/anti-bias incidents and the affected/targeted groups, and whether there has been a statistically significant increase in hate crimes and anti-bias incidents in Connecticut at the state level; 2. Examine any challenges or barriers that may prevent law enforcement from reporting hate crimes accurately, fully and in a consistent manner across the state, and if necessary recommend changes to the current system of reporting hate crimes; 3. Review and if necessary recommend changes to the current system of analyzing hate crimes reported in the state, including providing police departments with real-time information on outbreaks of hate crimes.

Restitution Programs and Sentencing
Review sentencing recommendations and restorative justice (alternative-sentencing) measures for first-time offenders, juvenile offenders and repeat offenders

Law Enforcement Training and Best Practices
Examine any challenges or barriers that may prevent law enforcement from addressing hate crimes, including whether Connecticut hate crime-related laws should be; 2. Examine measures to improve the collection of high-quality evidence of hate crimes by the Connecticut Hate Crimes Advisory Council to improve the collection of high-quality evidence of hate crimes by the police and the cooperation between police and district attorneys in the investigation and prosecution of hate crimes modified; 3. Examine the value of a rapid response team responding to hate crimes consisting of police, social workers and other state employees as needed; 4. Examine whether the state should create and fund special investigation units in police departments specifically trained to investigate hate crimes.

Administrative: Funding and Grants
Explore federal and state funding resources