By ANDREW McDONALD
I’m heading to Hartford this morning for public hearings on fifteen criminal justice reform proposals. The ideas on the table vary a good deal from one to the next, and I urge you to read and learn more about them. I’m hopeful that from them – and from the great effort being put forth by my fellow legislators – will emerge a comprehensive and effective reform bill in the potential special session this January.
Yesterday Governor Rell expressed her newfound support for a number of criminal justice reforms, such as a full time Board of Pardons and Parole and new advances in communication technologies for law enforcement. Similar ideas have been put on the table recently by legislators such as Rep. Willam Tong and by other members of the Judiciary Committee, and will be discussed at our hearings today.
While I am glad that the Governor is committed to reform, I am troubled because it was only last month that she believed additional money was simply not needed for criminal justice reform in Connecticut. Her change of heart underscores a very real problem with the way our state functions – too often reform is driven by changing headlines in the media, and not by thoughtful consideration for the future.
To achieve comprehensive reform (as opposed to smaller piecemeal bills that don’t meet our problems head on) it will take committed and deliberate debate in the coming months. As a state, we’ll need to keep our focus on the long-term interests and safety of Connecticut residents, and not simply pay lip service to hot button issues born out of the tragedy in Cheshire. Only through that type of systematic discourse can we hope to achieve the necessary bipartisan support. I hope Governor Rell is on board.
Dear Senator Mcdonald,
I often find your sarcastic enuendos obnoxious. I find it ironic that you seem to be annoyed that media attention and the public are driving the debate on tougher laws with respect to 3 strike offenders and such. I find it ironic because you and Michael Lawlor followed this exact game plan with respect to the so called ” judicial scandle” you along with the Hartford Courant created. Without your use of the media there would have been a different outcome. But you were atleast smart enough to manipulate the citizens of connecticut through the hartford courant and derail everything you did not want. You now find your self in a postion of the minority and probably will say or do anything to reject every proposal you don’t agree with. The only problem is now the Courant is also calling for tougher laws and you probably can’t manipulate the situation like you and Rep Lawlor did with respect to the judical branch. Hopefully people beging to see through all the lies and realize you have an agenda that just does not coorolate to most of the citizens of connecticut. We will never move forward with your leadership. I think what you are saying is Governor Rell is not sincere when you refer to her ” newfoud interest”. I can tell you that if the Governor said we need to look at what good for Connecticut and we should move toward more social programs and release inmates to lower prision overcrowding that would be just fine with you. I do think you manipulated the Governor durning the so called Judicial Scandel you created but I think the governor see right through your agend on tougher laws. Thank God.