Published July 29. 2021 11:18PM
By DAVE COLLINS
HARTFORD (AP) Black and Hispanic residents continue to make up a disproportionate number of people in Connecticut s justice system, which also is charging African Americans with felonies at higher rates, according to an analysis of state prosecution data released Thursday.
The report is the second annual review of court data stemming from a 2019 state law mandating a deep look into how state prosecutors are doing their jobs and the fairness of the justice system. State officials say it was the first law of its kind in the country.
Researchers with the state Office of Policy and Management and The Urban Institute reviewed nearly 156,000 charges in more than 65,000 criminal cases that were closed in 2020. The number of total cases declined 47% compared with 2019, which officials linked to the coronavirus pandemic and the shutdown of many courthouses, but racial disparities remained at nearly the same levels.
United-states
Connecticut
Americans
Richard-colangelo-jr
Marc-pelka
Reginald-betts
Scotx-esdaile
Justice-commission-on
Justice-commission
African-americans
Urban-institute
New-haven