October 27, 2021

Callahan Appointed to Juvenile Justice Policy & Oversight Committee

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HARTFORD – State Rep. Patrick Callahan (R-New Fairfield) has been appointed to the legislature’s Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee (JJPOC). The committee was established to review existing juvenile justice policy, recommend changes to strengthen the system and provide resources to at-risk youth. The appointment was made by House Republican leader Vincent Candelora (R-Branford), who is also a member of the committee.

“Representative Callahan will bring real world knowledge and expertise from his experiences working within the criminal justice system as a Probation Officer. I am confident that he will help JJPOC form sound policy suggestions as we look towards next session,” said Rep. Candelora.

The spike in juvenile crimes over the last year has been alarming. Between 2019 and 2020 the rate of car thefts increased by 41%, according to statistics provided by the FBI. Incidences of repeat offenders are also common. Earlier this year, one juvenile had been arrested 14 times before stealing a car and killing a pedestrian.

“I bring a unique perspective to the committee,” said Rep. Callahan, who has had 2 motor vehicles stolen from his home. “I understand what it’s like to be a victim of these crimes, but I also know that much of this behavior is avoidable if law enforcement, judges and youth agencies are given the tools needed to combat the culture of crime. Right now, criminals can sense weakness in the system, but there are a few commonsense fixes that would immediately make it harder for kids to continue to break the law.”

Callahan and Candelora supported legislation that would have helped law enforcement share important data with judges, track repeat offenders through GPS, and require greater involvement from the Dept. of Children and Family Services in the case of a juvenile arrest. Despite the bill not making it through the entire legislative process, there have been several calls for the legislature to convene in Special Session to address this crisis.

JJPOC is scheduled to meet in November, at which point Rep. Callahan will begin working with the committee’s membership. It is expected that the legislature will act on their recommendations when it convenes for the 2022 legislative session in February.

To learn more about Rep. Callahan, you can visit his website at RepCallahan.com.

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