May 31, 2011

Carpino Opposes “Fix” of Controversial Early Release Credit for Violent Offenders, Supported Exclusion of More Crimes

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HARTFORD — Rep. Christie Carpino today opposed legislation that would give retroactive early release credits to violent inmates behind bars for crimes such as aggravated sexual assault of a minor. Democrats on Tuesday afternoon amended the controversial early release plan they rammed through the House last week despite repeated warnings from Republican lawmakers. The bill previously approved by Democrats granted all convicts, except those found guilty of a capital felony, eligibility to retroactive early release credits for nothing more than good behavior while behind bars.

The “fix” offered by Democrats makes six crimes ineligible for the “good time” credits: murder, felony murder, arson murder, capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and home invasion.

Under the legislation, inmates with convictions for all other crimes are eligible to have up to five days per month removed from their sentences. Democrat lawmakers approved the measure 90-56.

“The folks who sent us here expect us to work in their interests, but this bill does the opposite. These aren’t cupcake convictions—these are awful crimes,” Carpino said. “Today we heard majority members of this legislature speak with the offender in mind—the guy who committed the crime. That’s the case today. Victims, people forever scarred by these criminals, will shudder when they read about this new policy.”

Carpino and her Republican colleagues saw Democrats shoot down their effort to add several crimes to the list of those ineligible for early release credits, including:

– Manslaughter first-degree with a firearm
– First-degree assault
– First-degree assault of elderly, blind, disabled, pregnant or mentally retarded
– Assault of pregnant woman resulting in termination of pregnancy
– First-degree sexual assault
– Aggravated sexual assault of minor
– Sexual assault in the third-degree with a firearm
– Enticing a minor
– First-degree burglary
– First-degree kidnapping
– First-degree kidnapping with a firearm
– First-degree arson
– Employing a minor in an obscene performance

Carpino disagrees with the opposing notion that the state should use early release credits to entice inmates to use various counseling programs, which were available to them prior to this legislation.