Crime in Connecticut

This article is about crime in the U.S. state of Connecticut.

Statistics

In 2010, there were 78,386 property crimes, 10,057 violent crimes, 130 murders, and 583 rapes reported in Connecticut. During 2015, there were 8,123 violent crimes; dropping by nearly 2,000. The violent crime rate was 227 per 100,000 residents in Connecticut, compared to the U.S. rate of 397 per 100,000 nationwide. Connecticut released its most recent detailed Uniform Crime Report in 2016. According to this report, there were 8,148 violent crimes committed that year; of the violent crimes, there were 77 homicides, 777 rapes, 2,709 robberies, and 5,585 aggravated assaults.

History

Notable murders

On July 23, 2007, in Cheshire, Connecticut, a home invasion involving the murders of three people occurred. Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters were raped and murdered while her husband, Dr. William Petit, survived with injuries. The two perpetrators, Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky, received death sentence in 2010 and 2012 respectively. However, the death penalty was abolished in Connecticut in August 2015.

On December 14, 2012, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting occurred. At approximately 9:30 a.m. in Newtown, Connecticut, 20-year-old Adam Lanza fatally shot twenty school children and six school employees prior to committing suicide. Prior to going to the school, Lanza murdered his mother. The shooting remains one of the deadliest mass shootings in the United States.

Crime rates dropping

Violent crimes in Connecticut have dropped by nearly 10% for the second year for according to the Uniform Crime Report statistics. In 2014, Connecticut reported 236.9 violent crimes per 100,000 people. Crime in 2014 was at its lowest rate since 1974. In 2014, Connecticut had the fourth highest crime-rate decrease nationally. This drop in crime was about 6.7%.

The eight major crimes reported to the FBI in the U.S. are murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, automobile theft, and arson. Overall, these types of violent crimes are decreasing in Connecticut.

Capital punishment

Between 1616 and 2005, there were 126 people sentenced to death and executed in Connecticut. In April 2012, Connecticut became the 17th state in the nation to abolish the death penalty. The order was signed by Governor Dannel Molloy. Inmates formerly sentenced to death had their sentences reduced to life imprisonment without parole. Connecticut was the fifth state to abolish the death penalty for 2007 and 2012.

Most dangerous places to live

According to a FBI Uniform Crime Report, the Connecticut cities with the most violent crimes were Bridgeport, with 1,338 (2014), New Haven, with 1,380 (2014), and Hartford, with 1,380 (2014). These cities also had the most murders, Bridgeport with 11, Hartford with 19, and New Haven with 12. In Bridgeport in 2014, there were 92 rape incidents, which was significantly higher than the numbers for all of the other cities and towns in Connecticut. New Haven had the second highest number with 80 reported in 2014. The third highest were Hartford with 45 cases. The highest robbery crime rates were again in Bridgeport, New Haven, and Hartford. Bridgeport had 546, Hartford 502, and New Haven 591. Crime was not nearly as widespread in other cities and towns. Possible reasons for the higher crime rates in these cities included their higher populations and poverty levels.

Safest places to live

According to NeighborhoodScout.com, the safest places to live in Connecticut as of 2018 are Weston, Kent, Sherman, Washington, Pomfret, Barkhamsted, Cornwall, Sharon, Ridgefield, and Salisbury.

Juvenile system

The system used in Connecticut is a state-level system that includes juvenile courts, detention centers, private facilities and juvenile correctional facilities. After juveniles are released, they get help from the Court Support Services Division of the Connecticut Judicial Branch and from the Department of Children and Family Services. Criminal statues for juveniles and adults are the same. However, if you are under the age of 18, you will be sent to a juvenile detention center, and at the age of 18, you can be transferred over to Adult Court. State assistance for juvenile offenders has a number of objectives: to lower the rate of repeat offending in the community, provide offender rehabilitation, and have offenders understand the consequences of their actions. Police officers who stop these juveniles have several options. They will warn them, talk to the parents, let them go, offer organizations that can provide them with assistance, and/or make an arrest. Children who should not be let back into the community have to go to a hearing in front of a judge at a superior court. That is when they can be sent to a detention center.

Marijuana laws

In Connecticut, marijuana is decriminalized for small amounts. Anyone under the age of 21 caught with marijuana will have their driver's license suspended for 60 days. If found with less than ½ oz. (first offense), a $150 fine is imposed. However, the fine is $500 for a repeat offense. For ½ - 4 oz., the first offense is 1 year of incarceration and a $1,000 fine. A second offense may be punished by 5 years and a $3,000 fine. More than 4 oz. of marijuana results in 5 years of incarceration and a $2,000 fine. For a second offense, it is a 10-year sentence and a $5,000 fine.

A person can register to receive a medical marijuana card in Connecticut if he or she has cancer, Crohn's disease, or HIV/AIDS. Growers of medical marijuana must be in buildings that meet the exacting standards of pharmaceutical factories.