Substitute House Bill No. 6888, also known as Public Act No. 23-188, is a comprehensive legislative proposal aimed at reforming various aspects of the juvenile justice system in Connecticut. The bill establishes an implementation team to develop a plan for prearrest diversion of low-risk children, with the goal of automatically diverting children for certain first or second offenses by January 1, 2024. The team, which includes representatives from state departments, local education boards, and a juvenile review board, must submit their plan to the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee by July 1, 2024. Additionally, the bill amends Section 46b-121n of the general statutes to expand the membership of the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee to include young individuals with lived experience in the juvenile justice system and members from the Mashantucket Pequot Tribe and the Mohegan Tribe of Indians of Connecticut.

The bill also sets forth a series of goals and responsibilities for the Juvenile Justice Policy and Oversight Committee, including the development of a definition for "recidivism," setting goals for reducing recidivism, and evaluating policies related to juvenile justice. It requires the committee to report on the quality and accessibility of various juvenile justice services and to implement a strategic plan to improve outcomes. The bill mandates the creation of a data working group to integrate juvenile justice data across agencies and requires periodic reviews of conditions of confinement for minors. It includes insertions and deletions concerning the establishment of an education subcommittee, which is tasked with coordinating educational services for children in justice system custody. The bill also outlines the creation of a state-wide accountability system for schools serving these children, the appointment of persons to an incarceration subcommittee and a community expertise subcommittee, and the development of a reentry success plan for youth released from correctional facilities. Lastly, it amends Section 13 of public act 21-174, requiring the Judicial Branch to update an implementation plan for housing individuals under eighteen years of age who are detained prior to sentencing, with a new review and update timeline set for July 1, 2023, and a report due by December 15, 2023. The bill was approved on June 27, 2023.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 54-1l, 54-1m
JUD Joint Favorable Substitute: 54-1l, 54-1m
File No. 622: 54-1l, 54-1m
APP Joint Favorable Substitute: 54-1l, 54-1m
File No. 758: 54-1l, 54-1m
Public Act No. 23-188: