PRISONS AND PRISONERS - STATISTICS; CRIME AND CRIMINALS;

You asked whether Connecticut’s crime rate has increased during the past five years or so; how many new cases came into the criminal justice system during that same period; whether the average sentence length has increased during the past few years; and whether the average age of incoming inmates has increased during the past few years.

SUMMARY

From 1994 to 2001, the crime rate decreased from 4,552 offenses per 100,000 people to 3,123. Table 1 and Graph 1 show the Connecticut crime rate from 1994 to 2001. Table 2 and Graph 2 show the violent crime rate. Table 3 and Graph 3 show the property crime rate.

According to information provided by the Connecticut Department of Public Safety (DPS) and the Office of Fiscal Analyses (OFA) the number of new arrests declined from nearly 185,000 in 1994 to a little over 156,000 in 2000 (see Table 4). According to Greg Pac of the Judicial Department the number of new criminal cases brought to court declined from around 148,500 in fiscal year 1998-99 to around 132,00 in fiscal year 2001-02 (see Table 5). While the number of admissions to DOC declined from around 38,000 in 1990 to around 35,500 in 2002, it increased in each of the past two years. There were nearly 29,500 in 2000, nearly 33,000 in 2001, and over 35,600 in 2002 (see Table 6).

According to information published in the Corrections Yearbooks of 1999 and 2001, the average age of inmates at admission in Connecticut declined from 31. 7 on January 1,1999 to 31. 1 on January 1, 2001. The Criminal Justice Institute of Middletown, Connecticut publishes the Corrections Yearbook. But a graph published in the 1999 yearbook shows that the long-term national trend is upward. The average age at admission nationally in 1990 was 29. 9. It was 30. 6 in 1993 and 1994, 31. 3 in 1996, and 31. 5 in 1998. (We have attached a copy. )

According to this same publication, the average prison stay for inmates released in 1998 was 18. 8 months and 19 months for those released in 2000. We are working with the research department of the Department of Correction to get more specific information about average sentences over the past several years. We will forward this information to you as soon as we receive it.

CONNECTICUT CRIME RATE

Table 1 and Graph 1 show the Connecticut and national crime rate from 1994 through 2001 for each 100,000 people. The offenses used to calculate the crime rate include murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, and motor vehicle theft.

Table 1: Connecticut Crime Rate, 1994-2001

*2001 US Rate (estimate) based upon preliminary figures.

Source: Connecticut Department of Public Safety

Graph 1: Connecticut Crime Rate 1994 through 2001

Source: Department of Public Safety

VIOLENT CRIME RATE 1994 THROUGH 2001

Table 2 and Graph 2 show the Connecticut and national crime rate for violent crimes for each 100,000 people each year from 1994 through 2001.

Table 2: Violent Crime Rate, 1994-2001

Source: Department of Public Safety

Graph 2: Violent Crime Rate, 1994-2001

Source: Department of Public Safety

PROPERTY CRIME RATE 1994 THROUGH 2001

Table 3 and Graph 3 show the Connecticut and national crime rate for property crimes for each 100,000 people each year from 1994 through 2001.

Table 3: Property Crime Rate, 1994-2001

Source: Department of Public Safety

Graph 3: Property Crime Rate 1994 through 2001

ARRESTS PER YEAR

According to the Department of Public Safety, the number of arrests declined from 184,981 in 1994 to 156,391 in 2000. These figures include people who were arrested more that once during the year; thus, they do not represent the number of people arrested each year. Table 4 shows the number of arrests each year from 1994 through 2000.

Table 4: Number of Arrests Each Year from 1994 through 2000

Source: Department of Public Safety and Office of Fiscal Analysis

NEW CRIMINAL CASES

According to Greg Pac, criminal case flow manager for the Judicial Department, the number of new criminal cases declined from around 148,500 in Fiscal Year (FY) 1998-99 to slightly over 132,000 in FY 2001-02. But the FY 2001-02 figures are higher than FY 1999-00, and substantially higher than FY 2000-01. Table 5 shows the number of new criminal cases each fiscal year from FY 1998-99 to FY 2001-02.

Table 5: New Criminal Cases Each Fiscal Year

Source: Judicial Department Criminal Case Flow Manager

ADMISSIONS TO DOC DURING THE PAST 13 YEARS

Table 6 shows the number of people admitted to the Department of Correction (DOC) in each of the last 13 years. While the number of admissions to DOC declined from around 38,000 in 1990 to around 35,600 in 2002, it has increased in each of the past two years. There were nearly 29,500 in 2000, nearly 33,000 in 2001, and over 35,500 in 2002.

Table 6: DOC Admissions 1990 through 2002

Source: DOC

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