There are eight counties in Connecticut. The towns in each are specified in C.G.S. Sec. 6-1. The boundaries, which have been the same since 1785, are shown in Figure B-1. Although county governance no longer exists, sheriffs are still elected on the basis of the county lines.
Table B-1 contains information about characteristics of the counties related to the work performed by the different types of sheriffs, including the size, population, and number of court facilities. Summary information about court activity also is presented in the table.
The eight regions are markedly different. The smallest in terms of the number of courtrooms (five) is the largest in terms of square miles (938). Likewise, one county transported nearly 63,000 prisoners in FY 98, while another county only transported 3,041 prisoners.
|
TABLE B-1. Characteristics
of the Counties. |
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|
County |
No.
of Towns |
1990
Popula |
Sq.
Miles |
No.
and Location of Courthouses |
No.
of Court-rooms |
New
Cases FY 98 |
No.
of Trials FY 98 |
|
Fairfield |
23 |
827,645
|
633 |
10
sites in 4 towns: 3 in Bridgeport, 3 in Stamford, 2 in Norwalk, and 2
in Danbury |
57 |
121,403 |
4,333 |
|
Hartford |
29 |
851,783
|
740 |
12
sites in 6 towns: 7 in Hartford, 1 in New Britain, 1
in Manchester, 1 in Enfield, 1 in West Hartford, and 1 in Bristol
[In Hartford, sheriffs also stationed at additional site] |
66 |
167,586 |
5,194 |
|
Litchfield |
26 |
174,092
|
938 |
3
sites in 2 towns: 2 in Litchfield and 1 in Torrington |
5 |
19,919 |
426 |
|
Middlesex |
15 |
143,196 |
374 |
3
sites: all in Middletown |
19 |
32,698 |
880 |
|
New
Haven |
27 |
804,219
|
610 |
9
sites in 5 towns: 3 in New Haven, 1 in Meriden, 1 in Milford, 1 in
Derby, and 3 in Waterbury [In
New Haven, sheriffs also stationed at additional site and at off-site
lock-up facility] |
72 |
174,946 |
4,207 |
|
New
London |
21 |
254,957
|
672 |
5
sites in 3 towns: 2 in New London, 2 in Norwich, 1 in Montville |
17 |
47,066 |
1,661 |
|
Tolland |
13 |
128,699 |
416 |
3
sites: all in Vernon |
9 |
19,789 |
1,341 |
|
Windham |
15 |
102,525
|
516 |
4
sites in 3 towns: 2 in Windham, 1 in Killingly, and 1 in Putnam |
8 |
15,836 |
593 |
|
Sources
of data: Conn. State Data
Center, Connecticut 1990 Census
Complete Count Data - Part A, Rosaline Levenson, County
Government in Connecticut - Its History and Demise, and documents
from the Office of the County Sheriffs and the Judicial Department,
including Report of the
Connecticut Judicial Department, 1996-98. |
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FIGURE
B-1. Boundaries of Connecticut
Counties.
