Connecticut Pardon Team, Inc.

05/26/2025

We need to pay attention

05/20/2025

What “Breaking Cycles of Crime” Actually Means

A web of barriers keeps people leaving jail and prison from meeting their basic needs. It leads to more crime and less safety.
When Pam Thompson was released from prison, she couldn’t find housing. Landlords wouldn’t rent to her because of her conviction history. Employers, too, wouldn’t hire her.

“I just hit wall after wall,” she said. Eventually, she started taking more risks to make ends meet and ended up back in prison.

Thompson is far from alone. Many of the millions of people who leave jail or prison every year struggle to find a place to live and a job that enables them to provide for themselves and their families. Any involvement in the criminal legal system can lead to a web of barriers that makes it almost impossible for people to rebuild their lives.

The United States criminal legal system fails to break the cycle of crime or set people up to succeed. Research shows that, in 2012, about 71 percent of people exiting prison were rearrested within five years of release. And, of the estimated 5.6 million people sent to jail each year, at least 20 percent are jailed more than once in a given year.

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03/17/2025

from Vera Institute

Across the country, more than 1,300 counties have expanded existing jails or built new ones over the last 20 years—increasing the nation’s capacity to lock people up in jails by almost 40 percent. One of the drivers of this growth is the prospective revenue that local jails can receive from neighboring counties, state corrections departments, and federal agencies, including Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the United States Marshals Service (USMS), which all rent county jail beds.

This practice allows these departments and agencies to lock up more and more people, unconstrained by the capacity of their own facilities. For example, the mass detention and deportation plans advanced by President-elect Trump rely, in part, on utilizing the beds available in local jails, supplemented by temporary and private facilities, to detain many more immigrants.

02/26/2025

We need to listen to the big picture

02/20/2025

As a strong advocate for veterans, I know that they can be among some of our more vulnerable populations. That’s why I am proud to support the Governor’s legislative proposal, because the men and women who have served our country should not be victims of scams and claim sharks.

https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/proposed-legislation-aims-to-protect-veterans-from-scammers/

02/20/2025

The federal government has caused a lot of uncertainty surrounding our nation's immigration status. To help clear up any confusion, I am hosting an immigration forum. I will be joined by a team of immigration attorneys who will provide insight, guidance, and advice. We will also be joined by Lt. Governor Susan Bysiewicz, and written remarks from Speaker of the House Matthew Ritter will be shared. The event will take place on Wednesday, February 19 at 5:30 PM at the King's Chapel Church of God. Hope to see you there!

08/06/2024

12/14/2023

The Connecticut Pardon Team new program

11/28/2023

11/18/2023

The Community Foundation has awarded more than $90 million in grants and scholarships since 1983. In 2022, we put over $7 million to work - thanks in large part to the generosity of our donor advisors - to impact our region and beyond.

11/09/2023

10/02/2023

Did you know you can clear your record for good?
Scan the QR code below to register for a FREE info session in partnership with Connecticut Pardon Team, Inc. and Perception Programs!