Public Defense

Gov. considering veto of crim justice bill

By Gideon

Well, well. Now that the budget has tanked and we might not even have a surplus, the Governor announced that she is considering vetoing the recently passed criminal justice bill.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell said today that the state’s worsening financial condition may lead her to veto high-profile criminal-justice legislation passed in reaction to last year’s Cheshire home invasion.

Legislation on her desk would stiffen penalties for certain crimes and provide resources for new prosecutors and police and probation officers.

Rell said the tougher penalties could be salvaged by her vetoing only the monetary portions of the legislation.

It is remarkable when you remember that just a few years ago, the State had a surplus in the $700 million range (am I remembering that right?).

Can you imagine if they’d approved new prisons? Geez…

I can’t say that I’m surprised, to be honest. As prison populations rise, cost rises and the bloated budget of Corrections is, in my opinion, a direct consequence of the harsh tact taken toward drug offenses.

Take a look at that DOC budget - somewhere around $650 million last year. Then tell me there’s no harsh sentencing in CT. The truth is that CT hands out some of the harshest sentences in the country.

On top of that, there’s really no parole right now. Prisons are overflowing. Cost is up.

Her idea of a line-item veto may not be feasible. It very well might not be possible to keep the increased penalties without providing the funding for prosecutors and public defenders to man the system.

On the other hand, maybe there are enough votes in the legislature to override any such veto.

Senate President Pro Tem Donald Williams, a Democrat, strongly rejected Rell’s veto threat.

“I think it’s outrageous to suggest at this late date that we would not go forward with critical investments in our criminal justice system that pretty much everyone has agreed to,” Williams said. “I think it’s irresponsible at this point to say we’re going to ignore all that, and not find the resources to make this investment. … We will find the money for this critical investment in public safety.”

We’ll see. For now, I must confess that I chuckled a bit when I read the headline.

More at CTLP and CT NewsJunkie

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Full post as published by A Public Defender on April 29, 2008 (boomark / email).