BLACKS, HISPANICS IMPRISONED IN LARGER NUMBERS THAN WHITES, REPORT SAYS

Blacks in Connecticut are jailed at more than 12 times the rate of
whites, and Hispanics nearly seven times the white rate, according to
a study released Wednesday by a criminal justice policy group.

The study shows that Connecticut has one of the greatest disparities
in the nation in incarceration rates. Blacks are incarcerated 5.6
times the rate as whites nationally.

Hispanic men in Connecticut are incarcerated at 6.6 times the rate of
whites, the largest disparity in the nation. Nationally, the rate is
1.8.

The study by the Washington, D.C., nonprofit advocacy group The
Sentencing Project also shows that Connecticut incarcerates whites at
a lower rate than the national average, according to the report.

"The national figures are disturbing, with African Americans
incarcerated at six times the rate of whites and Connecticut has twice
that rate," said Marc Mauer, executive director of The Sentencing Project.

Put another way, the national ratios suggest that out of every 100,000
whites, 412 are incarcerated; out of every 100,000 blacks, 2,290 are
incarcerated; and out of every 100,000 Hispanics, 742 are
incarcerated.

In Connecticut, out of every 100,000 whites, 211 are incarcerated; out
of every 100,000 blacks, 2,532 are jailed; out of every 100,000
Hispanics, 1,401 are in prison.

"If you are black and born in Connecticut, you are more likely to be
incarcerated," Mauer said.

He said minorities were less likely to have the resources to avoid
prison when charged with a crime. "It's not that wealthy people don't
commit crimes. They can afford better defense attorneys and pay for
treatment programs," he said.

Out of the nation's 2.2 million prisoners, 900,000 are black. The
study concluded that if current trends continue, one in every three
black men and one in six Hispanic men can expect to spend time in prison.

Study authors used 2005 statistics from the federal Bureau of Justice
for the report.

Connecticut officials did not dispute the study findings.

"The Department of Corrections has no control over who is placed in
our custody, that is decided by the courts," said Brian Garnett,
Department of Correction director of external affairs. "Our
commissioner has said for some time she is very concerned about the
disparity and over-representation of people of color in our
correctional system."

Garnett said the DOC tries to boost literacy rates and employable
skill levels among prisoners to reduce the probability that they will
return to prison.

The National Center for Education Statistics in May released a report
indicating that illiteracy is one of the most common factors among
prisoners.

Officials said the disparity is not due to discrimination in the
courts.

"Our judges are color blind. The problem is gangs. A lot of this is
gang- and drug-related," said Chief Judge William J. Lavery, chief
court administrator in Connecticut.

Lavery said a new law that directs some criminals age 16 and 17 into
the juvenile system instead of the adult corrections system should
help the problem.

"Many of them are young, and by diverting folks at a younger age to a
juvenile system where they can get more services, we hope we can
divert them from the penal system," Lavery said.

As part of that initiative, the legislature added funding for five
judges, six mental health workers, and additional interpreters, clerks
and marshals to absorb the increased numbers of juveniles.

Lavery credited Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, and Sen. Toni Harp,
D-New Haven, with the expansion of the juvenile system to include
older teens.

"They are the guiding light and propelling force on this substantive
change in state law. This is real change," Lavery said.

Walker agreed that the new program could reduce the racial disparity
in prisons.

"We're blaming the victims and creating the problem. We are quick to
build prisons but we are not willing to spend the money to prevent
kids from going there in the first place," she said. "There's no way
most low income youth can get mental health services until they are
touched by the police. That tells you a lot. You need to put money
into services that mend families and into mental health services."

"The General Assembly has recognized there are concerns with
sentencing in this state and as a result established a sentencing task
force," said Mark Dupuis, spokesman for Chief State's Attorney Kevin
Kane, who oversees state prosecutors. "The task force will be
undertaking a comprehensive study of all the issues and we are
actively involved in that process."

Blacks in Connecticut are jailed at more than 12 times the rate of
whites, and Hispanics nearly seven times the white rate, according to
a study released Wednesday by a criminal justice policy group.

The study shows that Connecticut has one of the greatest disparities
in the nation in incarceration rates. Blacks are incarcerated 5.6
times the rate as whites nationally.

Hispanic men in Connecticut are incarcerated at 6.6 times the rate of
whites, the largest disparity in the nation. Nationally, the rate is
1.8.

The study by the Washington, D.C., nonprofit advocacy group The
Sentencing Project also shows that Connecticut incarcerates whites at
a lower rate than the national average, according to the report.

"The national figures are disturbing, with African Americans
incarcerated at six times the rate of whites and Connecticut has twice
that rate," said Marc Mauer, executive director of The Sentencing Project.

Put another way, the national ratios suggest that out of every 100,000
whites, 412 are incarcerated; out of every 100,000 blacks, 2,290 are
incarcerated; and out of every 100,000 Hispanics, 742 are
incarcerated.

In Connecticut, out of every 100,000 whites, 211 are incarcerated; out
of every 100,000 blacks, 2,532 are jailed; out of every 100,000
Hispanics, 1,401 are in prison.

"If you are black and born in Connecticut, you are more likely to be
incarcerated," Mauer said.

He said minorities were less likely to have the resources to avoid
prison when charged with a crime. "It's not that wealthy people don't
commit crimes. They can afford better defense attorneys and pay for
treatment programs," he said.

Out of the nation's 2.2 million prisoners, 900,000 are black. The
study concluded that if current trends continue, one in every three
black men and one in six Hispanic men can expect to spend time in prison.

Study authors used 2005 statistics from the federal Bureau of Justice
for the report.

Connecticut officials did not dispute the study findings.

"The Department of Corrections has no control over who is placed in
our custody, that is decided by the courts," said Brian Garnett,
Department of Correction director of external affairs. "Our
commissioner has said for some time she is very concerned about the
disparity and over-representation of people of color in our
correctional system."

Garnett said the DOC tries to boost literacy rates and employable
skill levels among prisoners to reduce the probability that they will
return to prison.

The National Center for Education Statistics in May released a report
indicating that illiteracy is one of the most common factors among
prisoners.

Officials said the disparity is not due to discrimination in the
courts.

"Our judges are color blind. The problem is gangs. A lot of this is
gang- and drug-related," said Chief Judge William J. Lavery, chief
court administrator in Connecticut.

Lavery said a new law that directs some criminals age 16 and 17 into
the juvenile system instead of the adult corrections system should
help the problem.

"Many of them are young, and by diverting folks at a younger age to a
juvenile system where they can get more services, we hope we can
divert them from the penal system," Lavery said.

As part of that initiative, the legislature added funding for five
judges, six mental health workers, and additional interpreters, clerks
and marshals to absorb the increased numbers of juveniles.

Lavery credited Rep. Toni Walker, D-New Haven, and Sen. Toni Harp,
D-New Haven, with the expansion of the juvenile system to include
older teens.

"They are the guiding light and propelling force on this substantive
change in state law. This is real change," Lavery said.

Walker agreed that the new program could reduce the racial disparity
in prisons.

"We're blaming the victims and creating the problem. We are quick to
build prisons but we are not willing to spend the money to prevent
kids from going there in the first place," she said. "There's no way
most low income youth can get mental health services until they are
touched by the police. That tells you a lot. You need to put money
into services that mend families and into mental health services."

"The General Assembly has recognized there are concerns with
sentencing in this state and as a result established a sentencing task
force," said Mark Dupuis, spokesman for Chief State's Attorney Kevin
Kane, who oversees state prosecutors. "The task force will be
undertaking a comprehensive study of all the issues and we are
actively involved in that process."