Somewhere at the top of that list are gun issues. The proposed Domestic Violence Criminal Justice Response and Enhancement Advisory Council would be a proactive agency combining the missions of the councils, and would examine existing policies for gaps. Victims in Connecticut are served by the state’s 18 domestic violence agencies, with two state councils. The latter types of crimes have motivated a different alliance, the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, to propose that a single body be formed to focus on refining the state’s laws on such matters. Crimes involving domestic violence consume one-third of the state’s judicial caseload. Illegal guns in inner cities and murders in the suburbs represent two sides of Connecticut’s criminal identity. At a time when every detail of our lives seems to be tracked whether we like it or not, this gap appears to exist for a lack of effort.Īdvocates say two Connecticut women - Traci-Marie Jones of Bethel, and Julie Minogue of Milford - were recently killed by guns that should have been taken away from their killers. But there doesn’t appear to be a system for tracking those weapons.
Under existing laws, alleged abusers are supposed to sell firearms or surrender them to police while under a restraining order. Elsewhere in Connecticut, leaders at domestic violence agencies are trying to ensure people under restraining orders don’t have easy access to guns. These discussions are supposed to be difficult, and it’s the responsibility of elected officials not to balk at the hard work.īut it’s not just the illegal guns that have muddied the discourse. The danger of such rhetoric is that everyone can walk away from the table. He argued that many people carry illegal firearms for protection, and would suffer legal consequences from a law that is too broadly written. Winfield essentially told the mayors to take a reality check about their own cities. The mayors’ objective is to increase the penalties in such circumstances.
Far too often, those repeat offenders are committing crimes with guns while out on probation or bail. The approach taken by the mayors of Bridgeport, New Haven, Hartford and Waterbury seems practical. Gary Winfield, during a 12-hour hearing Monday.
In this case, the loudest blowback came from a fellow Democrat, state Sen. Resistance is always expected when it comes to changing gun laws.
The mayors are focusing on disarming repeat offenders they believe are responsible for most of the state’s gun violence. The very act of urban mayors in Connecticut working together to get illegal guns off their streets feels like progress. Nothing about updating laws involving guns - both illegal and legal - is ever simple. Murder in the suburbs and illegal guns in cities. Editorial: 2 sides of CT’s criminal identity.
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