Senators Moore, McCrory, Winfield Call for Increased Funding for Violence Prevention Programs to Address Shootings in Cities
The Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven Legislators Call for More Resources Follows the Shooting and Death of a 3-Year-Old in Hartford
In response to the tragic death of a 3-year-old boy and 16-year-old teenager from separate shootings in Hartford this past weekend, State Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) and State Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) are calling on Governor Lamont to increase funding to statewide violence prevention programs to bolster efforts to prevent future shootings that leave families and neighborhoods grieving.
“I am tired of the senseless taking of lives lost of loved ones to gun violence. The problem of gun violence impacts every community and it is imperative we take this problem on by creating a master plan and dedicate funding to support it. We need to more funding now for programs that will stop future tragedies and create needed changes to address the senseless gun violence that plagues Bridgeport and urban communities across our state,” said Sen. Moore. Gun violence intervention programs across the state must build a coalition, develop a five year plan funded by the State and supplemented with American Rescue Act dollars. “We have to do more in protecting the health and safety of families, friends, and the community at-large. We know what programs work and it is time that we fund these initiatives and put our money where our mouth is.”
“How many more mothers, families, have to mourn the loss of a child. We need to act, and we must increase resources for violence prevention initiatives and programs to keep our kids safe and stop more deaths from happening,” said Sen. McCrory. “Shootings and gun violence cause more than just injury and death, but also leave lasting trauma on survivors, family members and neighborhoods, particularly on kids and teenagers who become more likely to face mental health issues or their academic performance suffers because of exposure to such violence.”
“Children should never experience being unable to see their brother or sister again. No parent should understand what it means to bury their child,” said Sen. Winfield. “Gun violence has scarred far too many neighborhoods. It has to come to end now, not later. I am urging the allocation of more funding to intervention programs dedicated to stopping future deaths. We have put money into these programs for the safety of our children. If we do not, then it is their lives and neighborhoods that will suffer.”
While youth violence programs have received some funding in recent years. From Fiscal Year 2019 to 2021, Hartford received $350,000 in state funding to address youth gun violence through various initiatives, Bridgeport received $375,000, New Haven received $375,000, Meriden received $140,000, Waterbury received $361,800, and West Haven received $140,000. The ARA under President Biden is calling on Congress to include $5 billion over eight years in support of evidence-based community violence prevention programs. He is calling on Congress to invest in job training for formerly incarcerated individuals and justice-involved youth and in improving public safety. Combined, these funds are an opportunity to create, implement, and evaluate a plan to build statewide coalitions for cities most impacted by gun violence.
The shooting in Hartford last weekend follows an increase in shootings and gun violence in 2020 in Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven. The Hartford Police Department reported in fall 2020 that they had a 54% increase in shootings incidents from last year. Bridgeport experienced a substantial increase in shootings in 2020 as well. The city saw a 30 percent increase in shootings in 2020 compared to 2019. New Haven reported 274 incidents of shots being fired, which was up from 151 in 2019.
Gun violence carries a disproportionate impact on communities of color, especially on Black men. Statistics from to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence said that over 50 percent of Connecticut’s gun homicide victims were Black men though they are less than 6 percent of the state’s population. According to the same report, Black men between 18 to 35 years old were close to 39 times more likely to be murdered with a gun compared to white men in the state.
Further underscoring the need to build up resources for violence prevention programs, young people also make up a substantial portion of victims of gun violence. A 2020 news report found that around 10 percent of individuals murdered by guns in Connecticut’s three largest cities between 2010 and mid-2020 were 25 years old or younger.
These devastating acts of violence leave families grieving, but also young people witnessing such acts can be left with harm to their mental and physical health. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, children exposed to violence, crime, and abuse are more likely to suffer from depression and PTSD; and children living in neighborhoods where gun violence is a recurring feature can lead to them spending less time being physically active. Additionally, a study cited by Everytown found that high school students who experience violence have lower rates of graduation.
State Senator James Maroney Votes in Favor of Legislation to Prevent Automobile Accidents Involving Children and Ice Cream Trucks
State Senator James Maroney Votes in Favor of Legislation to Prevent Automobile Accidents Involving Children and Ice Cream Trucks
HARTFORD, CT – Today, state Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) voted for the state Senate’s passage of a bill that aims to protect children from automobile accidents when they are purchasing ice cream. Senate Bill 608, “An Act Concerning the Safety of Children When Buying Ice Cream From A Frozen Dessert Truck,” equips ice cream trucks with resources, similar to a school bus, to make the trucks more visible to other motorists when they are parked and serving children ice cream.
This bipartisan bill also goes by the name of “Tristan’s Law.” It is named after Tristan Barhorst, a Wallingford boy who was killed after he was struck by a driver while he was crossing the street after purchasing ice cream. Barhorst was only 10.
“This requirement would help to ensure no other family has to undergo the tragedy the Barhost family did.” said Sen. Maroney. “Getting ice cream as a family is something to look forward to and with new safety precautions, it should allow for children to have a great experience grabbing a frozen treat without worry from their parents of them getting hit by a car.”
SB 608 calls for each ice cream truck to be equipped with the following, effective May 1, 2022:
-
Signal Lamps
- Must be mounted at the same level and as high and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display two alternately flashing red signal lights visible at a distance of not less than five hundred feet to the front and rear in normal sunlight upon a straight level highway.
- Stop Signal Arm
- Must be able to be extended horizontally from the left side of the frozen dessert truck. Two alternately flashing red lights shall be located in the outside corners of the extended signal arm and such corners shall be rounded to conform with the shape of the lights. The word “STOP” shall appear in six-inch-high white letters not to exceed four inches in length in the middle of the signal arm; above the word “STOP”, the phrase “IF SAFE” shall appear in two-inch-high white letters not to exceed one and three-fourths inches in length; below the word “STOP”, the phrase “THEN GO” shall appear in two-inch-high white letters not to exceed one and three-fourths inches in length.
- Convex Mirror
- Must be mounted on the front of the frozen dessert truck so the operator in a normal seating position is capable of seeing the area in front of the truck that is obscured by the hood.
- Front Crossing Arm
- Must be attached to the front bumper of the frozen dessert truck hinged from the truck’s right side.
In addition to safety equipment for ice cream trucks to protect both the drivers and child pedestrians purchasing frozen desserts, SB 608 calls for drivers to stop “not less than 10 feet from the front when approaching and not less than ten feet from the rear when overtaking any frozen dessert truck on a highway when the frozen dessert truck is displaying flashing red signal lights and extending the stop signal arm and the front crossing arm.” The bill also bars ice cream truck drivers from stopping in high-traffic areas. The bill was previously voted out of the Transportation Committee unanimously on March 10.
CT Senate Passes Bill Re: Travel Insurance Covering Suicide
CT Senate Passes Bill Re: Travel Insurance Covering Suicide
Today, the State Senate voted to approve legislation introduced by state Senator Derek Slap (D-West Hartford) that would prohibit insurance companies in Connecticut that offer travel insurance from denying an insurance claim because an insured’s family member or friend died by suicide, thereby cancelling the vacation and losing any deposits the family may have already made. State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) voted in favor of Senate Bill 89, An Act Concerning Travel Insurance and Suicide.
“I am thankful to Senator Slap for introducing this concept and I thank both Senators Lesser and Slap for their advocacy on this issue,” said Sen. Maroney. “I also want to thank them for their receptiveness to my amendment to change the language in the bill to state, ‘died by suicide.’ Words matter and it is important that we change the language around suicide. I would encourage anyone who is feeling overwhelmed or sad to call 211, and if you know someone who may be experiencing the feeling of being heavily overwhelmed or depression, the state has great resources on preventsuicidect.org. “
Senate Bill 89 stems from a family in West Hartford who suffered a tragedy in 2019. The Brennan family were planning to take an international trip, booked their flights and purchased travel insurance. However, on July 14, 2019, their 25-year old son, Sean, died by suicide. Sean’s mother, Robin Brennan, could not continue on with their family trip and submitted a claim for a full refund. Two days before the trip, her claim was denied with the reason being the cause of death. The family fought the insurance company and eventually took this issue to the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. Mental illness is a disease like any other. If Sean had died by cancer or another illness, the claim would have been approved.
If this bill becomes enacted into law, beginning October 1, 2021, no policy will exclude coverage for people who die by suicide or for their traveling companion and they will be financially protected when purchasing travel insurance.
Sen. Hartley Votes for Bill Supporting Increased Efficiency and Productivity of Operations by Manufacturers
Sen. Hartley Votes for Bill Supporting Increased Efficiency and Productivity of Operations by Manufacturers
State Senator Joan Hartley (D-Waterbury), Senate Chair of the Commerce Committee and Co-Chair of the Manufacturing Caucus, lead unanimous approval of Senate Bill 1021 which establishes a manufacturing technology working group dedicated to creating a strategic plan to help integrate Industry 4.0 technology into product development and production processes of manufacturers in Connecticut.
“Industry 4.0 technology” refers to the hardware, software, and other related innovations regarding the digitalization of the manufacturing industry.
“Industry 4.0 technology will allow Connecticut manufacturers to have greater flexibility and efficiency in their operations,” said Sen. Hartley. “It is to the benefit of the state’s economy and the good-paying jobs throughout the manufacturing sector that we explore how we can help manufacturers implement this technology into their businesses.”
The efforts of the working group include:
- Creating comprehensive profiles of entities that receive state or federal funding aimed at researching, developing, training, marketing, consulting or deploying Industry 4.0 technology or other related services to assist manufacturing startups, manufacturers with under 150 employees at an individual facility, and other businesses focused on manufacturing
- Identify gaps in services related to Industry 4.0 technology needs of manufacturers
- Assess participation in small business innovation research programs and small business transfer programs
The working group will submit the strategic plan to the Commerce Committee no later than early October 2022. The membership of the working group will include but not be limited to: the governor’s chief manufacturing officer; and representatives from the Connecticut Center for Advanced Technology, CONNSTEP, UConn, at least two manufacturers that have less than 75 employees, and at least two manufacturers that have between 75 and 150 employees.
Sen. Needleman Joins Senate Approval of Legislation to Prevent Automobile Accidents Involving Children and Ice Cream Trucks
Sen. Needleman Joins Senate Approval of Legislation to Prevent Automobile Accidents Involving Children and Ice Cream Trucks
HARTFORD, CT – Today, state Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) joined the state Senate’s passage of a bill that aims to protect children from automobile accidents when they are purchasing ice cream. Senate Bill 608, “An Act Concerning the Safety of Children When Buying Ice Cream From A Frozen Dessert Truck,” equips ice cream trucks with resources, similar to a school bus, to make the trucks more visible to other motorists when they are parked and serving children ice cream. The legislation passed unanimously.
This bipartisan bill also goes by the name of “Tristan’s Law.” It is named after Tristan Barhorst, a Wallingford boy who was killed after he was struck by a driver while he was crossing the street after purchasing ice cream. Barhorst was only 10.
“When we think of ice cream trucks, we think of the joys of summer and the smiles on children’s faces,” said Sen. Needleman. “This legislation will play an important role in improving safety and ensuring the tragic loss of Tristan Barhorst doesn’t happen again through common sense changes.”
SB 608 calls for each ice cream truck to be equipped with the following, effective May 1, 2022:
-
Signal Lamps
- Must be mounted at the same level and as high and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display two alternately flashing red signal lights visible at a distance of not less than five hundred feet to the front and rear in normal sunlight upon a straight level highway.
- Stop Signal Arm
- Must be able to be extended horizontally from the left side of the frozen dessert truck. Two alternately flashing red lights shall be located in the outside corners of the extended signal arm and such corners shall be rounded to conform with the shape of the lights. The word “STOP” shall appear in six-inch-high white letters not to exceed four inches in length in the middle of the signal arm; above the word “STOP”, the phrase “IF SAFE” shall appear in two-inch-high white letters not to exceed one and three-fourths inches in length; below the word “STOP”, the phrase “THEN GO” shall appear in two-inch-high white letters not to exceed one and three-fourths inches in length.
- Convex Mirror
- Must be mounted on the front of the frozen dessert truck so the operator in a normal seating position is capable of seeing the area in front of the truck that is obscured by the hood.
- Front Crossing Arm
- Must be attached to the front bumper of the frozen dessert truck hinged from the truck’s right side.
In addition to safety equipment for ice cream trucks to protect both the drivers and child pedestrians purchasing frozen desserts, SB 608 calls for drivers to stop “not less than 10 feet from the front when approaching and not less than ten feet from the rear when overtaking any frozen dessert truck on a highway when the frozen dessert truck is displaying flashing red signal lights and extending the stop signal arm and the front crossing arm.” The bill also bars ice cream truck drivers from stopping in high-traffic areas. The bill was previously voted out of the Transportation Committee unanimously on March 10.
Senator Anwar Joins Senate Approval of Anti-Age Discrimination Bill
Senator Anwar Joins Senate Approval of Anti-Age Discrimination Bill
HARTFORD – The state Senate today unanimously approved a bill that would make Connecticut a national leader in protecting older workers from age discrimination. State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) proudly voted in support of the legislation.
The bill prohibits employers from asking for an applicants’ date of birth or school graduation and/or attendance dates on job applications. If enacted, Connecticut would be one of just a few states in America that explicitly bans this type of information on job applications.
The bill now heads to the state House of Representatives for consideration. The bill passed the legislature’s Aging Committee on a unanimous and bipartisan basis in February.
“Far too often in the modern day, age can be used to bar people from employment, even as it’s a protected class,” said Sen. Anwar. “That can be as simple as a hiring manager rejecting someone’s application if they see a birth or graduation date they disagree with. And the workers negatively impacted are carrying decades of skill and knowledge. I’m proud my colleagues and I were able to take a step toward protecting their rights.”
Senate Bill 56, “AN ACT DETERRING AGE DISCRIMINATION IN EMPLOYMENT APPLICATION,” is the same bill that received widespread support last year – including from the Connecticut AARP, the Connecticut Business and Industry Association, and a group of West Hartford seniors – before the coronavirus pandemic ended the 2020 legislative session.
With 436,000 workers in their mid-50’s, Connecticut has the 6th-oldest workforce in the nation, with a median age of 41 (as of 2017.) Just 20% of Connecticut employees were over the age 54 in 2008; today that figure is 26.5%, with the health care, manufacturing, educational services and retail trade industries employing the most workers over age 54.
A 2018 AARP survey found about 60% of older workers have seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace, and 76% of them see age discrimination as a hurdle to finding a new job. Meanwhile, nearly a third of U.S. households headed by someone age 55 or older have no retirement savings or pension, meaning they’ll have to continue working or rely on Social Security in order to survive financially.
Sen. Anwar Joins Senate Approval of Legislation to Prevent Automobile Accidents Involving Children and Ice Cream Trucks
Sen. Anwar Joins Senate Approval of Legislation to Prevent Automobile Accidents Involving Children and Ice Cream Trucks
HARTFORD, CT – Today, state Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined the state Senate’s passage of a bill that aims to protect children from automobile accidents when they are purchasing ice cream. Senate Bill 608, “An Act Concerning the Safety of Children When Buying Ice Cream From A Frozen Dessert Truck,” equips ice cream trucks with resources, similar to a school bus, to make the trucks more visible to other motorists when they are parked and serving children ice cream. The legislation passed unanimously, 33-0.
This bipartisan bill also goes by the name of “Tristan’s Law.” It is named after Tristan Barhorst, a Wallingford boy who was killed after he was struck by a driver while he was crossing the street after purchasing ice cream. Barhorst was only 10.
“Children’s safety is paramount for us as leaders, and we must take the steps we can to protect them,” said Sen. Anwar, Senate Chair of the Children’s Committee. “I had the opportunity to speak to Tristan Barhorst’s family and their tragic story moved me deeply. I’m glad this common-sense legislation will help keep our children safe during times of joy. This way, we can make sure the tragedy that led to this bill’s creation never happens again.”
“The preventable and tragic death of Tristan Barhorst was a devastating loss to his family and our community as a whole,” said Representative Liz Linehan (D-Cheshire/Southington/Wallingford), House Chair of the Children’s Committee. “As Co-Chair of the Children’s Committee, and Representative for Cheshire and Wallingford, passing legislation in Tristan’s name to protect the safety of all children in the state of Connecticut is a high priority. Many thanks to Sen. Haskell and Rep. Lamar for their tireless efforts in helping to shepherd this legislation out of Committee and the Senate. I look forward to bringing the bill to the floor of the House as soon as possible.”
SB 608 calls for each ice cream truck to be equipped with the following, effective May 1, 2022:
-
Signal Lamps
- Must be mounted at the same level and as high and as widely spaced laterally as practicable and shall display two alternately flashing red signal lights visible at a distance of not less than five hundred feet to the front and rear in normal sunlight upon a straight level highway.
- Stop Signal Arm
- Must be able to be extended horizontally from the left side of the frozen dessert truck. Two alternately flashing red lights shall be located in the outside corners of the extended signal arm and such corners shall be rounded to conform with the shape of the lights. The word “STOP” shall appear in six-inch-high white letters not to exceed four inches in length in the middle of the signal arm; above the word “STOP”, the phrase “IF SAFE” shall appear in two-inch-high white letters not to exceed one and three-fourths inches in length; below the word “STOP”, the phrase “THEN GO” shall appear in two-inch-high white letters not to exceed one and three-fourths inches in length.
- Convex Mirror
- Must be mounted on the front of the frozen dessert truck so the operator in a normal seating position is capable of seeing the area in front of the truck that is obscured by the hood.
- Front Crossing Arm
- Must be attached to the front bumper of the frozen dessert truck hinged from the truck’s right side.
Under the leadership of Senator Anwar and Representative Linehan, the Committee on Children is preparing a handout specifically for children regarding safety when buying ice cream from an Ice Cream Truck. This safety guide will be handed out in classrooms across Connecticut in mid-May, and will be free of charge for boards of education.
In addition to safety equipment for ice cream trucks to protect both the drivers and child pedestrians purchasing frozen desserts, SB 608 calls for drivers to stop “not less than 10 feet from the front when approaching and not less than ten feet from the rear when overtaking any frozen dessert truck on a highway when the frozen dessert truck is displaying flashing red signal lights and extending the stop signal arm and the front crossing arm.” The bill also bars ice cream truck drivers from stopping in high-traffic areas. The bill was previously voted out of the Transportation Committee unanimously on March 10.
Legislation Providing Benefits to Hmong Laotian Veterans who Fought During Vietnam War ‘Secret War’ Passed by Senate
Legislation Providing Benefits to Hmong Laotian Veterans who Fought During Vietnam War ‘Secret War’ Passed by Senate
HARTFORD – Today, the Connecticut State Senate passed legislation providing veterans benefits to members of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units who served in the secret war in the Kingdom of Laos during the Vietnam War. This legislation, which would provide those individuals with legal veterans status, financial support for a funeral, and other similar benefits, was supported by legislators who want to support these men for their brave sacrifices to support the United States. State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) proudly voted to provide these men with the benefits they earned.
“These men fought hard and sacrificed to support the American people,” said Sen. Anwar. “They fought on behalf of our country and, until now, have not received the benefits they earned. I’m proud to help fix that mistake and make sure they receive the recognition they deserve.”
Senate Bill 914, “An Act Concerning Hmong Laotian Special Guerilla Units Which Served In The Kingdom Of Laos,” will extend certain veterans benefits to Hmong Laotian special guerilla units serving during the Vietnam war in the U.S. secret war in the Kingdom of Laos. Those benefits include veteran license plates and veteran status on driver’s licenses or ID cards, $1,800 toward funeral expenses or cremation for veterans in need, and veterans ribbons and metals. Veterans would need to provide information to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
During the Vietnam War, members of the Hmong worked together with the CIA to conduct covert operations in Laos, also known as the “secret war.” Tens of thousands of men were killed during the war, more after its end. Though these men were hired and paid by the CIA, according to Twin Cities PBS, they are not recognized as United States veterans and as such receive no benefits. More than 35,000 Hmong and Lao soldiers died supporting the United States armed forces. If this legislation is approved by the House, these brave men will finally receive the support and respect they earned in battle.
Legislation Providing Benefits to Hmong Laotian Veterans who Fought During Vietnam War ‘Secret War’ Passed by Senate
Legislation Providing Benefits to Hmong Laotian Veterans who Fought During Vietnam War ‘Secret War’ Passed by Senate
HARTFORD – Today, the Connecticut State Senate passed legislation providing veterans benefits to members of the Hmong Laotian special guerilla units who served in the secret war in the Kingdom of Laos during the Vietnam War. This legislation, which would provide those individuals with legal veterans status, financial support for a funeral, and other similar benefits, was supported by legislators who want to support these men for their brave sacrifices to support the United States. State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) proudly voted to provide these men with the benefits they earned.
“Our veterans bravely and selflessly sacrifice on our behalf to protect our country and our freedoms, and as such these brave men deserve our recognition,” said Sen. Needleman. “I am proud that today we were able to provide them with the benefits they earned in service of our nation.”
Senate Bill 914, “An Act Concerning Hmong Laotian Special Guerilla Units Which Served In The Kingdom Of Laos,” will extend certain veterans benefits to Hmong Laotian special guerilla units serving during the Vietnam war in the U.S. secret war in the Kingdom of Laos. Those benefits include veteran license plates and veteran status on driver’s licenses or ID cards, $1,800 toward funeral expenses or cremation for veterans in need, and veterans ribbons and metals. Veterans would need to provide information to the Department of Veterans Affairs.
During the Vietnam War, members of the Hmong worked together with the CIA to conduct covert operations in Laos, also known as the “secret war.” Tens of thousands of men were killed during the war, more after its end. Though these men were hired and paid by the CIA, according to Twin Cities PBS, they are not recognized as United States veterans and as such receive no benefits. More than 35,000 Hmong and Lao soldiers died supporting the United States armed forces. If this legislation is approved by the House, these brave men will finally receive the support and respect they earned in battle.
Senators Moore, McCrory, Winfield Call for Increased Funding for Violence Prevention Programs to Address Shootings in Cities
Senators Moore, McCrory, Winfield Call for Increased Funding for Violence Prevention Programs to Address Shootings in Cities
The Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven Legislators Call for More Resources Following the Shooting and Death of a 3-Year-Old in Hartford
In response to the tragic death of a 3-year-old boy and 16-year-old teenager from separate shootings in Hartford this past weekend, State Senator Marilyn Moore (D-Bridgeport) and State Senator Doug McCrory (D-Hartford) are calling on Governor Lamont to increase funding to statewide violence prevention programs to bolster efforts to prevent future shootings that leave families and neighborhoods grieving.
“I am tired of the senseless taking of lives lost of loved ones to gun violence. The problem of gun violence impacts every community and it is imperative we take this problem on by creating a master plan and dedicate funding to support it. We need to more funding now for programs that will stop future tragedies and create needed changes to address the senseless gun violence that plagues Bridgeport and urban communities across our state,” said Sen. Moore. Gun violence intervention programs across the state must build a coalition, develop a five year plan funded by the State and supplemented with American Rescue Act dollars. “We have to do more in protecting the health and safety of families, friends, and the community at-large. We know what programs work and it is time that we fund these initiatives and put our money where our mouth is.”
“How many more mothers, families, have to mourn the loss of a child. We need to act, and we must increase resources for violence prevention initiatives and programs to keep our kids safe and stop more deaths from happening,” said Sen. McCrory. “Shootings and gun violence cause more than just injury and death, but also leave lasting trauma on survivors, family members and neighborhoods, particularly on kids and teenagers who become more likely to face mental health issues or their academic performance suffers because of exposure to such violence.”
“Children should never experience being unable to see their brother or sister again. No parent should understand what it means to bury their child,” said Sen. Winfield. “Gun violence has scarred far too many neighborhoods. It has to come to end now, not later. I am urging the allocation of more funding to intervention programs dedicated to stopping future deaths. We have put money into these programs for the safety of our children. If we do not, then it is their lives and neighborhoods that will suffer.”
While youth violence programs have received some funding in recent years. From Fiscal Year 2019 to 2021, Hartford received $350,000 in state funding to address youth gun violence through various initiatives, Bridgeport received $375,000, New Haven received $375,000, Meriden received $140,000, Waterbury received $361,800, and West Haven received $140,000. The ARA under President Biden is calling on Congress to include $5 billion over eight years in support of evidence-based community violence prevention programs. He is calling on Congress to invest in job training for formerly incarcerated individuals and justice-involved youth and in improving public safety. Combined, these funds are an opportunity to create, implement, and evaluate a plan to build statewide coalitions for cities most impacted by gun violence.
The shooting in Hartford last weekend follows an increase in shootings and gun violence in 2020 in Hartford, Bridgeport, and New Haven. The Hartford Police Department reported in fall 2020 that they had a 54% increase in shootings incidents from last year. Bridgeport experienced a substantial increase in shootings in 2020 as well. The city saw a 30 percent increase in shootings in 2020 compared to 2019. New Haven reported 274 incidents of shots being fired, which was up from 151 in 2019.
Gun violence carries a disproportionate impact on communities of color, especially on Black men. Statistics from to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence said that over 50 percent of Connecticut’s gun homicide victims were Black men though they are less than 6 percent of the state’s population. According to the same report, Black men between 18 to 35 years old were close to 39 times more likely to be murdered with a gun compared to white men in the state.
Further underscoring the need to build up resources for violence prevention programs, young people also make up a substantial portion of victims of gun violence. A 2020 news report found that around 10 percent of individuals murdered by guns in Connecticut’s three largest cities between 2010 and mid-2020 were 25 years old or younger.
These devastating acts of violence leave families grieving, but also young people witnessing such acts can be left with harm to their mental and physical health. According to Everytown for Gun Safety, children exposed to violence, crime, and abuse are more likely to suffer from depression and PTSD; and children living in neighborhoods where gun violence is a recurring feature can lead to them spending less time being physically active. Additionally, a study cited by Everytown found that high school students who experience violence have lower rates of graduation.