Today, the State Senate advanced legislation that would prevent children under the age of 14 from being unnecessarily restrained with handcuffs, preventing excessive or undue force from being used against youth.
“An introduction to the criminal justice system involving handcuffs and police custody sets a child up for long-term failure, inducing trauma and perpetuation of a terrible cycle,” said Senate President Martin M. Looney (D-New Haven). “There’s a cruelty in the unnecessary restraint and physical coercion of a young child, and our action today will help remove excess violence from our systems.”
“There are few, if any, legitimate reasons for handcuffing a young child,” said State Senator Gary Winfield (D-New Haven), Senate Chair of the Judiciary Committee. “The criminal justice system functions best when its resources are used appropriately, and this bill helps preserve that dynamic in support of community trust and better standards.”
Senate Bill 1542, “An Act Concerning The Use Of Handcuffs On Young Children,” prohibits the use of handcuffs to restrain children under 14 starting with initial contact with a police officer. The bill makes exceptions in specific situations, including if restraint is necessary for public safety or necessary because the child is using or is threatening to use physical force on a police officer.
Handcuff use can also be ordered by a court under currently existing policy on using mechanical restraints in juvenile courts. Only a judge can order in-court restraints to be used, while officers filling forms in transporting juveniles to court can complete a form to see their use under specific factors, including charges of a class A felony or a juvenile threatening or attempting escape.
The bill received significant support from organizations including Stop Solitary CT, the National Youth Justice Network and Connecticut Voices For Children.
Connecticut Voices For Children noted that the policy change represents a positive shift in how Connecticut responds to children in crisis, noting that in 2023, 15% of all juvenile arrests involved more than 800 children under the age of 14, despite the criminal justice system not being designed to meet the developmental needs of children. Early involvement in the legal system correlates to greater odds of arrest in the future, it noted, and Black children are disproportionately subjected to restraint compared to others.
The National Youth Justice Network also mentioned those trends, noting that early contact with the legal system creates a pipeline that perpetuates delinquency.
The bill previously passed the Judicial Committee by a vote of 33-6. It heads to the House for further consideration.
Share this page: