Governor Dannel Malloy is encouraging the state to consider raising the age at which criminal offenders can be treated as juveniles.
Malloy said Friday that increasing the cutoff age from 18 to 21 would allow more young, nonviolent offenders to move on with their lives without a criminal record. The change would require approval from the state legislature.
It was among several potential initiatives that the Democrat mentioned during an address at aConnecticut Law Review symposiumon criminal justice reform in Hartford.
Several changes proposed as part of the governor's Second Chance Society reforms already have been adopted under a state law that attempts to give nonviolent criminals more opportunities to get drug treatment and successfully reintegrate into society.