[1] As of 2020, Connecticut has the fifth lowest rate of violent crime of U.S. states and territories, behind Maine, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, and Vermont.
[6] Notable events related to crime in Connecticut include: The Cheshire home invasion murders of three people occurred on July 23, 2007.
Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters were raped and murdered by the two invaders, Steven Hayes and Joshua Komisarjevsky.
In 2017, Joshua Komisarjevsky and his lawyers filed a motion with the state Supreme Court for a new trial, claiming judicial errors during the pre-trial process.
After hiding in an office, Thornton called 911 and told the operator that he was motivated by alleged racism he had experienced in the workplace.
In April 2012, Governor Dannel Malloy signed an order to abolish the death penalty; Connecticut was the 17th state in the nation to do so.
Possible reasons for the higher crime rates in these cities include their larger populations and widespread poverty.
Police officers who encounter juveniles breaking the law may warn them, talk to their parents, offer organizations that can provide them with assistance, and/or make an arrest.
Underage offenders who are arrested must attend a hearing in front of a judge at a superior court who will decide whether or not to send them to a detention center.