Appendix 1

Primer on Terms Associated with
Connecticut’s Criminal Justice System

Commonly Used Criminal Justice Terms and Definition

Acquittal: A court finding that a person is found not guilty of a criminal offense.

Commutation: When the Board of Pardons and Paroles determines that an inmate’s sentence should be reduced based on several factors including how they spent their time in prison, circumstances of the offense.

Conditions of Release: Requirements that a person must comply with to stay in the community and not return to prison. These can include: no contact with victim, co-defendant, gang members, children, no visiting certain places (e.g., parks and schools), no drugs/alcohol use, no use of the Internet, must remain on a GPS bracelet, take anger management, no acts of domestic violence, attend appropriate treatment, submit to random drug testing, etc.

Conviction: A court finding that a person accused of a crime is guilty of a criminal offense.

End of Sentence (EOS): A phrase used to describe people who end their period of incarceration with no further criminal justice supervision in the community.

Expungement (also known as an absolute pardon): All police and court records pertaining to a person’s criminal case are erased and there is no evidence of an arrest and conviction.

Pardon: A government decision to relieve some or all the legal consequences resulting from a criminal conviction. In Connecticut, pardons can be “Absolute” or “Provisional”.

Pending case: A situation where a person was arrested and is waiting for the criminal court process to conclude.

Split Sentence: A criminal sentence where a judge sentences a person to prison followed by probation supervision in the community after the sentence of incarceration has ended. Under a split sentence, special parole can also follow incarceration in addition to Probation.

Appendix 2