Appendix 1

Primer on Terms Associated with
Connecticut’s Criminal Justice System

Types of Criminal Justice Supervision

DUI/Home Confinement: The CT Department of Correction may release incarcerated citizens to a sponsor or residence in the community that meet certain criteria during their mandatory sentence. Historically, these citizens may not have been eligible for release during their mandatory sentence for DUI related offenses.

Furlough: Incarcerated citizens can be temporarily released by the CT Department Correction to visit a dying or attend a relative’s funeral; to receive medical services not available in correctional facilities; or for an employment opportunity or job interview. Currently, the CT Department of Correction works with employers to have incarcerated citizens work on the job site while in prison with several manufacturing plants.

Halfway House: Incarcerated citizens, within eighteen months of their prison release date or who have been voted to parole, may participate in the CT Department of Correction halfway house program. Most halfway house programs are work-release oriented where participants live and attend programming in the halfway house and are permitted to leave during their hours of employment. Halfway house participants are supervised in the community by parole officers under the auspices of the CT Department of Correction.

Parole: The Board of Pardons and Paroles (BOPP) has the discretionary authority to release eligible incarcerated citizens serving sentences of greater than two years. People convicted of non-violent crimes are eligible for parole after serving 50 percent of their sentence and people convicted of violent crimes must serve 85 percent of their sentence. Parolees are supervised by parole officers.

Pretrial-Bail Release: People who are arrested and awaiting their court trial may be released from jail by a judge. These people are supervised in the community by bail commissioners (and sometimes by probation officers) who work for the Connecticut Judicial Branch Court Support Services Division.

Probation: Probation is a court-sentence allowing a convicted person to complete their sentence in the community under the supervision of a probation officer. Probation officers are employed by the Connecticut Judicial Branch’s Court Support Services Division.

Special Parole: While supervised in the community by parole officers, special parole is a nondiscretionary court-imposed sentence that follows the completion of a period of sentenced incarceration. Special parolees are supervised by parole officers. Parole is discretionary by the Board of Pardons & Paroles while Special Parole is a mandatory period imposed by the Court. Parolees have been vetted/approved by BOPP as suitable for release while the court imposes Special Parole (at least officially) because it wants strong supervision of the person based on their criminal activity/violence/failure to appear/previous violation of parole/probation.

Transfer Parole: Incarcerated citizens can be released from correctional facilities to Transfer Parole up to 18 months prior to their voted parole date. People being supervised on Transfer Parole are placed on the same or stricter conditions as people supervised on parole. People of Transfer Parole are supervised by parole officers.

Transitional Placement: Once a returning citizen successfully completes a halfway house program, they are eligible to be transferred to an approved community placement or private residence while being supervised by parole officers.

Transitional Supervision (TS): TS is a community release mechanism where eligible incarcerated citizens are required to serve at least 50 percent of a sentence of two years or less. The Warden where the incarcerated citizen is housed serves as the designated release authority. People placed on Transitional Supervision are supervised in the community by parole officers.

Criminal Justice Position Titles