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The National Juvenile Defender Center has been heading up the Campaign Against Indiscriminate Juvenile Shackling, an organization and initiative that aims to end the automatic shackling of children in delinquency court. The indiscriminate shackling of youth unnecessarily humiliates, stigmatizes, and traumatizes youth. It is a practice that impedes the attorney-client relationship, chills juveniles' constitutional right to due process, runs counter to the presumption of innocence, and draws into question the rehabilitative ideals of the juvenile court. See: http://njdc.info/campaign-against-indiscriminate-juvenile-shackling/ CCA has had the benefit of working with the Campaign to foster change here in Connecticut. As a result of joint efforts, as well as the efforts of our partner organizations including the CT Juvenile Justice Alliance, the legislature is making movement towards eliminating the unnecessary shackling of youth in court here in CT. H.B. 7050, An Act Concerning the Juvenile Justice System, Section Four of which would establish a legal presumption against the shackling of youth in the courtroom unless a judge made an affirmative finding that the youth was a risk to courtroom safety, was voted out of the Judiciary Committee this past Friday, April 10th. Find more information about the bill here: http://www.cga.ct.gov/asp/cgabillstatus/cgabillstatus.asp?selBillType=Bill&bill_num=HB07050&which_year=2015 See why shackling is wrong by watching this video: https://vimeo.com/user12090225/review/120750699/890970d99a Marisa Mascolo Halm, J.D. Director, TeamChild Juvenile Justice Project Center for Children's Advocacy 65 Elizabeth Street Hartford, CT 06105 P: 860-570-5327 ext. 228 C: 860-566-0764 F: 860-570-5256 [cid:[log in to unmask]] This message is intended for the use of the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain information which is privileged, confidential, and exempt from disclosure under applicable law. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution, or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone and return the original to us at the above address by mail. Thank you.