2023 Connecticut General Statutes
Title 54 - Criminal Procedure
Chapter 961 - Trial and Proceedings after Conviction
Section 54-126a. - Testimony of crime victim at parole hearing. Notification to victim.

(a) For the purposes of this section, “victim” means a person who is a victim of a crime, the legal representative of such person, a member of a deceased victim's immediate family or a person designated by a deceased victim in accordance with section 1-56r.

(b) (1) When a hearing is scheduled by the Board of Pardons and Paroles for the purpose of determining the eligibility for parole of an inmate incarcerated for the commission of any crime, the Office of Victim Services shall notify any victim of such crime who is registered with the board of the time, date and location of the hearing and include information that such victim may make a statement or submit a written statement pursuant to this section.

(2) A panel of said board shall permit any victim of the crime for which the inmate is incarcerated to appear before the panel for the purpose of making a statement for the record concerning whether the inmate should be released on parole or the nature of any terms or conditions to be imposed upon any such release. In lieu of such appearance, the victim may submit a written statement to the panel and the panel shall make such statement a part of the record at the parole hearing. At any such hearing, the record shall reflect that all reasonable efforts to notify registered victims were undertaken.

(c) If an inmate is scheduled to appear before the Board of Pardons and Paroles who (1) is serving an indeterminate sentence or a sentence for felony murder, and (2) was sentenced prior to July 1, 1981, the Office of Victim Services shall work with the Board of Pardons and Paroles to locate victims and victims' families and to notify them of the date, time and location of any parole hearing that is scheduled. If the victim of a crime committed by an inmate described in this subsection is a peace officer, and that peace officer is deceased, the Office of Victim Services shall notify the chief law enforcement officer of the town in which such crime occurred of the time, date and location of such hearing.

(d) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the board from exercising its discretion to permit a member or members of a victim's immediate family to appear before the panel and make a statement in accordance with subsection (b) of this section.

(P.A. 83-416; P.A. 85-566, S. 2; P.A. 91-389, S. 7, 12; P.A. 01-211, S. 9; P.A. 02-105, S. 14; P.A. 04-234, S. 2; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1, S. 13; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-2, S. 17; P.A. 16-193, S. 30.)

History: P.A. 85-566 amended Subsec. (c) to replace provision that nothing in the section shall be construed to require the state to give notice to a victim of a scheduled parole hearing with provision that the board shall notify a victim of the date, time and place of the hearing if the victim requests notice and provides a current address; P.A. 91-389 amended Subsec. (a) to revise the definition of “victim” and deleted Subsec. (c) re the requirement that the board notify a victim who has requested notice of the date, time and place of the hearing, effective April 1, 1992; P.A. 01-211 amended Subsec. (a) to redefine “victim” and amended Subsec. (b) to make provisions applicable at a hearing for an inmate incarcerated for the commission of “any crime” rather than “a class A, B or C felony or a violation of section 53a-60a, 53a-60c, 53a-72b, 53a-103a or 53a-216”; P.A. 02-105 amended Subsec. (a) by adding a person designated by a victim pursuant to Sec. 1-56r to definition of “victim”; P.A. 04-234 replaced Board of Parole with Board of Pardons and Paroles, effective July 1, 2004; Jan. Sp. Sess. P.A. 08-1 added Subsec. (c) re board's discretion to permit a member or members of victim's immediate family to appear before panel and make a statement, effective January 25, 2008; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 15-2 amended Subsec. (b) by designating existing provisions re hearing for determining eligibility for parole as Subdiv. (1) and amending same to replace “At a hearing held by a panel of” with “When a hearing is scheduled by” and add provision re Office of Victim Services to notify any registered victim of the crime, and by designating existing provisions re appearance of victim as Subdiv. (2) and amending same to add provision re record to reflect all reasonable efforts to notify registered victims, added new Subsec. (c) re notification of victims and victims' families, and redesignated existing Subsec. (c) as Subsec. (d), effective July 1, 2015; P.A. 16-193 made a technical change in Subsec. (b)(2).

See Sec. 54-220a re assignment of victim advocates to assist victims at hearings.

Cited. 32 CA 438.