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HB 5241

AN ACT CONCERNING A STUDY OF TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE JUSTICE.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Andre Baker and 2 co-sponsors

Connecticut establishes a criminal justice pilot program measuring success through social, environmental, and traditional outcomes rather than arrests and incarceration alone.

SIGNED BY GOVERNOR
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Bill Summary · HB 5241

Legislative bill overview

HB 5241 establishes a pilot program in Connecticut that applies "triple bottom line" accounting principles to the criminal justice system. This approach measures success not only by traditional metrics (like recidivism rates) but also by social and environmental impacts on communities affected by the justice system. The bill creates a demonstration project to test this holistic evaluation framework.

Why is this important

Criminal justice reform increasingly recognizes that traditional outcomes (arrests, convictions, incarceration rates) don't capture whether policies actually improve community safety, reduce harm, or address root causes of crime. This pilot could provide data on whether measuring social equity and community wellbeing alongside justice metrics leads to better policy decisions and outcomes in Connecticut. Success could influence how other states evaluate and design their justice systems.

Potential points of contention

  • Measurement ambiguity: "Triple bottom line" in criminal justice is not standardized; defining what counts as "social" and "environmental" success could be disputed and difficult to quantify objectively
  • Cost and implementation: Establishing a demonstration pilot requires funding and administrative infrastructure; unclear whether benefits justify expenses, especially if results are inconclusive
  • Scope limitations: As a pilot program, results may not be generalizable statewide; could create inconsistent justice outcomes across different pilot versus non-pilot jurisdictions

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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