NORWALK, Conn. — Children in Connecticut will now have greater protection—from police handcuffing, shackling or being placed in detention—under a new law signed by Gov. Ned Lamont last Thursday.
The legislation, which takes effect Oct. 1, 2025, places clear limits on when law enforcement and the courts can restrain or detain minors. It requires that officers exhaust all other options before detaining a child and bans the use of mechanical restraints in most juvenile court settings.
The law, formally known as An Act Concerning the Criminal Justice Response to Juvenile Offenses, marks a step forward in what supporters call a long-overdue shift away from treating misbehaving children like criminals.
According to reports, the new law prohibits police officers from using handcuffs on pre-adjudicated juveniles under 14 unless the child is actively using or threatening physical force. It also requires any restraints to be removed during court proceedings unless a judge explicitly orders otherwise.
Democrats, including state Sen. Herron Gaston of Bridgeport, who co-authored the bill, argued that the bill prevents children from experiencing unnecessary trauma and stress at the hands of the justice system, according to reports.
At the official bill signing, Gaston shared a story from his youth: he and his brother were pulled over by police in Florida and forced to the ground at gunpoint.
“That trauma lives with you,” he said, according to reports. “Not every police officer is bad, but some bad actors create a level of fear and hysteria that young people carry for the rest of their lives.”
State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, also of Bridgeport, echoed Gaston’s sentiment.
“Just the sheer act of being handcuffed is traumatic,” he said, according to reports. “Before we do that to a child, we need to think long and hard about it.”
According to Connecticut Voices for Children, approximately 15% of all juvenile arrests in 2023 involved children under the age of 14, totaling around 800 cases. Advocates argue that many of these arrests involve low-level or nonviolent behavior, making the use of physical restraints both excessive and harmful.
The new law does not entirely eliminate the use of handcuffs on children. According to reports, it allows exceptions in cases where public safety is at risk, when a child poses a danger to themselves or others, or when a judge orders restraints in court under existing policy.
But the presumption now shifts away from restraint—and toward de-escalation, supervision and trauma-informed care.
For youth advocates, that matters.
Marc Donald, CEO of Catalyst CT, a nonprofit that runs restorative justice programs and diversion initiatives, praised the legislation as a small but essential reform.
“I’m proud to say that this bill takes a small step in addressing some of those tools that prevent young people from becoming disengaged and disconnected,” he said, according to reports. “We know young people thrive in communities, not courtrooms. They thrive in playgrounds, not prisons. We know what works.”
Christina Quaranta, executive director of the Connecticut Justice Alliance, stated in a press release that children make mistakes, but those mistakes should be met with care rather than punishment.
“This bill is a modest but meaningful step toward treating kids with the dignity they deserve,” she said, “and building the trust that helps them grow into accountable, empathetic adults.”
However, not everyone is on board.
Rep. Craig Fishbein, R-Wallingford, sharply criticized the bill, calling it “another step away from accountability and law and order.”
He criticized the law as a needless obstacle that hampers law enforcement from doing their jobs effectively.
“When placed in concert with other recently passed, anti-police legislation,” he said, “it’s no wonder law enforcement officers across the state feel undervalued and overwhelmed.”
Supporters of the bill reject this anti-police framing.
They argue that true public safety isn’t threatened by sparing young children the trauma of being shackled, especially when they pose no danger to others.
Rather, they say, public trust is strengthened when the system treats children with humanity and care.
Lamont, speaking to the children gathered at the signing ceremony, underscored the bill’s intent to support rather than punish.
“This bill is about making sure you get the best opportunity in life—giving you the chance to get back on track,” he said, “and making sure we do everything we can to keep you safe and support your future.”
