(a) If at any time after the confinement of an acquittee in a hospital for psychiatric disabilities or the placement of an acquittee with the Commissioner of Developmental Services, the superintendent of such hospital or said commissioner is of the opinion that such acquittee is a person who should be conditionally released, the superintendent or said commissioner shall apply to the board for an order of conditional release. The application shall be accompanied by a report setting forth the facts supporting the opinion of the superintendent or said commissioner, and by a conditional release plan. The board shall hold a hearing on the application within sixty, but not less than thirty, days of its receipt.
(b) At any time after the confinement of an acquittee in a hospital for psychiatric disabilities or the placement of an acquittee with the Commissioner of Developmental Services, the acquittee or another person acting on his behalf may apply to the board for an order of conditional release. On receipt of the application, the board shall request the superintendent of the hospital or said commissioner to report whether he is of the opinion that the acquittee is a person who should be conditionally released. The report shall set forth facts supporting the opinion. An application for conditional release under this subsection shall not be filed more often than once every six months from the date of the initial board hearing held pursuant to section 17a-583. The board is not required to hold a hearing on a first application under this subsection any sooner than ninety days after the initial hearing. Hearings resulting from any subsequent requests shall be held within sixty days of the filing of the application.
(c) Not less than thirty days prior to any such hearing, the board shall send copies of the superintendent's or said commissioner's report to the state's attorney and counsel for the acquittee. At any hearing held pursuant to this section, the board shall make a finding and act pursuant to section 17a-584.
(P.A. 85-506, S. 9, 32; P.A. 87-486, S. 6; P.A. 95-257, S. 48, 58; P.A. 07-73, S. 2(b).)
History: P.A. 87-486 made section applicable to acquittees placed with the commissioner of mental retardation and amended Subsec. (a) to require a hearing on the application not less than 30, rather than 45, days from its receipt and amended Subsec. (c) to require copies of the report to be sent not less than 30, rather than 45, days prior to the hearing; Sec. 17-257i transferred to Sec. 17a-588 in 1991; P.A. 95-257 replaced “mental illness” with “psychiatric disabilities”, effective July 1, 1995; pursuant to P.A. 07-73 “Commissioner of Mental Retardation” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Commissioner of Developmental Services”, effective October 1, 2007.
Annotation to former section 17-257i:
Cited. 215 C. 675.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
6
cases (
3 in the last 5 years), 2001–2025 · leading case:
State v. Kelly, 770 A.2d 908 (Conn. 2001).
State v. Kelly, 770 A.2d 908 (Conn. 2001).
“upon completion or termination of a sentence of probation or is to be released from a correctional facility in this state either by the Board of Parole prior to his sentence termination date or by the Department of Correction upon the completion of the maximum term or terms of…”
State v. Long, 19 A.3d 1242 (Conn. 2011).
· cites it 2× “In civil commitment proceedings, however, the legislature has directed physicians providing opinions to the Probate Court to consider “whether or not less restrictive placement is recommended and available”; General Statutes § 17a-498 (c); and similarly has required the Probate…”
State v. Foster, 339 A.3d 1093 (Conn. 2025).
· cites it 4× “’’ Criticizing the Appellate Court’s decision as upholding impermissible speculation, the acquittee describes his conduct toward women in the hospital, about which the Appellate Court and trial court were concerned, as ‘‘inappropriate relative to hospital or societal norms,’’…”
State v. Guild, 340 A.3d 451 (Conn. 2025).
· cites it 2× “Compliant with his medicinal and treatment regimen under Rushford’s supervision, the acquittee progressed well while living in the community.”
Dyous v. Mental Health & Addiction Servs., No. 3:22-cv-01518 (D. Conn. Mar. 15, 2024).
· cites it 3× “¶ 80 (citing Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-588). Patients with conditional release status live in a community setting under conditions set by the PSRB.”
Roe v. Hogan, No. 2:89-cv-00570 (D. Conn. Oct. 25, 2019).
· cites it 2× “Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-587(a) (temporary leave); Conn.”
Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-588(a): 1 case
Roe v. Hogan, No. 2:89-cv-00570 (D. Conn. Oct. 25, 2019).
“Conn. Gen. Stat. § 17a-587(a) (temporary leave); Conn.”
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