Sec. 18-7a. Good conduct credit for prisoners.
Sec. 18-7a. Good conduct credit for prisoners. (a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) any person sentenced to a term of imprisonment, on and after October
1, 1976, and while still serving such sentence whether such sentence is for a definite,
indefinite or indeterminate term, and regardless of the institution wherein the prisoner
is confined may, by good conduct and obedience to the rules which have been established
for the service of his sentence, earn a commutation or diminution of his sentence in the
amount of ten days for each month, and pro rata for a part of a month, of a sentence
which is for not more than five years, and fifteen days for each month, and pro rata for
a part of a month, for the sixth and each subsequent year of a sentence of more than
five years. In the case of an indeterminate sentence, such credit shall apply to both the
minimum and maximum term. In the case of an indefinite sentence, such credit shall
apply to the maximum term only. Any act of misconduct or refusal to obey the rules
which have been established for the service of his sentence shall subject the prisoner to
the loss of all or any portion of such credit by the commissioner or his designee.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), any person sentenced to a term of imprisonment for an offense committed on or after July 1, 1981, may, while held in default of
bond or while serving such sentence, by good conduct and obedience to the rules which
have been established for the service of his sentence, earn a reduction of his sentence
in the amount of ten days for each month and pro rata for a part of a month of a sentence
up to five years, and twelve days for each month and pro rata for a part of a month for
the sixth and each subsequent year of a sentence which is more than five years. Misconduct or refusal to obey the rules which have been established for the service of his
sentence shall subject the prisoner to the loss of all or any portion of such reduction by
the commissioner or his designee.
(c) Any person sentenced to a term of imprisonment for an offense committed on
or after July 1, 1983, may, while held in default of bond or while serving such sentence,
by good conduct and obedience to the rules which have been established for the service
of his sentence, earn a reduction of his sentence as such sentence is served in the amount
of ten days for each month served and pro rata for a part of a month served of a sentence
up to five years, and twelve days for each month served and pro rata for a part of a month
served for the sixth and each subsequent year of a sentence which is more than five
years. Misconduct or refusal to obey the rules which have been established for the service
of his sentence shall subject the prisoner to the loss of all or any portion of such reduction
by the commissioner or his designee. In the event a prisoner has not yet earned sufficient
good time to satisfy the good time loss, such lost good time shall be deducted from any
good time earned in the future by such prisoner.
(P.A. 76-358, S. 2; P.A. 80-442, S. 1, 28; P.A. 82-379, S. 1, 2; P.A. 97-169.)
History: P.A. 80-442 added Subsec. (b); P.A. 82-379 added Subsec. (c) re computation of good time for any person
sentenced to term of imprisonment for offense committed on or after July 1, 1983; P.A. 97-169 amended Subsec. (c) to
add provision requiring lost good time be deducted from good time earned in the future if the prisoner has not yet earned
sufficient good time to satisfy the good time loss.
See Sec. 18-7 re powers and duties of warden and punishment and reward of inmates.
Section satisfies the rational basis test consistent with command of the equal protection clause. Cited. 176 C. 638. Held
that credits be calculated according to statute in effect at time of resentencing rather than according to statute effective at
time of original sentence. 185 C. 124. Cited. Id., 540. Cited. 205 C. 27. Cited. 207 C. 412. Cited. 209 C. 191. Cited. 216
C. 220. Aggregation of consecutive sentences in computation of good-time credit discussed. 217 C. 568. Cited. 219 C.
269. Cited. 230 C. 17.
Cited. 24 CA 612. Cited. 34 CA 503. Cited. 39 CA 455.
Applicable to confinements including commitment pursuant to section 19-498(a). 35 CS 544. Cited. 44 CS 417.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 217 C. 584.
Cited. 30 CA 190.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 217 C. 584. Prisoner's enhanced statutory good time commences at the sixth year of his sentence as imposed by
the court, without regard to any presentence confinement time or presentence good time. 245 C. 423.
Subsec. (c):
"Prospective forfeiture of unearned good time credit is not permitted ...". 209 C. 191. Statutory good time calculation
and credit discussed. 219 C. 269. Two statements in Seno v. Commissioner of Correction, 219 C. 269 were factually and
legally inaccurate, thus trial court decision construing Sec. 18a-7a(b) based in part on Seno was inaccurate. 245 C. 423.
"One continuous term" language of Sec. 18-7 is applicable to this subsection and good time credits earned on an earlier
sentence must be credited towards a controlling, subsequently imposed concurrent sentence. 254 C. 214. Petitioner eligible
to be considered for award of good time credit under subsec. for duration of commitment to mental health facility. 258 C. 394.
Cited. 17 CA 827. Cited. 36 CA 695. Cited. 39 CA 674. Cited. 43 CA 176. Commissioner may promulgate rules that
make an inmate ineligible to earn statutory good time. 50 CA 421. Good time credit received under section must be
interpreted as credit earned in the year it should have been given and in this case, adjustment of respondent's time was not
a retroactive adjustment, but rather a correction. 86 CA 777. Habeas court found to have improperly determined that
petitioner was not eligible for good time credits. Court's interpretation of good time statutes has the potential of burdening
defendant in such a manner so as to conclude that the statutes are penal in nature. In resolving a latent ambiguity as to
whether defendant was eligible for good time credits the rule of lenity applied. 101 CA 52. Viewed within context of
section, the phrase "term of imprisonment" is susceptible only to one reasonable interpretation, which is that it should be
afforded its customary and primary meaning, describing the physical confinement of a person in a correctional facility.
There is no basis in law or logic to conclude that it describes or encompasses time spent on probation. 105 CA 210.