Exactly correct. God, listening to MA prattle on about MA law here is tedious. This is a CT Forum. The web site is Northeast shooters, not mashooters.com. We may be right next door, but CT is a different world.
You can basically be denied for 3 reasons:
1) A felony conviction
2) A misdemeanor conviction of domestic violence
3) Lying on the application.
Unlike MA, you can escalate if you are not approved. The Board of Firearm Permit Examiners is an independent group that is VERY reasonable.
So the bottom line is to fill out the app correctly and you should be fine.
Don
There is no conceal carry permit in CT. Only a pistol permit that allows you to buy and carry however you want. If you don't have a felony conviction you will get the permit as it's shall issue. If DPS denies you then appeal it, but go through the normal channels first and you'll most likely get it. They cannot deny you in CT just because they don't like notations in your record. There's strict guidelines on what can be used to deny as well as a time limit on getting a response.
I know a few people who went thru alternative programs and had their records expunged and they now have permits.
p.s. As xtry said, there is such thing as a concealed carry permit in CT. It is a "permit to carry pistols and revolvers" aka "pistol permit". There is NOTHING in CT statutes that requires you to carry concealed. There is only one pistol permit. It allows you to carry any handgun (no approvals or mag limits) nearly anywhere. (Bars, restaurants, churches, government buildings are all ok) Its like freaking Montana here compared to MA. (and sadly I may be moving to MA, but please don't start, its a whole 'nother thread)
p.p.s - My college room mate used to run the Alternative to Incarceration program at the Middletown, CT courthouse. In a nutshell, if you meet the terms of your AI agreement, your case is Nolled, which means that after 13 months the criminal charge is "erased".
http://www.cga.ct.gov/2006/rpt/2006-R-0588.htm