Electrical connector having an improved connector shield and a multi-purpose strain relief

An electrical connector (10) having an improved connector shield and a multi-purpose strain relief (72) includes an electrically insulative contact support member (32) having a rearward cable termination end (38) and a plurality of electrical contacts (34) positioned on the support member (32) forward of the termination end (38). An electrically conductive contact shield housing (58) having an outer (66) and inner walls (68, 70) surrounds the contact support member (32) and extends rearward beyond the electrical contacts (34) to shield both the contacts (34) and the discrete conductors (18) of a multi-conductor cable. The connector includes an electrically conductive strain relief device (72) comprised of mirrored strain relief members (72, 74) which are in electrical communication with the shield housing (58) and the cable ground thereby providing a ground path between the cable ground (16) and the contact shield housing (58).