Statutory Responsibility

The Department of Correction, by direction of the courts, confines and controls accused and sentenced inmates in correctional institutions, centers and units, and by statute administers medical, mental health, rehabilitative, and community based service programs.

Public Service

The agency on June 30, 2003 confined 19,069 offenders, a 1.03 percent increase when compared with the incarcerated population on June 30, 2002. Including those inmates on department-administered community supervision, correctional staff supervised a total population of 20,818 offenders at the end of fiscal year 2002-2003, a 1.34 percent increase. Under newly appointed Commissioner Theresa C. Lantz, an agency wide reorganization was undertaken to streamline functioning and improve efficiency in a cost-effective manner. Among a number of other changes, the number of Deputy Commissioners was reduced from four to two.

Operations Division

Facility Operations consists of 18 correctional facilities, which are managed by two District Administrators and 17 Wardens. There are 15 Correctional Institutions and three Correctional Centers, which incarcerate approximately 20,818 inmates. It is the Facility Operations mission to protect the public and staff while ensuring a secure, safe and humane environment for offenders.

This division also encompasses a range of emergency operations: emergency response teams, special response squads, canine teams, hostage negotiators and weapons instructors. It also includes five community enforcement units responsible for the supervision of inmates classified to release programs in the community. The division maintains a medical-surgical ward at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, the inmate transportation unit, and the Department’s Honor Guard and Bagpipe and Drum Band.

Bergin Correctional Institution (Storrs) Manson Youth Institution (Cheshire)

Bridgeport Correctional Center (Bridgeport) New Haven Correctional Center (New Haven)

Brooklyn Correctional Institution (Brooklyn) Northern Correctional Institution (Somers)

Cheshire Correctional Institution (Cheshire) Osborn Correctional Institution (Somers)

Corrigan–Radgowski Correctional Center (Uncasville) Robinson Correctional Institution (Enfield)

Enfield Correctional Institution (Enfield) Webster Correctional Institution (Cheshire)

Garner Correctional Institution (Newtown) Willard-Cybulski Correctional Institution (Enfield)

Gates Correctional Institution (Niantic)

Hartford Correctional Center (Hartford)

MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution (Suffield)

York Correctional Institution (Niantic)

Programs and Treatment Division

This Division oversees a range of offender programs and also encompasses the management of the offender population, offender classification, health and mental health services as well as Correctional Enterprises of Connecticut which offers offenders an opportunity for real-life work experience while producing and marketing items for state, municipal and non-profit institutions. Through educational, substance abuse, recreation, religious and volunteer service programs, inmates gain opportunities for positive change and successful reintegration into the community following discharge.

Inmate programmatic functions administered by the Division encompass addiction services counselors who promote recovery and counter relapse through four levels of treatment. Chaplains supply inmates with the opportunity to practice their beliefs, and community volunteers support the agency efforts in areas of addiction, educational and religious services. Unified School District #1 offers instruction ranging from high school equivalency and English as a second language to special education and technical and vocational trades.

This division is also responsible to assess, classify and assign offender risk levels, evaluate and audit the department programs, and provides a comprehensive information service for victims of crimes.

Education Services Unit

Health/Mental Health and Addiction Services Unit

Correctional Enterprises of Connecticut

Religious Services Unit

Offender Programs and Victims’ Services

Volunteer and Recreation Services Unit

Offender Classification and Population Management

Administration Division

This division encompasses essential support functions within the Department’s structure. The Division develops and implements the budget and all fiscal functions in addition to overseeing engineering, construction and maintenance needs. The division handles all human resources and professional development functions; the recruitment and retention of qualified staff, labor relations management with various employee organizations, compensation, in-house promotional examinations, professional development though training and occupational growth opportunity.

The division also administers the management of information systems of the department, the inmate food service function, and oversees the development of a strategic plan.

Nutrition and Food Services Unit Training and Staff Development

Engineering and Facilities Management Unit Management Information Systems

Fiscal Services Unit Research and Strategic Planning Unit

Human Resources

Security Division

This Division provides essential intelligence functions, internal investigations, security audits, employee background checks and telephone monitoring. Security staff works closely with the Attorney General, Chief State’s Attorney’s Office, Connecticut State Police, Statewide Gang Task Force and all local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to support the Department’s role as a partner in the State’s law enforcement community.

Investigations

Security Risk Group Intelligence

Telephone Monitoring

Improvements/Achievements 2002-03

Facility Operations Division

Fiscal Year 2002-2003 saw the streamlining of the command structure of the Operations Division. Six Lead Wardens positions have now been reduced to two District Administrators, in charge of north and south facilities. In addition, the Warden’s and Deputy Warden’s positions at the Webster Correctional Institution will be left unfilled as that facility is consolidated into the Cheshire Correctional Institution. Numerous other fiscal efficiencies have been undertaken including the closing of one of three transportation bases and the reduction in inmate overflow areas which has eliminated staff posts and overtime. During this fiscal year a 600-bed expansion at the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution was completed and a phased opening initiated. Deardon Hall at the Bergin Correctional Institution was returned to the agency and to inmate housing. Major improvements and repairs were made to a number of facilities including windows, control centers, perimeter walls and fences, body alarms, lighting and cameras. Inmate programming saw the expansion of support for discharging offenders including computer based Job Centers. Several facilities increased their community involvement with significant donations to charities and inmate labor provided to local communities.

Programs and Treatment Division

During fiscal year 2002-2003 the Department of Correction Unified School District #1 provided education services to more than 10,566 inmates, approximately 31 percent of the inmate population with 629 GED’s awarded, two with honors, along with 718 vocational modules completed. Religious services provided 84,000 hours of chaplain time, while volunteers donated more than 148,593 hours. Transition programs for offenders have significantly increased and ten career fairs were held throughout the district in an attempt to bridge the gap from incarceration to community. Also, 71,093 inter-agency inmate moves were carried out to safely and effectively manage the population.

Administration Division

The daily inmate expenditure for 2002-2003 was $72.43. More than 58,500 inmate meals were provided on a daily basis. Commissary sales to inmates generated an estimated $12 million in sales. Correctional Enterprises, which provides inmates with realistic work experience, employed 400 offenders on a daily basis, achieving gross sales of $6.8 million. Recycling of cardboard, cans, plates and glass totaled 1,678 tons, while 105 facility projects totaling more than $42 billion were monitored to completion. Numerous improvements were made to the Department’s website to reflect changes in the organization, including new links to the agency’s “Pride at Work” newsletter, updated general information and updated descriptive information for many units and facilities. The agency’s training academy graduated 226 cadets and provided 19,144 hours of instruction. Seven labor contracts were also negotiated during the year.

Security Division

The Investigative Unit conducted 71 formal investigations and 106 informal inquiries during 2002-2003. The Central Intelligence Unit, which was consolidated into the Security Division as part of the agency reorganization, conducted an additional 149 investigations. The Security Division also completed 55 audits. The Security Risk Group Intelligence Unit was responsible for identifying 272 Security Risk Group Members and designated 110 Security Risk Group Threat Members. The Telephone Monitoring Unit assisted outside law enforcement agencies in 176 criminal investigations. Approximately 5,080 telephone conversations were reviewed and processed for federal/state subpoenas or search and seizure warrants. Staff were subpoenaed to testify in ten cases by the State’s Attorney’s Office and the Office of the Attorney General. The Security Division is in the process of developing a Memorandum of Understanding with the FBI for the allocation of resources in the formation of a newly formed Joint Terrorism Task Force.

Information Reported as Required by State Statute

Affirmative Action Unit

This unit developed, submitted on a timely basis and received approval for the agency’s Affirmative Action Plan from the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. The plan reinforces the Department’s commitment to a diversified workforce with equal opportunity for all. During this fiscal year, both the total numbers of minorities in the workforce (2,121 on July 1, 2002 decreasing to 2,028 by June 1, 2003) and the percentage of minority representation (31.1 percent last year to 31.3 percent) increased. The total number of female staff working for the Department decreased (1,741 on July 1, 2002 to 1,604 by June 1, 2002) with the percentage of female staff declining from 25.5 percent to 24.8 percent. In addition the Unit has been involved in developing and implementing a Stipulated Agreement under the guidance of the United States District Court on the issue of sexual harassment and has initiated the formation of Diversity Councils throughout the agency. The unit continues its emphasis on training of staff.

Mission

Statutory Responsibility

The Department of Correction, by direction of the courts, confines and controls accused and sentenced inmates in correctional institutions, centers and units, and by statute administers medical, mental health, rehabilitative, and community based service programs.

Public Service

Programs and Treatment Division

Improvements/Achievements 2002-03

Security Division