Department of Correction
Department of Correction
At a Glance
Carol Salsbury, Deputy Commissioner
Dennis Jones, Director
Established – 1968
Statutory authority – CGS Sec. 18-78
Central office – 24 Wolcott Hill Road,
Wethersfield, CT 06109
Number of full-time employees – 6,522
Recurring operating expenses – $ 573,839,097
Capital outlay – $ 9,347,057
The agency on June 30,
2005 confined 18,123 offenders, a 2.3 percent decrease when compared with the
incarcerated population on June 30, 2004.
Including those inmates on department-administered community
supervision, correctional staff supervised a total population of 22,763 offenders.
Operations Division
The Division consists of
18 correctional facilities, which are managed by two District Administrators
and 17 Wardens. There are 14
Correctional Institutions and four Correctional Centers, which incarcerate
approximately 18,200 inmates. It is the
Operations Division mission to protect the public and staff while ensuring the
secure, safe and humane supervision of offenders with opportunities that
support successful community reintegration.
This division also
encompasses a wide range of emergency services to include Correctional
Emergency Response Teams, Special Operations, K-9 Unit and hostage negotiators.
It also includes Parole and community supervision of inmates in community
release programs, which include 42 residential programs. The division maintains a medical-surgical
ward at the University of Connecticut Health Center in Farmington, the inmate
Correctional 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
Gates
Correctional Institution (Niantic) (Enfield)
Hartford Correctional Center (Hartford) York
Correctional Institution (Niantic)
MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institution (Suffield)
This Division oversees
the Agency’s treatment programs, including administration of health and mental
health services, counseling, educational, vocational and religious programs,
management of the inmate population and classification functions, and
organization of the Agency’s volunteer and victim services programs. In addition to providing a diverse array of
programs tailored to individual need, division personnel work in conjunction
with volunteers, community providers and other human service agencies to
develop comprehensive wrap-around services to offer inmates opportunities for
positive change and successful reintegration into the community.
Inmate programmatic
functions administered by the Division stress accountability and responsibility
to effect successful transition into the community. Program Development staff research and develop evidence-based
services and tracking systems to evaluate program effectiveness and lessen the
likelihood of recidivism. Addiction
services counselors promote recovery through four levels of substance abuse
treatment from admission through community placement. The Unified School District # 1 provides both mainstream and
special education, offering GED attainment, English as a Second Language and
technical and vocational trade certification. Correctional Enterprises of
Connecticut supplies occupational
development skills and the opportunity to gain actual work experience in the
production of goods and services for state, municipal and non-profit
organizations. Chaplains offer forums
for inmates to practice their beliefs in a wide range of worship services and
religious studies.
This Division works
closely with the community providing support and information to victims of
crimes. Community volunteers augment
program delivery, supplementing education, treatment and religious
services. Offender Classification and Population
Management Unit staff work with judicial and law enforcement agencies to
assess, classify and assign inmate risk levels and to ensure accurate
application of sentenced time
Education Services
Health and Addiction Services
Correctional Enterprises of Connecticut
Offender Programs and Victim Services
Volunteer & Recreation Services
Offender Classification and Population Management
Nutrition and Food Services
Human Resources
Training and Staff Development
Management Information Systems
Engineering and Facilities Management
Research and Strategic Planning
This division encompasses both an investigative unit and intelligence unit. The investigative unit is responsible for internal investigations, audits and contraband disposal as consistent with departmental policy. In the fiscal year 2004/2005, the Security Division conducted 135 formal investigations. Additionally, the Security Division performed 90 audits and the Intelligence Unit processed approximately 4,100 background checks on perspective employees, vendors and volunteers. Members of the Security Division assigned to the Fugitive/Gang Task Force and Joint Terrorism Task Force assisted in numerous investigations resulting in criminal arrests and participated in the arrest and/or location of fugitives throughout New England.
The Intelligence Unit,
which is comprised of Gang Management and Telephone Monitoring, are specially
dedicated, highly skilled, trained and equipped to acquire, analyze and
disseminate security pertinent information throughout the agency and law
enforcement community. The Gang Management and Telephone Monitoring Units were
combined into a single entity in 2003 as an overall strategy to effectively
compile and review security sensitive information more effectively. This
concept has resulted in increased efficiency and intelligence sharing with
local, state and federal law enforcement professionals. Telephone monitoring
and gathering of gang intelligence information were drastically increased this
fiscal year. As the result of cooperative partnerships, significant
improvements were made to streamline the collection, analyzing and
dissemination of criminal intelligence information. Through targeted and random
monitoring of non-privileged communications, detection, deterrence and
prevention of criminal activity both internally and externally in surrounding
communities was effectively achieved.
Investigations
Security
Risk Group Intelligence/Gang Management
Telephone
Monitoring
External
Affairs Division
This division oversees
the Department’s crucial liaison functions with the other components of state
government as well as the courts, the public and the news media. A Legislative Liaison, responsible for
drafting legislation and state regulations, works closely with the General
Assembly on law enforcement and prison issues, while a Freedom of Information
Coordinator oversees compliance with the requirements of state law within the
boundaries permitted by correctional safety and security. The Office of Public
Information insures that information concerning departmental activities and the
inmate population is provided to the public and media in a timely, proactive
and professional manner, while being cognizant of safety and security issues.
The Legal Affairs Office serves as a liaison to the Office of the Attorney
General on all legal matters as well as with the state and federal courts
throughout Connecticut. This Office
assists in the defense of lawsuits, serves as the departmental coordinator for
all issues involving the Probate Courts and insures compliance with subpoenas
that are received by the agency. This
Office also serves as a representative as described in Connecticut General
Statute § 46a-68 and also interacts daily with attorneys and representatives
from other agencies. The Office of Standards and Policy is
responsible for the writing, review and revision of the agency’s Administrative
Directives. The Division also oversees
the Department’s Video Unit, which supports the agency’s requirements.
Office
of Public Information
Legislative
Liaison
Freedom
of Information Coordinator
Standards
and Policy Administrator
Legal/Paralegal
Specialist
Video
Unit
Operations Division
In an effort to enhance
safety and security in its facilities, inmate orientation units have been
established at Bridgeport CC, Corrigan-Radgowski CC, Hartford CC, Manson Youth
Institution, New Haven CC and York CI.
These orientation units have been designated to transition newly
admitted inmates that exhibit difficulties adjusting to incarceration or have
medical, mental health or detoxification concerns.
The Department has enacted procedures to screen and identify inmates with severe mental illness prior to transfer to Northern Correctional Institution, the state’s male maximum-security prison. Mental health staff must review inmates in an effort to recognize any indicative signs of severe mental illness. In addition, procedures for the management of mentally ill inmates were enhanced at the Garner Correctional Institution.
As part of the Agency’s effort to be in compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act (Public Law 108-79), a comprehensive plan was developed to educate staff and inmates in the prevention of sexual assault in Connecticut correctional facilities. This plan incorporates education on sexual assault, appropriate screening and monitoring by facilities, and assures mandatory investigations of reported incidents.
Programs
and Treatment Division
The
Programs and Treatment Division realigned the incarcerated population to
accommodate the return of 500 inmates from Virginia and to consolidate medical
and mental health services in order to provide more comprehensive
treatment. The Unit initiated 71,363
inmate transfers and provided services to the population in a safe and secure
manner.
The
Unified School District’s 18 schools provided educational services to more than
11,969 inmates, awarding 675 GED’s, 398 vocational training certificates and
developed 1,024 individualized education plans for students under twenty-one
years of age. During the year, 33
percent of the incarcerated population was engaged in some formal educational
training. Correctional Enterprises
provided employment for 425 inmates on an average daily basis. Addiction Services provided groups for 8,524
inmates, while Religious Services provided more than 88,000 hours of ministry
time. Volunteers donated 154,800 hours
and the Victim Services Unit maintained 1,766 active victim notifications and
completed 8,961 victim contracts.
In
the fiscal year 2004/2005, the Security Division conducted 135 formal
investigations. Additionally, the Security Division performed 90 audits and the
Intelligence Unit processed approximately 4,100 background checks on
perspective employees, vendors and volunteers. Members of the Security Division
assigned to the Fugitive/Gang Task Force and Joint Terrorism Task Force
assisted in numerous investigations resulting in criminal arrests and
participated in the arrest and/or location of fugitives throughout New England.
External
Affairs Division
The External Affairs
Division spent much of the year overseeing the management of both the news
media and the official witnesses involved with the state’s first administration
of Capital Punishment in nearly 45 years.
Special attention and consideration were given to the relationship that
the Department developed with the witnesses, including relatives of the
victims, whose presence is mandated by state statute. Efforts were undertaken to insure they would be as comfortable
with and cognizant of the process as was possible. During the administration of capital punishment, some 250 members
of the media were present to cover the event, from local, state, national and
international news organizations. The
Division also developed a standardized and streamlined process for the
efficient handling of the response to Commission on Human Rights and
Opportunities complaints. A new
protocol was also developed to respond to the numerous letters sent to the
Governor’s Office regarding the Department of Correction. Several high profile parole hearings, under
the revised Board of Pardons and Paroles, which attracted substantial media
attention were also managed by the Division which created a new template for
media attendance at such hearings. The
Public Information Office handled an estimated 7,000 inquiries and the Freedom
of Information Coordinator managed 480 formal requests pursuant to the Freedom
of Information Act. Through its Legislative
Liaison, the agency was successful in getting bills passed that further protect
the rights of victims of crime. The
liaison also tracked through passage (29) bills that directly effect the
Department. This office also handled 780 inquiries from elected officials. The Legal/Paralegal office responded to
nearly 1400 legal matters and inquiries and handled nearly 220 probate court
issues.
Information
Reported as Required by State Statute
Affirmative
Action Unit
The purpose of the Affirmative Action Unit is to ensure that the principles of Equal Employment Opportunities, Affirmative Action and Diversity are an integral part of the employment and advancement of all employees of the Department of Correction.
The Affirmative Action Unit developed and submitted on a timely basis the agency’s Affirmative Action Plan to the Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities. The plan reinforces the Department’s commitment to having a diversified workforce with equal opportunity for all. During the fiscal year, the number of people of color in the workforce increased from 2,062 (31.5 percent) to 2,075 (32.0 percent). The percentage of female staff increased slightly from 1,614 (24.7 percent) to 1,610 (24.8 percent).
This unit has continued
its emphasis on training Department of Correction staff in the areas of
Affirmative Action (including Sexual Harassment, and Discrimination) and
Diversity. This training is provided to new employees and new supervisors. The
department has initiated a Diversity Initiative that includes the development
of Diversity Councils at each facility and the implementation of an In-Service
Diversity Training Curriculum. The Diversity Councils provide line staff with
the opportunity to share, value, appreciate and respect staff diversity. They
are also intended to foster open communication in addressing and affecting
department policies, which bear upon diversity issues.
This unit is significantly involved with the Connecticut
Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the Attorney General's Office,
the African-American Affairs Commission and the Permanent Commission on the
Status of Women. The numbers of complaints filed are as follows – CHRO Formal
went from 48 to 49, Affirmative Action Internal went from 70 to 73.