CHAPTER 320
CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS

Table of Contents

Secs. 18-1 to 18-6. Directors and officers, generally.
Sec. 18-7. Powers and duties of warden. Punishment and reward of inmates.
Sec. 18-7a. Good conduct credit for prisoners.
Sec. 18-8. Duties of chaplain.
Secs. 18-9 and 18-10.
Sec. 18-10a. Employment of prisoners under death sentence.
Secs. 18-11 and 18-12. Prisoners: Transfer to the Connecticut Reformatory; compensation.
Sec. 18-13. Additional sentence in lieu of payment of fine.
Sec. 18-14.
Sec. 18-14a. Correctional Institution, Enfield-Medium.
Sec. 18-15. Raising of pheasants at the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Osborn.
Sec. 18-16.
Sec. 18-17. Temporary use of jail. Transfer.
Sec. 18-18. Escaped prisoner.
Secs. 18-19 to 18-21. Conveying certain articles into prisons prohibited. Expiration of sentence on Sunday or holiday. Library appropriation.
Sec. 18-22.
Sec. 18-23. Women prisoners. Certain statutes applicable.


PART I
CONNECTICUT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, SOMERS

Secs. 18-1 to 18-6. Directors and officers, generally. Sections 18-1 to 18-6, inclusive, are repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 2996−3001; 1955, June, 1955, S. 1682d; 1957, P.A. 135; 265, S. 1, 2; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 13; March, 1958, P.A. 27, S. 31; 1963, P.A. 28, S. 1; 339; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 28.)
See Sec. 18-82 re correctional institution administrators.

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Sec. 18-7. Powers and duties of warden. Punishment and reward of inmates. The warden shall manage the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers, subject to the direction of the Commissioner of Correction, and he shall keep all the prisoners employed in such labor as the commissioner orders, during the term of their imprisonment. He shall also keep a record of any punishment inflicted upon a prisoner, showing its cause, mode and degree, and a like record of the conduct of each prisoner. Any prisoner sentenced to a term of imprisonment prior to October 1, 1976, may, by good conduct and obedience to the rules of said institution, earn a commutation or diminution of his sentence, as follows: Sixty days for each year, and pro rata for a part of a year, of a sentence which is not for more than five years; and ninety days for the sixth and each subsequent year, and pro rata for a part of a year, and, in addition thereto, five days for each month as a meritorious time service award which may be granted in the discretion of the warden and the commissioner for exemplary conduct and meritorious achievement; provided any serious act of misconduct or insubordination or persistent refusal to conform to institution regulations occurring at any time during his confinement in said prison shall subject the prisoner, at the discretion of the warden and the commissioner, to the loss of all or any portion of the time earned. Said commutation of sentence shall apply to any prisoner transferred from the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers, to the John R. Manson Youth Institution, Cheshire. When any prisoner is held under more than one conviction, the several terms of imprisonment imposed thereunder shall be construed as one continuous term for the purpose of estimating the amount of commutation which he may earn under the provisions of this section. The commissioner may employ prisoners outside the institution walls, within the state, under the charge of some officer of the institution. He shall provide for the prisoners suitable food and clothing and suitable implements and materials for their work, and shall provide for the relief of any sick or infirm prisoner, and the cost thereof shall be paid by the state from funds appropriated and available for such purpose and, if the prisoner is hospitalized the cost thereof shall be paid as provided in section 18-52a. The warden shall superintend the labor and conduct of the prisoners, and, when requested, shall communicate to the commissioner any information in his knowledge respecting the prison.
(1949 Rev., S. 3002; 1957, P.A. 225, S. 1; 1959, P.A. 107; 1963, P.A. 28, S. 2; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 29; 1969, P.A. 463, S. 1; P.A. 76-358, S. 1; P.A. 86-186, S. 10; P.A. 97-245, S. 2.)
History: 1959 act stipulated serious act of misconduct may cause loss of time earned; 1963 act deleted provision for five-day commutation or diminution of sentence for each month prisoner is employed on farm connected with prison; 1967 act substituted "State Prison" for "prison" and changed references to board of directors to commissioner of correction, gave discretionary powers to warden for commutation or diminution of sentence for exemplary conduct and meritorious achievement and gave the authority of the warden to employ prisoners outside prison walls to the commissioner; 1969 act deleted references to terms of not more than one year; P.A. 76-358 made provisions applicable to terms of sentence made before October 1, 1976; P.A. 86-186 changed the name of the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Cheshire to the John R. Manson Youth Institution, Cheshire; P.A. 97-245 added provision that if the prisoner is hospitalized, the cost thereof shall be paid as provided in Sec. 18-52a.
See Sec. 13a-250 re use of correctional institution inmates as laborers in construction of highways and bridges.
See Sec. 18-7a re good conduct credit for prisoners.
See Sec. 18-89 re contracts for labor or services of inmates.
See Sec. 54-128 re penalty for violation of parole.
Functions such as commutation of sentences may be reposed in officers of these institutions. 116 C. 140. For purposes of determining diminution of sentence, terms imposed under several counts regarded as one continuous term. 129 C. 164. Cited. 130 C. 111. Cited. 166 C. 178. "Good time" credit may be earned during time served prior to or after sentencing. 169 C. 540, 541. Cited. 176 C. 638, 640−642, 647, 651. Cited. 181 C. 85, 90. Cited. 183 C. 418, 419. Cited. 184 C. 434, 440. For the purposes of this statute plaintiff was considered "held" by defendant warden under both the consecutive sentences and the concurrent sentences. 185 C. 540−548. Cited. 207 C. 412, 419. Aggregation of consecutive sentences in compensation of good-time credit discussed. 217 C. 568, 570, 572−575, 578, 579, 581. "Mandates the aggregation of consecutive sentences imposed subsequent to October 1, 1976, as well as those imposed before that date". Id., 584, 586, 587. Cited. 230 C. 17, 19−24.
Cited. 24 CA 612−614, 619. Cited. 34 CA 503−510.
Character of prisoner's right to earn good time is that of a privilege and not a vested right. 11 CS 281. Where sentences were not to same institution, an unexpired reformatory sentence did not run concurrently with prison sentence upon transfer to the latter institution. 19 CS 239. Cited. 25 CS 478; Id., 519; 27 CS 441. Life sentence reduced, when. 30 CS 20. Cited. 30 CS 54.

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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, 639, 641−644, 647, 651, 652. 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, 125, 132. Cited. Id., 540, 542. Cited. 205 C. 27, 33, 34. Cited. 207 C. 412, 419. Cited. 209 C. 191, 192, 199. Cited. 216 C. 220, 224. Aggregation of consecutive sentences in computation of good-time credit discussed. 217 C. 568, 579. Cited. 219 C. 269, 270, 274−277. Cited. 230 C. 17, 19.
Cited. 24 CA 612, 613, 615, 619. Cited. 34 CA 503, 507, 509, 510. Cited. 39 CA 455, 469.
Applicable to confinements including commitment pursuant to section 19-498(a). 35 CS 544, 545, 547, 548. Cited. 44 CS 417.
Subsec. (a):
Cited. 217 C. 568, 571−575, 578, 579, 581; Id., 584−587. Cited. 219 C. 269, 276−278, 281.
Cited. 30 CA 190, 194. Cited. 34 CA 503, 505.
Subsec. (b):
Cited. 185 C. 540, 542. Cited. 209 C. 191, 201. Cited. 217 C. 568, 570; Id., 584, 586. Cited. 219 C. 269, 276, 277, 280, 281. 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.
Cited. 34 CA 503, 505.
Subsec. (c):
Cited. 205 C. 27, 29, 31. Cited. 207 C. 412−416, 418. "Prospective forfeiture of unearned good time credit is not permitted..." 209 C. 191−201, 203, 204. Cited. 217 C. 568, 574. Statutory good time calculation and credit discussed. 219 C. 269, 270, 272−274, 276−282. Cited. 230 C. 17, 19. 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.
Cited. 17 CA 827. Cited. 34 CA 503, 505. Cited. 36 CA 695, 707. Cited. 39 CA 455, 456, 470−472. Cited. Id., 674, 681. Cited. 43 CA 176. Commissioner may promulgate rules that make an inmate ineligible to earn statutory good time. 50 CA 421.
Cited. 44 CS 417.

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Sec. 18-8. Duties of chaplain. Section 18-8 is repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 3003; 1957, P.A. 148; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 37; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 30.)
See Sec. 18-81 re appointment of chaplains by Commissioner of Correction.

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Secs. 18-9 and 18-10. Transferred to Chapter 325, Secs. 18-89 and 18-90, respectively.

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Sec. 18-10a. Employment of prisoners under death sentence. The Commissioner of Correction shall provide for the employment and utilization of prisoners under sentence of death whose convictions are being appealed. Nothing in this section shall be construed so as to diminish security precautions for such prisoners, or to require commingling with other prisoners, or to require daily employment.
(1963, P.A. 463.)

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Secs. 18-11 and 18-12. Prisoners: Transfer to the Connecticut Reformatory; compensation. Sections 18-11 and 18-12 are repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 3006, 3007; 1953, June, 1955, S. 1683d; 1961, P.A. 44; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 32.)
See Sec. 18-85 re compensation of inmates.
See Sec. 18-86 re transfers between correctional facilities.

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Sec. 18-13. Additional sentence in lieu of payment of fine. Each prisoner held in the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers and serving a sentence as a part of which a fine also was imposed shall, at the expiration of his term of imprisonment, serve an additional sentence of one day for each three dollars of such fine, unless such fine has theretofore been paid in full or unless the Board of Parole, before or during the service of such imprisonment for nonpayment of such fine, determines that such prisoner is entitled to parole without condition or upon the condition that such fine, or any unpaid balance thereof, shall be paid within such time as said board may fix.
(1949 Rev., S. 3008.)
See Sec. 18-97 re credit for time served applied toward payment of fine.

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Sec. 18-14. Transferred to Chapter 325, Sec. 18-88.

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Sec. 18-14a. Correctional Institution, Enfield-Medium. The Connecticut Correctional Institution, Enfield-Medium, shall be an institution distinct and separate from the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers. It shall be under the supervision of the Commissioner of Correction, who shall appoint a warden thereof. Inmates and employees of said institution shall be subject to the provisions of the general statutes applicable to the Correctional Institution, Somers, and the Department of Correction, except those statutory provisions which require adherence to policies initiated only by the warden of the Correctional Institution, Somers.
(1969, P.A. 273; 1971, P.A. 154, S. 2; P.A. 86-186, S. 11; P.A. 87-282, S. 6.)
History: 1971 act replaced Osborn correctional institution with Enfield correctional institution; P.A. 86-186 replaced "Connecticut Correctional Institution, Enfield" with "Connecticut Correctional Institution, Enfield-Medium"; P.A. 87- 282 substituted "warden" for "superintendent".
Cited. 166 C. 178.

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Sec. 18-15. Raising of pheasants at the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Osborn. Section 18-15 is repealed.
(1953, S. 2552d; 1959, P.A. 398, S. 1; 1963, P.A. 28, S. 4; P.A. 77-18.)

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Sec. 18-16. Transferred to Chapter 325, Sec. 18-91.

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Sec. 18-17. Temporary use of jail. Transfer. Section 18-17 is repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 3011; 1961, P.A. 580, S. 8; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 35.)
See Sec. 18-86 re transfers between correctional facilities.

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Sec. 18-18. Escaped prisoner. If any escaped prisoner is retaken and recommitted, the expense of the pursuit and recommitment, as allowed by the Commissioner of Correction, shall be paid by the state and the time between the escape of any prisoner and his recommitment shall not be computed as part of his term of imprisonment.
(1949 Rev., S. 3013; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 36.)
History: 1967 act substituted "commissioner of correction" for "directors."

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Secs. 18-19 to 18-21. Conveying certain articles into prisons prohibited. Expiration of sentence on Sunday or holiday. Library appropriation. Sections 18-19 to 18-21, inclusive, are repealed.
(1949 Rev., S. 3012, 3014, 3015; June, 1949, S. 1686d; 1953, S. 1685d; 1961, P.A. 312, S. 3; 580, S. 9; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 37.)
See Sec. 18-92 re expiration of prison term on Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday.
See Sec. 53a-174 re penalty for conveying unauthorized items into correctional facility.
See Sec. 53a-174a re penalty for possession of weapon or dangerous instrument in correctional institution.

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Sec. 18-22. Transferred to Chapter 325, Sec. 18-96.

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PART II
CONNECTICUT CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION, NIANTIC,
MAXIMUM SECURITY DIVISION

Sec. 18-23. Women prisoners. Certain statutes applicable. Any woman who, but for the establishment of the maximum security division of the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Niantic, would have been confined in the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers, shall be confined in said maximum security division. All women imprisoned at said maximum security division shall be subject to the provisions of the statutes applicable to prisoners at the Connecticut Correctional Institution, Somers, except as otherwise provided, and shall be under the supervision and control of the warden and the Commissioner of Correction.
(1949 Rev., S. 3018; September, 1957, P.A. 11, S. 38; 1967, P.A. 152, S. 39; P.A. 87-282, S. 7.)
History: 1967 act deleted references to being sentenced to a term of imprisonment or for a term and substituted "confined"; changed provision with reference to supervision and control of prisoners from under "directors of the Connecticut State Farm for Women" to "superintendent and the commissioner of correction"; and deleted obsolete reference to women transferred from State Prison to serve remainder of sentence; P.A. 87-282 substituted "warden" for "superintendent".
See Sec. 18-69 re placement of children born to inmates.


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