EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATIVE NOMINATIONS COMMITTEE;

CURRENT ISSUES

Prison Expansion

1. The Department of Correction (DOC) has built new prisons, added beds through renovations and additions, and devised ways to divert inmates from institutions when appropriate to deal with prison overcrowding. The prison population continues to increase. Do you think there is a solution to this problem and what is your approach to dealing with it in the future?

2. What is the status of the department’s prison expansion projects? How many beds will be added? Are you planning more facility expansion? Are you considering any alternatives to adding prison beds? What is the status of the community justice center?

Sexual Harassment

1. The Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO) issued a report last month on sexual harassment at DOC finding that sexual harassment is “pervasive” at the department. Do you agree with this finding and what steps are you taking to address the situation?

2. Do you plan to implement the recommendations made in the CHRO report?

3. Do you feel that investigating the personal history of the person making a sexual harassment complaint is an appropriate part of an investigation?

4. Last October, the governor asked the attorney general to handle investigations of sexual harassment complaints at DOC. Who is currently handling complaints at DOC? Is DOC’s affirmative action office handling them, is the attorney general’s office involved, or is an outside agency involved?

Out-of-State Prisoners

1. Controversies arose over the treatment of prisoners and alleged civil rights violations at the Wallens Ridge prison in Virginia. These problems do not seem to be occurring at the Greensville prison, a lower security prison where Connecticut now has prisoners in Virginia. What are your views on the state’s experience with Virginia?

2. The new report from the Prison and Jail Overcrowding Commission recommends changing the law to allow the state to send at least 1,000 inmates to the Greensville Correctional Center in Virginia. What is your opinion and how important do you think this option is compared to other options?

Philosophy, Priorities, and Budget Issues

1. There has been a long-standing debate over whether prisons should punish or rehabilitate or do both. Do you believe that rehabilitation can occur in prison, and if it can, should or are we trying to do it? If we are doing it, how can we do it more effectively?

2. Budget constraints could affect DOC’s programs and services. What issues do you think need most attention? What do you think is most effective dealing with the problem of recidivism? Are there programs and services that are most useful?

3. Inmates are given, or allowed to use, certain things such as televisions, radios, reading materials, and recreational items such as weights and exercise equipment. Some of these things have become controversial and some people believe that inmates should not have them. What is your position?

4. The governor has proposed making the Board of Pardons and Board of Parole part of DOC (HB 6548, §§ 214-215). What is your opinion of this proposal? Could DOC effectively manage these functions? Do you think it is better if these functions operate independently? Do you think it would help DOC in managing the inmate population?

Sentencing

1. The General Assembly has passed a number of "truth in sentencing" laws that either require criminals to serve a greater portion of their sentence behind bars before being eligible for parole or impose longer mandatory minimum sentences. Do you have an opinion about such legislation, and what do you think of its effects on your department?

2. Connecticut has a number of inmates on death row awaiting execution. Does this situation pose problems for DOC, and if so, what kinds?

AGENCY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. What has been your experience as interim commissioner? What in your background prepares you for this position?

2. The DOC commissioner has the authority to release prisoners sentenced to two years or less to halfway houses, group homes, mental health facilities, or other community correction programs (CGS § 18-100c). What is your philosophy about releasing prisoners under this authority? Do you think it should be expanded to people serving three or four years?

3. Pursuant to statute, DOC adopted regulations to assess inmates for the cost of their incarceration. According to the Office of Fiscal Analysis, DOC collected approximately $ 100,000 per year for FY 1998, 1999, 2000, and 2001. DOC reports that it collected approximately $ 190,500 for FY 2002, and over $ 56,000 for the first two months of FY 2003. How well do you think this law works?

4. Some have criticized the state’s contract for inmate phone services that requires inmates to make collect calls. The state collects revenue from this contract. Legislation last year authorized a pilot program to provide some inmates with an option to use a debit account system. The act required the DOC commissioner, in consultation with the state’s chief information officer, to make every effort to set up the program by June 3, 2002 (PA 02-104, CGS § 18-81s). What is the status of this program? What is your opinion of the debit system as opposed to the collect call system?

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