1. The prison population has increased recently. What do you think is causing this increase? Do you think there is a solution to this problem and what is your approach to dealing with it in the future?

2. Are you planning more facility expansion? Are you considering alternatives to adding prison beds?

3. How does DOC deal with sex offenders who are incarcerated or under DOC supervision? How does DOC handle offenders convicted of other crimes that may be have committed crimes of a sexual nature?

4. A report by Human Rights Watch criticized DOC's use of dogs to extract inmates from cells. What is your opinion of this report? Could you explain the recent change to DOC administrative directives on this topic? Dogs are used for other functions as well. What is your opinion of their role in prisons?

5. What do you think about recent proposals to try to make it easier for offenders to get pardons?

6. How closely does DOC work with the Board of Pardons and Paroles generally, and specifically when determining what is an appropriate plan before an inmate's release? Is there more that could be done to prepare inmates for release?

7. Legislation recently created the Criminal Justice Policy and Planning Division at the Office of Policy and Management to conduct an in depth analysis of the criminal justice system. This includes compiling data and tracking outcomes. How is this process working and what do you think DOC will be able learn from it?

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? What alternative programs are succeeding or should be considered?

2. Budget constraints could affect DOC's programs and services. What do you think needs the 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?

1. 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?

2. Pursuant to statute, DOC adopted regulations to assess inmates for the cost of their incarceration. How well do you think this law works?

3. 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 authorized a pilot program to provide some inmates with an option to use a debit account system. What is the status of this program? What is your opinion of the debit system as opposed to the collect call system?