Record-Journal
08-17-2007, 11:52 PM
CHESHIRE -- Six months after a Correction Department official said prison populations had nearly reached an all-time high, the state released the two parolees accused in the Petit family triple homicide.
“The department is using its release mechanisms to control the population as well as looking to expand halfway-house beds in the state,” said Mark Strange, district administrator for the Department of Correction.
His comments were made at a meeting of the Cheshire Prison Advisory Committee on Sept. 11, 2006.
The parolees, Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes, were both given early release from prison.
Komisarjevsky served five of the nine years of his sentence. Hayes served 75 percent of his five-year sentence.
The two were initially assigned to a Hartford halfway house before they were placed on parole.
Each is now charged with six capital felonies in the Petit deaths.
Fallout from the early release of both men has set off political battles that reach from the Capitol to town halls across the state.
Two of Cheshire’s state representatives have found themselves on opposite sides of incarceration and parole issues that arose after the Petit crime on July 23.
“I have no problem if they want to build an (additional) prison in Cheshire,” said state Rep. Alfred C. Adinolfi, R-Cheshire.
“Most people won’t object to (the) building of a prison to keep people in until the end of their term.”
During a “three strikes” rally in Cheshire on Wednesday, Adinolfi called for filling the 300 empty beds at the Cheshire Correctional Institution.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Rep. Mary G. Fritz, D-Yalesville, whose district includes the Cheshire prison. “I don’t expect it’s true. There is no way there are 300 empty cells in Cheshire.”
What Adinolfi referred to, she believes, is the so-called North Block, a section of the oldest building at the prison that has not been modernized.
“There are big problems there; a lack of sight lines,” Fritz said. “The Department of Correction doesn’t consider it safe,” she added.
“It’s been rejuvenated,” Adinolfi said. “They claim if there’s an emergency,” it can be used. He wants the department to use the Cheshire prison to house more inmates while the state is building a new prison or expanding the existing facility in Cheshire.
There are more than 2,600 inmates housed at three correctional institutions in Cheshire. The population distribution as of July 1 was: Cheshire Correctional Institution, 1,336 inmates; Manson Youth Institution, 680 inmates as young as 14 years old; and Webster Institution, 583 inmates.
All three institutions are located along Jarvis Road in the northern part of town.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell traveled to Cheshire Friday to address employees of the Department of Correction during their annual awards ceremony at the Maloney Training Center, which does not house inmates.
“Your job is difficult and dangerous,” she told correction workers. “We don’t always recognize the work you do. As we look at ways to improve the judicial system in the wake of the Petit murders, we are already asking our parole officers to do more supervision.”
“The public doesn’t always see the safety and security you provide for correctional facilities,” Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele said. He attended the ceremony along with Rell and Department of Correction Commissioner Theresa Lantz.
Any changes in the population of inmates in Cheshire could have far-reaching implications for the town.
“The issue needs to be discussed thoroughly with the Town Council,” Cheshire Town Manager Michael Milone said. “The public has expressed concerns for their safety” if more inmates were housed in Cheshire.
Adinolfi said he supports new prison construction. “There are towns that don’t have prisons now in the northwest part of the state. They have lots of property. It wouldn’t hurt anyone and you couldn’t see them” if the buildings were placed away from major roads, he said.
An informational hearing by the state House Judiciary Committee will be held on Sept. 11 at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
Adinolfi, who is a committee member, said department heads and parole board members will discuss Connecticut’s sentencing laws and hear about national models used by other states.
“The best thing we can do is make home invasion a serious crime, move it to felony status,” said Fritz, who is deputy House speaker. “It’s a good, sound first step.”
“The department is using its release mechanisms to control the population as well as looking to expand halfway-house beds in the state,” said Mark Strange, district administrator for the Department of Correction.
His comments were made at a meeting of the Cheshire Prison Advisory Committee on Sept. 11, 2006.
The parolees, Joshua Komisarjevsky and Steven Hayes, were both given early release from prison.
Komisarjevsky served five of the nine years of his sentence. Hayes served 75 percent of his five-year sentence.
The two were initially assigned to a Hartford halfway house before they were placed on parole.
Each is now charged with six capital felonies in the Petit deaths.
Fallout from the early release of both men has set off political battles that reach from the Capitol to town halls across the state.
Two of Cheshire’s state representatives have found themselves on opposite sides of incarceration and parole issues that arose after the Petit crime on July 23.
“I have no problem if they want to build an (additional) prison in Cheshire,” said state Rep. Alfred C. Adinolfi, R-Cheshire.
“Most people won’t object to (the) building of a prison to keep people in until the end of their term.”
During a “three strikes” rally in Cheshire on Wednesday, Adinolfi called for filling the 300 empty beds at the Cheshire Correctional Institution.
“I couldn’t believe it,” said Rep. Mary G. Fritz, D-Yalesville, whose district includes the Cheshire prison. “I don’t expect it’s true. There is no way there are 300 empty cells in Cheshire.”
What Adinolfi referred to, she believes, is the so-called North Block, a section of the oldest building at the prison that has not been modernized.
“There are big problems there; a lack of sight lines,” Fritz said. “The Department of Correction doesn’t consider it safe,” she added.
“It’s been rejuvenated,” Adinolfi said. “They claim if there’s an emergency,” it can be used. He wants the department to use the Cheshire prison to house more inmates while the state is building a new prison or expanding the existing facility in Cheshire.
There are more than 2,600 inmates housed at three correctional institutions in Cheshire. The population distribution as of July 1 was: Cheshire Correctional Institution, 1,336 inmates; Manson Youth Institution, 680 inmates as young as 14 years old; and Webster Institution, 583 inmates.
All three institutions are located along Jarvis Road in the northern part of town.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell traveled to Cheshire Friday to address employees of the Department of Correction during their annual awards ceremony at the Maloney Training Center, which does not house inmates.
“Your job is difficult and dangerous,” she told correction workers. “We don’t always recognize the work you do. As we look at ways to improve the judicial system in the wake of the Petit murders, we are already asking our parole officers to do more supervision.”
“The public doesn’t always see the safety and security you provide for correctional facilities,” Lt. Gov. Michael Fedele said. He attended the ceremony along with Rell and Department of Correction Commissioner Theresa Lantz.
Any changes in the population of inmates in Cheshire could have far-reaching implications for the town.
“The issue needs to be discussed thoroughly with the Town Council,” Cheshire Town Manager Michael Milone said. “The public has expressed concerns for their safety” if more inmates were housed in Cheshire.
Adinolfi said he supports new prison construction. “There are towns that don’t have prisons now in the northwest part of the state. They have lots of property. It wouldn’t hurt anyone and you couldn’t see them” if the buildings were placed away from major roads, he said.
An informational hearing by the state House Judiciary Committee will be held on Sept. 11 at the Legislative Office Building in Hartford.
Adinolfi, who is a committee member, said department heads and parole board members will discuss Connecticut’s sentencing laws and hear about national models used by other states.
“The best thing we can do is make home invasion a serious crime, move it to felony status,” said Fritz, who is deputy House speaker. “It’s a good, sound first step.”