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The Courant article noted a 4.2 % drop in the state prison population during Lantz’s first year as commish, followed by a decrease during each of her next three years on the job. According to the Courant article, the population is currently dropping again after a surge caused by Governor M. Jodi Rell’s knee jerk suspension of parole following the 2007 Cheshire murders. Is the drop in the number of inmates good news? Yes. Do the numbers mean that CT is no longer running a criminal factory? Hell no.

James Thomas is a member of the Clean Slate Committee, an advocacy group for currently & formerly incarcerated individuals. He is currently on parole & recently returned to CSC after a brief absence. Thomas has a different point of view regarding DOC than the Courant article, which did not include any quotes from formerly incarcerated individuals currently under DOC’s supervision. “I don’t believe that the CT correctional system is doing all that it can to help formerly incarcerated individuals reenter society,” Thomas said. “I think that the CT criminal justice system promotes incarceration. I believe that it’s designed to force individuals into a pattern of recidivism.”

A racist “drug free school zone” law & Rell’s attempt to delay implementation of the Raise the Age bill support Thomas’ argument. Raise the Age would ensure that not all 16 & 17 year olds in CT are tried as adults. The National Alliance on Mental Illness CT & CT Juvenile Justice Alliance assert that adult prisons aren’t equipped to handle the intense mental health service needs of many youths. Rell is using the state budget crisis as an excuse not to enact Raise the Age. Thomas feels that this is a flawed rationale which is indicative of CT’s “lock ‘em up” mentality. “Rell wants to maintain the status quo. Compared to the cost of incarcerating people, the cost of Raise the Age would be low,” Thomas said. This state spends about $35,000 per year, including medical costs, to lock up one person. NAMI CT & CTJJA have scheduled a rally & press conference in support of Raise the Age for Wednesday March 4, 11:35 AM at the Legislative Office Building.

Finally, another reason for CT residents to doubt the pretty picture painted by the Courant is Rell & DOC’s response, or lack thereof, to a proposed Hartford ordinance which would address job discrimination against formerly incarcerated individuals. The ordinance, which would apply to City of Hartford jobs in addition to vendors & contractors who do business with the city, would defer a criminal background check until the job applicant receives a conditional employment offer. If the individual had a criminal conviction that was not germane to the position (i.e. Someone with an armed robbery conviction applying for a bank security guard job) that person would have to be hired. Lack of employment opportunities is one of the biggest reasons for recidivism. CSC has been involved with advocating for the ordinance, which is scheduled for the Hartford City Council meeting agenda this month. A similar version of the ordinance is close to passing in New Haven.

As this article went to press, neither Rell or Lantz responded to requests for comment on the ordinance. All I got was a snotty email from DOC “External Affairs Director” (whatever that means) Brian Garnett, who did not indicate that DOC would take a public position on the ordinance while proclaiming the agency’s commitment to reentry support. Why would Lantz, the Champion of Reentry, pass me off to her errand boy instead of enthusiastically coming out in favor of this ordinance? What do you think?

Photo credit: egg on stilts – http://flickr.com/photos/eggonstilts/202883816/sizes/o/