TOWN
OF MANSFIELD/DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTION
PUBLIC
SAFETY COMMITTEE
WEDNESDAY, April 18, 2007
Bergin
Correctional Institute
Minutes
Members Present: A. Barberet, E. Higgins, C. Lary, C.
Paulhus, W. Solenski, W. Stauder, S. Thomas
Members Absent: R. Blicher , G. Cole, R. Gergler,
R. Pellegrine, V. Stearns
Staff: M. Capriola, Counselor Cyr, Captain Corey
I.
CALL
TO ORDER
The meeting
came to order at 3:15 p.m.
II.
MINUTES
1.
January
17, 2007 Meeting Minutes – Ms. Barberet noted that her name was spelled incorrectly
once on page 1. Mr. Solenski made a
motion, seconded by Ms. Higgins, to approve the minutes of January 17,
2007. The motion passed unanimously.
III.
COMMUNICATIONS
1.
March
15, 2007 List of Offenses at DBCI - Ms. Barberet inquired about the “risk to
child” offense. Warden Higgins indicated
that such offenses typically involve adults involved with drug deals while
children are present.
2.
Annual
Report to State Legislature – Ms. Stauder reviewed the Committee’s Annual
Report. The Committee was in support of
the report.
3.
Articles
from Newspapers – The Committee reviewed two articles submitted by Ms. Stauder,
It’s Time to Pay Attention to State’s Prisons, Willimantic Chronicle and
State’s Prison Population Not Projected to Increase, Hartford Courant,
2/15/07.
IV.
WARDEN’S
REPORT AND DISCUSSION
1.
Population
Status Report – Ms. Higgins reported that the population was currently at
1,073, with 56 inmates out on re-entry.
Warden Higgins stated that Bergin’s inmates are Level I and Level II,
most of whom are on their way towards re-entering society. The average stay of an inmate at Bergin is
only 60-90 days. Bergin is one of four
facilities in the state that only handles Level I and Level II prisoners (i.e.
DUI, domestic abuse). Bergin does not
house inmates with mental health or medical issues.
2.
List
of Offenses – Ms. Higgins noted that close to 1/3 of the Bergin population has
been required to have domestic violence counseling. Mr. Solenski noted that many domestic
violence cases are related to alcohol and drug use. In his opinion, Mr. Solenski believes that
domestic violence cases have become more violent over the past 30 years and now
often involve the use of weapons such as guns, knives, bats, etc.
V.
CHAIRMAN’S
REPORT
The Chairman did not have a report
for this meeting.
VI.
There was no one from the public who
wished to address the committee at this meeting.
VII. OLD BUSINESS
1. Consolidation
of Public Safety and Correctional Facility Liaison Committees – Ms. Thomas
inquired as to whether or not it was an internal or external decision to
establish the two committees as separate committees. Ms. Capriola discussed the historical and
legal research conducted by herself and Ms. Mary Stanton, Town Clerk. Ms. Stanton and Ms. Capriola were not able to
find any record of Public Safety Committee minutes from the time frame in which
the Liasion Committee was established (mid 1990’s). However, on January 1, 1994, Mansfield Town
Council created the Liaison Committee in response to Public Act 93-219. Council stated that the Liaison Committee
would have the same membership as the Public Safety Committee. Council meeting minutes only referenced that
the Liaison Committee would be created based on the recommendation of the
Committee on Committees. Further, Ms.
Stanton and Ms. Capriola were not able to find any meeting minutes from the
Committee on Committees during that same time period. Ms. Stanton and Ms. Capriola researched
Public Act 93-219; it appears that the Town was not required to create a
Liaison Committee. Ms. Capriola stated
that the Liaison Committee may have been created because the community was
concerned about prisoners re-entering society and/or conducting work release
programs in the community. Ms. Barberet,
Ms. Stauder, and Ms. Thomas discussed some background on the topic. They stated that the Town was concerned about
potentially dangerous criminals working and/or living in the community, so the
Liaison Committee may have been a way to ensure safety of citizens while lowering
recidivism amongst inmates. Ms. Thomas
stated that the two committees should become one merged Public Safety
Committee, with education and program outreach always listed on the agenda. Ms. Barberet requested that Ms. Capriola
provide the Committee with the statute that created Public Safety
Committees. Ms. Higgins stated that the
statute was broad in that communities and wardens have the ability to set the
agenda for Public Safety Committees. Ms.
Thomas further stated that if the statute is broad in nature in terms of
setting the agenda of the Committee, then we should proceed with merging the
committees. It was agreed to review the
statute at the next meeting.
VIII. NEW BUSINESS
There was
no new business to discuss.
IX.
ADJOURNMENT
The meeting adjourned at 3:40 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Maria Capriola
Assistant to Town Manager
TOWN
OF
April 18, 2007
Members and Staff Present: Same as DOC Public Safety
Committee.
I.
CALL
TO ORDER
The meeting
came to order at 3:50 p.m.
II.
MINUTES
1.
January
17, 2007 Meeting Minutes - The motion to adopt the minutes passed unanimously.
III.
COMMUNICATIONS
– None
IV.
WARDEN’S
REPORT AND DISCUSSION
Community Outreach and Programming Updates – Counselor Cyr and Warden
Higgins provided the following updates:
·
Bergin
is still awaiting the arrival of its transitional teacher. The Social Services Counselor, Re-entry
Counselor, and Programming Counselor are on board.
·
The
Culinary program is up and running. The
Greenhouse is all set.
·
The
Basketball Courts will be completed when the weather warms up to accommodate
construction.
·
Recruits
will graduate from the Academy in May, so barring any retirements, Bergin will
be fully staffed by summer.
·
Staff
continues to work with inmates on achieving their GEDs.
·
Inmates
are not allowed to have cell phones.
During off-site work clearance, some inmates were returning with cell
phones. Staff has corrected this
problem.
·
Bergin
has substance abuse counselors.
·
Bergin
has introduced gambler’s anonymous sessions.
·
Domestic
violence counseling is offered as a 12-week session. There is a maximum of 10 inmates per
group. When inmates are released, they
have classes they must continue to attend.
If an inmate does not complete his internal and external domestic
violence counseling sessions and/or re-commits an act of domestic violence, he
will be returned to prison.
The Committee toured the Facility and expressed an interest in returning
for another tour while programs and classes were in session. The Committee discussed meeting at Bergin at
1pm for its July meeting. Warden Higgins
welcomed the Committee to return for another tour.
V.
There was no one from the public who
wished to address the committee at this meeting.
VI.
OLD
BUSINESS
There was no old business listed on
this agenda.
VII.
NEW
BUSINESS
There was no new business listed on
this agenda.
ADJOURNMENT
The
Committee adjourned at 4:10 p.m.
Respectfully submitted,
Maria Capriola
Assistant to Town Manager