Lawmakers tour overcrowded prisons at behest of COs

At the behest of a disgruntled correctional officer’s union, lawmakers today toured Willard-Cybulski Correctional Institution, getting a first hand look at the overcrowding.

Correction officers and inmates complained about overcrowding. Officers cited the governor’s changes to the prison system after a number of violent incidents involving parolees this summer[.]

Correction Officer Vinal Arthurs said it’s getting tough to manage the 118 inmates. “They’re bumping into each other. There’s no room,” Arthurs said. “We can’t handle it. The commissioner said we could handle it, we can’t handle it.”

Inmates gave a glimpse of what life has become:

Inmates at the facility said there are fights and arguments because too many inmates are crowded into small spaces.

Correction officers showed Eyewitness News three recreation areas inside each dorm, where inmates watch TV. Two areas, however, have been converted into living quarters.

Inmate Alfred Hebert, 26, of Plainfield, spends most of his days with seven other men in one of the units at Cybulski designed to hold four prisoners.

“I’ve seen people aggravated with each other,” he said. “They’re too crowded. There’s too many people.”

Yet, the Governor denies this is overcrowding.

“We continue to believe that we will be able to manage the population as it stands now, if that has changed dramatically, I have not heard so.”

Well, let me tell you. It’s overcrowded. 800 more inmates since your “ban”, Guv. Oh, my word isn’t good enough? How about this:

Since the temporary ban took effect, the state’s prison population has grown from 18,864 to 19,655, according to Department of Correction statistics.

Correction officers said one officer supervises 118 inmates in one particular dorm — a headcount that has increased from a few weeks ago.

Members of the unions that represent corrections officers said more than half of the state’s 18 prisons are overcrowded.

“What we do not understand is the commissioner’s reluctance to acknowledge that there are limitations to her resources and to the number of inmates the system can hold,” said Jon Pepe, a 17-year correction officer at Northern Correctional Institution and president of Local 391 of Council 4.

Now do you – no? What if some legislators told you:

“I think what we saw today really confirms our worst suspicions,” said [Rep. Mike] Lawlor. “You have to either have more prison capacity, or more nonviolent offenders out in halfway houses, or a combination of the two, but we have to do something.”

“This facility in particular is definitely pushing at the seams and I have great concern that it is adequately staffed with the proper number of correction officers,” said Judiciary Committee member Sen. John Kissel.

There’s a raw feed at this link, as well as pictures from the facilities and some other goodies.

Image license info here.