Sen. Suzio, State Victim Advocate and Survivors of Homicide call for Suspension of Early Release Program
The following is a media release from Senator Suzio
Hartford, CT – Senator Len Suzio along with the State Victim
Advocate and the group Survivors of Homicide call for the suspension of the
state’s Early Release Program. The group held a press conference in Hartford on
Wednesday revealing the program is flawed and prisoners are being released
before they are ready.
“This ill-conceived program has already proven dangerous to
the public. There is no reason families should have to live in fear,” said
Sen. Suzio. “A constituent from my hometown of Meriden was brutally
murdered - allegedly by a man who got out of prison 6 months before he was
supposed to because of this program. How many lives have to be lost before this
administration acts? All too often criminals are let out before their victims
even get out of the hospital.”
According to the Department of Correction 7,589 prisoners – many of whom were convicted of violent felonies – have been released under the Risk Reduction Earned Credit program since September 1, 2011. At the same time, State Victim Advocate Michelle Cruz estimates the state has only 1,800 beds at half way houses and 3,500 behavioral slots available to those who receive early release.
Sen. Suzio wants to know, “Where are all the released
criminals living? Who is supervising their release? Why aren’t they given a
psychiatric evaluation before they are released?”
In addition, OVA and Sen. Suzio question how the
administration of the ‘risk reduction credit’ program is being carried out and
exactly how the credits are calculated?
Cruz said, “Many of the offenders are being granted
RREC for simply signing up for a program rather than completing
the program.”
Cruz also found inmates have been denied parole for failure
to complete required programs while at the same time earning risk reduction
credits for enrolling in programs they do not need.
“For example a sex offender who refuses to sign up for sex
offender treatment as required, is instead signing up for programs such as
study of the Philippines. Once they sign up they are receiving credits to get
out early,” said Cruz.
Additionally the OVA has asked the Department of Correction
to calculate the recidivism rates of the 7,589 inmates released through the
program.
Of those, 773 have already been returned to custody for
either committing a new offense or violation of probation or parole. In
reviewing these 773 the OVA has learned the new arrests include:
- Violation
of a protective order (felony)
- Carrying
a dangerous weapon (felony)
- Attempt
to commit arson 3rd Degree(felony)
- Burglary
3rd (felony)
- Attempt
to commit arson 1st degree (felony)
Another beneficiary of the early release program, Frankie
Resto, stands accused of murdering Ibrahim Ghazal, a 70 year old convenience
store clerk, while robbing an EZ Mart in Meriden, CT.
Sen. Suzio said, “The Department of Corrections is
altering history and facts in its attempt to cover up the failure of this
program and I won’t stand for it. The Ghazal family in Meriden lost their
father allegedly at the hands of a convicted criminal - who was released early
from prison through this program. That prisoner should still be behind bars,
instead he is facing a murder charge and a family had to bury their father.”
Sen. Suzio and Michelle Cruz are asking the DOC to suspend
the program and investigate how it is being implemented. At the very least they
ask the following be required before any inmate is released early:
- a
psychiatric exit evaluation
- a
risk assessment of danger to their victims
Sen. Suzio along with the Ghazal family of Meriden launched
a petition drive this week to put pressure on the administration to suspend the
program and investigate its effectiveness and affect on public safety.
Contact: 860-240-8865
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