New Haven Independent

Whalley Jailhouse Blues

by Melinda Tuhus | November 14, 2007 11:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (13)

This man spent three days at the overcrowded Whalley Avenue jail — where, he said, inmates were urinating in the water fountain and sleeping in almost all the common areas.

Tommy Ventura, of East Haven (pictured above), was picked up on a probation violation from an original conviction for credit card fraud, for which he served nine months in prison. He said he was so horrified by the conditions in the state-run jail, “I’m thankful for my fiancée and my family to get the money to bail me out because I begged them and cried to them. That was the worst three days of my life.”

The spokesman for the state’s Department of Correction, beyond acknowledging that overcrowding exists, categorically denied Ventura’s claims. A leading state legislator involved in prison issues said the contradictory claims could just be opposite sides of the same coin, of overcrowding.

Ventura’s tale offers a peek at the day-to-day impact of the state’s prison overcrowding problem.

He said the overcrowding had worsened drastically since he was in jail two years ago. He said cots have been set up in the cafeteria, the visiting room, the kitchen, the hallways. Fifty to 75 people were sharing one bathroom. Click here to listen to more details.

Ventura also charged that the overcrowding is a potential fire hazard, that inmates are sometimes given prison garb that is ripped or dirty, and that some of them are not getting proper medication. He complained that recreation is often canceled, that inmates don’t get enough food, and that he didn’t have a toothbrush or toothpaste while he was inside the jail.

Ventura criticized Gov. M. Jodi Rell for keeping those who are eligible for parole incarcerated — even non-violent offenders — in response to the July murders of three members of the Petit family in Cheshire. Two parolees are charged in that crime. That has led the prison population to surge from 17,000 to 19,000.

Ventura had a copy of an unsigned letter he said was written by someone he knows at Carl Robinson Correctional Institution, detailing some of the same concerns, and adding, “There is now a great concern about the MRSA infection, and we need help to control this matter before it gets out of hand.” MRSA is a staph infection that is resistant to treatment with antibiotics, that is spread by person-to-person contact in crowded environments with poor hygiene, and that can be fatal.

Department of Correction spokesman Brian Garnett dismissed the unsigned letter, saying the department never investigates anonymous complaints. He adamantly refuted all of Ventura’s charges.

“The inmates are treated in a completely humane manner,” he said. “The overflow at Whalley is the gymnasium, not any of the other places he mentioned. They have access to bathroom facilities, and if there are not facilities in the immediate area, they are taken to an area where there are other bathroom facilities.” He said all inmates get uniforms, adequate food and appropriate medication.

Regarding the fire hazard claim, Garnett said, “There is no way we would put someone’s life in jeopardy. There are always sufficient fire exits. We do not put someone in an area where they cannot be evacuated.”

Asked if he’d agree that, due to the overcrowding, sanitation is probably not everything it could be, he said, “No, I wouldn’t [agree].” Click here to listen to more of his answer.

Asked if anyone had investigated the specific charges, Garnett said that state workers from DOC and other departments are in and out of the prisons and jails all the time and have never reported such problems.

While not confirming the abuses, New Haven State Rep. Bill Dyson said some are likely to exist, due to overcrowding. Dyson has been fighting for the rights of prisoners for decades. His concern is more than abstract. His son served several years in prison on a drug-related charge, and that experience has informed his views.

He said the idea of urinating in the water fountain “sounds like a stretch, but I’m not in a position to refute it.” As for having correction officers take inmates to bathrooms in another part of the jail, he said, “All you need is someone who may not want to take somebody down the hall, then they may not get an opportunity to go down the hall. So there’s an element that could be just the other side of the same coin.” Regarding the complaint about lack of personal hygiene items, Dyson said inmates have to buy them at the commissary, but first someone on the outside has to send a money order for that person, and a staffer at the jail has to set up an account. “What what are the chances that would be done in three days?” (Garnett said such items are provided for indigent inmates who request them.)

Dyson said that due to overcrowding, “Someone is going to make a case for additional prison beds. [The co-chairs of the Judiciary Committee just did.] And I object to that in the worst way.” Click here to find out why.

Asked if he’d swear under oath to the veracity of the conditions he described, Ventura said he would. He contacted Barbara Fair, of People Against Injustice, a local prison reform group, when he got out of jail. “I’m involved because I feel it’s very unsafe in there, not only for the inmates but the COs.”

The president of the union representing correction officers could not be reached for comment.

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Comments

Posted by: Jason | November 14, 2007 12:35 PM

Try to obey the law and it won't be an issue.

Posted by: bjfair | November 14, 2007 2:41 PM

Prison reform activists are not surprised and have no doubts about Mr Ventura's revealations relative to prison conditions in Connecticut. Inhumane prison conditions did not begin with the incident in July in Cheshire. They have been deplorable for many years. They are worsening now that the parole ban has been enacted but make no mistake this is not groundbreaking news. Prison reform activists) have struggled for a humane system for over a decade and our concerns have fallen on deaf ears. Last legislative session we put forth a proposal for prison oversight to bring attention to the poor conditions as well as lack of professional mental health care, medical maltreatment, arbitrary disciplinary policies, high phone rates, etc. The Judiciary Committee decided that our request did not warrant exploration and the community did not need to be involved in prison oversight dismissing the will of the people in out government.Spokespersons for DOC claim conditions are "humane". What is humane about caging individuals like animals (many for 23 hours a day), degrading them on all levels, and subjecting them to the will of others, many who are racists with awesome power over those whom they despise. The self righteous will simply say "Do the crime, do the time" and it's that flippant and indifferent attitude to others that is responsible for the breeding of individuals who could easily commit the atrocities that were unleashed in Cheshire. Mr Vetnura was fortunate to have resources to end his ordeal after 3 days. Most endure this inhumanity for years and then we have others who commit crime, get to retire, collect huge pensions and never have to face the inhumanity and brutality of prison life.

Posted by: William Doriss | November 14, 2007 3:27 PM

Thanks Barbara Fair,

For your quick input and your keen, proven insight into the pressing need for judicial reform in Corrupticut. You are one of the best public speakers I have ever heard, bar none. You deserve elective office more than the scoundrels who are in there. The Prison-Industrial-Complex is alive and well in the nutty state, where you have nothing to fear but Law Enforcement itself.

With the PERF report and the guilty pleas of 3 New Haven detectives,... and with all eyes focused on the Cheshire debacle, perhaps you are poised to turn a corner. One can only hope, but will the people listen? Retribution Theory dictates that someone, or some class of people, will always be designated as "criminal" and subjected to the whims of a godless sovereign. Put that in your Yale and smoke it.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 14, 2007 3:38 PM

Boot Camp!! That is the answer!

Posted by: New Haven Tea Party | November 14, 2007 4:34 PM

Put in an application at City Hall. They're not going to ask you about being a felon, the bathrooms are clean and they hand out bottled water - well used to hand out bottled water - they have drinking fountains in any case. Your credit card experience may get you a job in the tax collectors office - where we have to pay with a credit card in order afford our taxes.

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 14, 2007 5:10 PM

Cedarhillresident
Google In This Name Martin Lee Anderson Who Was Murder In A Boot Camp By Guards And The Guards Found Not guilty.Hey Jason How Many People Obey The Law And Are Put In Jail On False Charges. If I Rember Did Not One Of The Crooked Cops With Bill White Sit Up Some One On False Charges?How Come The Rich Go To Country Club Prison And The Poor Are Subject To These Condtions. Hey Jason Pray That You Never Have To Go!!!!

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 14, 2007 7:14 PM

my little fraction,

ok that is sad and such a young kid, very wrong.
videos of boot camp and is story are at this link.
http://www.nospank.net/anderson.htm

But I still think it can work with adults and yes even some teens if they staff it with the right people. And set it up properly.

You see the over crowding is the jails, kids in with hard core felons, learning the real tricks of the trade. I don't see that being any better, it is still a death sentence, just a slow one. Grant it, New Haven is working on some other alternatives for teens, thank goodness. But were is the punishment now a days?? I know there are innocent people in the jails to. but if criminals do not think of the punishment as something to fear than how is it punishment?

Posted by: THREEFIFTHS | November 14, 2007 8:31 PM

Cedarhillresident
Did You Think Bill White And His Gang Cared About Punishment? What This Is About Is Bad Conditions That Is a Violation Of The Correctional Laws Of This State!!! Rember One Of The worse Prison Riots
In This Country Was At Attica Prison In New York
Were The Same Conditions was The Cause Of The Riot.Also I Know Officer Who work There And Feel That This Could Be come Another Attica Due To The Fact That These Bad Conditions Have A Effect On Them.Last Where Are The Yale Lawyers Who Are Fighting To Get The Illegals Out Of Jail And Have
Not Said One Word About Rights Of These Prisoner
Who Most Are Legal Citizens!!!!

Posted by: Carole | November 15, 2007 4:39 PM

Anyone else find this disturbing?

"Department of Correction spokesman Brian Garnett dismissed the unsigned letter, saying the department never investigates anonymous complaints."

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 15, 2007 6:27 PM

Carole
I do. But can you imagine how many they get in any given week. They need someone to go public, to testify. to back it up. I know someone that works there and I was told it is a bit tight, but it is in general a short stay jail. It is not the way that was described in the above statements.

3/5's (still my little fraction)

I learn so much from your comments! I love them and look froward to them.
I think that the yale students have to have a request to work on a case, before they can go after it. Latin groups requested there help with the immigrants. And your right there are state laws that regulate these places and they are inspected all the time. but Whalley is a revolving door jail. Not Attica. And I am sure that it is not up to the best of quality's as jails go but most don't stay there for more than a month or 2.

Posted by: tom.v | November 15, 2007 7:03 PM

I AM SORRY CEDARHILLRESIDENT , BUT MY COUSIN SAT THERE ON WHALLEY AVENUE JAIL FOR A LITTLE OVER A YEAR, AND SO i am sorry to inform you, your wrong about that, and when i did 9 months, i had to stay there for 4 months before they sent me on my way, and while i was awaitting my time to be sent out, there were another inmate whom was sentenced and they had him sitting there for 2 years. i ask you please you have to be in there to know what is really like, they make it seem so peachy and creamy on the news and in the papers, and i could tell you why, all of these commisioners and ect. don't want to loose thier spot. take it from someone whom had hands on the experience.

Posted by: cedarhillresident | November 15, 2007 9:16 PM

tom.v
I knew someone that was there for a year as well. I said "in general a short stay jail". A large number of the inmates are sent to upper state. So stay there while they are appealing there cases, some choose to stay there so they are closer to family. But in general it is a local short term jail.

Posted by: Chris Gray | November 16, 2007 12:06 AM

Well, Mark Davis gave his prestige to the issue's relevance tonight.

Whatever the prison administrator's position, the public's impression is Whalley Ave. is our little Superdome.

What it really calls for is questioning sentencing guidelines, along with working for prison reform.

Whalley Jailhouse Blues

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