LOCAL LEGISLATORS CALL FOR REVIEW OF SECOND CHANCE PROGRAM

June 5, 2018

HARTFORD, Conn. – Today State Senator Heather Somers (R-Groton), State Representative Kevin Skulczyck (R-Griswold) and local officials called for an immediate review of Governor Malloy’s second chance program – specifically calling into question its effectiveness in reviewing individuals who might pose a danger to the public.

Legislators cited the horrific scene back in December of 2017 where Griswold residents Kenneth and Janet Lindquist were found inside their burnt home, and later in May when 21 year old Matthew Lindquist was found dead in the woods near the scene. All three deaths were ruled homicides by the medical examiner. Sergio Correa was officially charged on Monday, June 4th in New London with three counts of felony murder, one count of murder with special circumstances, first-degree robbery, first-degree arson, second-degree arson and one count of home invasion for the triple slaying of the Griswold family. Correa has earned over a year of risk reduction earned credits and in addition during his three years of probation, only five months were actually supervised.

“Today’s press conference was about the tragic loss of a family in the New England town of Griswold and also about law and order, and the duty our governor has to protect our communities,” said Sen. Somers. “The Risk Reduction Earned Credit program, known as prisoner early release or second chance program, in Connecticut constitutes an ongoing and pressing danger to Connecticut families and our communities. The danger posed by this program cannot wait to be addressed in a new administration and the public deserves immediate action and transparency from the current administration. This administration’s early release program is a disgrace to the sacrifice and service of law enforcement and corrections officers that have risked their lives and well-being to bring violent offenders and serious criminals to justice, and keep them where they belong behind bars. Every day the program continues, each community in Connecticut is subjected to increased danger from violent offenders, this must be addressed immediately.”

 Risk Reduction Statistics:

During the first 6 years and 4 months (76 months) since the inception of the “risk reduction” earned credits program, the following statistics apply based on DOC data obtained by a FOIA request:

  • 69,912 discharges from Connecticut prisons
  • 51,741 individual inmates were in the discharge records
  • 48,162 discharges involved inmates who had received Risk Reduction Earned Credits
  • 39,176 individual inmates were in the discharged prison population that were released with “RREC’s”
  • The first year  (Sept 1, 2011 – August 31, 2012) cohort of discharged prisoners who had received RREC’s consisted of 8,727 prison inmates
  • Of the first year group of  8,727 discharges with risk reduction credits, there were 8,351 “readmissions” to prison for various crimes – 95.69%

Of the group of prisoners discharged early from prison with risk reduction credits during the 72 months since inception the following serious crimes were committed resulting in “readmission” to Connecticut prisons once again.

    • 119 murders
    • 154 rapes
    • 24 acts of arson
    • 1,916 assaults
    • 1,988 acts of burglary or robbery
    • 63 kidnappings
    • 1,542 drug related crimes

The murders amount to more than 1 every 3 weeks, and the rapes amount to almost a rape every other week.

“Today we gathered to identify major flaws in the second chance style policies under this current administration and the direct results of the recent events that took place in Griswold are on the hands of those who have pushed for second chances and watering down of these programs in Connecticut,” Rep. Skulczyck said. “We are calling for a full review Mike Lawlor for his part, along with a full investigation and suspension of these programs until we can 100% guarantee Connecticut’s citizens real public safety.”