Press Releases
04/01/2016
Gov. Malloy Announces Opening of DUI Reintegration Center to Provide Unique Support Services for Inmates Re-Entering Society
(HARTFORD, CT) - Governor Dannel P. Malloy today announced that as part of his Second Chance Society initiatives to reduce recidivism and lower crime, the Connecticut Department of Correction has opened a DUI Reintegration Center at the Willard-Cybulski Correctional Institution in Enfield to specifically provide unique support services for inmates convicted of driving under the influence who are preparing to re-enter society.
This will be the third Reintegration Center to open at Cybulski and the fourth overall in the state. The first, targeting the general population, opened in April 2015, which was followed by the opening of a Veterans Unit in November. A Reintegration Center for women at the York Correctional Institution in Niantic opened in February.
"It is our goal to lower recidivism and ensure that when prisoners leave one of our facilities, they never come back. Specialized programs like this new DUI unit are designed to change our approach from the policies of the past and prevent crime from reoccurring in the future," Governor Malloy said. "For too long, we invested in permanent punishment instead of permanent reform. We were investing in modern jails, instead of modern schools. It's time to change our approach - and with this unit, we are taking another step to do just that."
Specialized units gives the Department of Correction (DOC) the ability to provide programming to a group that share a common background with similar needs for rehabilitation, the Governor explained.
This new DUI Reintegration Center is operating under a therapeutic community model, beginning each day with a group morning meeting, followed by participation in focused substance abuse programming throughout the day. Today, there are 118 inmates housed in the unit.
"We have a responsibility to prepare offenders for transition back into our communities. The establishment of Reintegration Centers like the DUI Unit provides the concentration of services and programs necessary to support successful reentry and impact recidivism. This is a goal we all share," Commissioner Semple said.
Earlier this year, Governor Malloy introduced his Second Chance 2.0 series of legislative proposals, building upon the Second Chance Society reforms that were adopted last year. They are designed to ensure that Connecticut continues to be at the forefront of implementing cutting-edge strategies that tackle the cycle of crime and poverty and ensure that Connecticut's already decreasing crime rates continues to drop.
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