State Senator Will Haskell, the youngest member of the Connecticut legislature who represents bucolic Fairfield County towns such as Redding, Westport and Weston, writes on his Twitter feed “If you’re sweating today, remember that there are hundreds of people incarcerated in Bridgeport Correctional without A/C. Most of them haven’t been convicted of a crime. If you take a cold shower or cool off with a drink, remember that those options aren’t available to them.”
Rejoinders followed quickly, some in support, some not:
“Will, I sweat everyday in Connecticut. I’m sweating the fact that my home value is going down and my taxes are going up.”
Attorney Ken Krayeske defended Haskell’s honor:
“I applaud @WillHaskellCT for shining a light on grotesque prison conditions. What appalls me are the Neanderthal eye for an eye replies mocking him for showing compassion to people who are incarcerated. This does not help my misanthropy.”
See the feed here.
Haskell, a Democrat, knocked off longtime incumbent Toni Boucher in the blue wave that hit the state in 2018.
I need some practical information other than the degree reading on the thermometer before considering the temporary suffering of fellow citizens behind bars. Tell me who is behind bars at Bridgeport Correctional? Are they folks awaiting initial court hearings, or court pleadings or trials? Are they people who could not afford bail and are at risk of flight or no show on court date? What is the range of their transgressions for which they have crossed a line with the law, and are awaiting due process? Is BCI a place for serving out a sentence? What is average time at that location? And what is average ultimate disposition? Time served? More time somewhere else in the system? Any numbers on expense per individual behind bars (daily or monthly) at this location? Do other jails, prisons, correctional facilities have A/C?? Big picture problem? Big picture resolution? Who is responsible? Where is accountability for all and to all? Time will tell.
I applaud State Senator Will Haskell. One would think that a representative(who is also a young person) would maintain his focus on his own bucolic area that he is responsible for but he casts a wider net towards ALL human beings. The Eight Amendment to the Constitution forbids “cruel and unusual punishments.” The United States is still struggling whether of not Capital punishment fits or does not fit that description. There seems to be swing in the interpretation along the swings between progressive/liberal periods and conservative periods..The Fifth and 14th Amendment requires “due process of law.” I really know extremely little about the issue that State Senator Haskell is bringing up. I would like to ask State Senator Haskell;you have made an issue of these conditions but what will you do. Do these conditions exist in the Bridgeport Correctional Center. If so,changes need to be made at this specific correctional center. If we put the entire correctional system of Connecticut under a microscope, we’ll be here talking about this for years with no action.
OIB can be as good a place as any for reporting, exchanging, or debating ideas and information…….more than opinion.
I ask many questions and do so often in the hope of learning info that is likely important to the development of a policy or pursuit. Thank you to anyone who can answer any of the questions I have asked earlier today. I am surprised that no one has posted here. Just on Twitter? Time will tell.
JML…… I always read your comments.
Take a Chill Pill, Will! It’s not the Holiday Inn.
Joel Gonzalez…..Welcome back. But it is not supposed to be Guantanamo.
This is a question of human dignity and human respect. Anyone who minimizes this is oblivious about the march forward about being a human being. Yesssss… I know that sounds philosophical but how we treat prisoners in the Bridgeport Correctional Center is how we treat all the people we meet in our everyday lives and in every minute.
Maybe boy wonder will offer to trade places with one of the incarcerates.