Whalley Avenue is one of the state’s dropping-off point of choice for ex-offenders released from jail — sparking calls for change from neighbors seeking to improve a struggling area.
The state has chosen a spot outside the New Haven Correctional Facility, otherwise known as the Whalley Avenue Jail, as one of several statewide for regular drop-off runs when releasing prisoners from jail, including prisoners from upstate. Neighbors at Tuesday night’s monthly WEB (Whalley, Edgewood, Beaver Hill) management team meeting pressed officials for a new policy.
The policy has the state dropping male prisoners on Whalley, female prisoners outside the police station at 1 Union Ave.
In November, New Haven State Sen. Toni Harp reported to Tuesday night’s gathering, the state dropped off 100 prisoners in New Haven: 79 men, on Whalley Avenue, and 21 women, at 1 Union Ave. Ninety-two were released in December: 77 men on Whalley, 15 women at 1 Union.
“New Haven is one of the major sending towns into the correction system,” Harp said. “One of the things we need to think about is, why are we one of the major sending towns?” She said the reason New Haven gets so many ex-offenders is that they always come back to their hometowns, “or the city they say is their hometown.”
Mark Strange, a district administrator with the Department of Correction (pictured on the left in the photo at the top of this story, with the Whalley Avenue jail warden Bob Correa on the right), explained that 45 days before inmates are released, they work with a counselor on discharge issues like housing, jobs and transportation.
Management team chair Bob Caplan (pictured, next to Alderwoman Liz McCormack) said, “It sounds great, but is it working?”
Certainly not perfectly. Correa said that many inmates say family members or friends will pick them up from prisons in the northern part of the state, but when their release date arrives, the family or friends don’t show up, “and then we have to run with it.”
Beaver Hill Alderman Moti Sandman asked if there is any communication between the DOC and the local police department about returning inmates.
“Every two weeks we get a list of who’s coming out,” said outgoing WEB District Manager Sgt. Steve Shea. “That’s not the problem. “
Some residents suggested that the state should release men, like women, at 1 Union Ave. Another speaker pointed out there’s a densely populated residential area adjacent to police headquarters, so that may not be the best solution.
Harp suggested that perhaps Project MORE, whose mission is working with ex-offenders and which is based in a less residential area of the city, could perhaps pick up those who have nowhere to go. Many are also taken directly to homeless shelters.
Many of those at the meeting were sympathetic to the plight of these men, who have paid their debt to society. For example, some were upset that reportedly those who are arrested in the summer are sometimes released in winter with no warm clothing. But at the end of the discussion with lawmakers and representatives of the Department of Correction, a local businessman, John Vuoso, weighed in. He said he and other area businesspeople had written a letter to Mayor John DeStefano back in 2005 about the problem, and nothing has been done up to now.
“If we leave one inmate on the street, it’s not acceptable. We’re trying to revitalize Whalley Avenue….Put the hammer on ‘em. Keep the heat on ‘em, and don’t stop.” Click here to hear more. His strong statement generated a smattering of applause.
After listening to residents’ concerns and hearing suggestions for alternative solutions, the DOC’s Strange responded.,“We’ll certainly go back and meet and discuss how we’re doing on our end, and also take a look at are there any other drop-offs.” He offered to attend the group’s February meeting and provide an update. His offer was accepted.