Please join me in sending notices to Gary Weisfield, Martin Looney, Douglas McCorey, Angel Quiros, Ned Lamont and anyone else you think can influence change:

I am writing today to alert you to the horrendous conditions at Cheshire CI. The men are consistently being locked down for 22-23 hours a day, even before covid 19. During the pandemic they were subjected to staff not wearing ppe because they believe the virus is a hoax, cancelled medical treatment, insufficient time to disinfect their cells or shower or call loved ones. For Mother’s Day and Juneteenth/father’s day they were locked down for 23 hours and 30 minutes with 30 minutes to shower or make a call. With new legislation on the horizon as a remedy for all facilities it is frustrating and inhumane to consistently treat these men like this. How will they utilize 90 minute phone calls every day if they are not let our of the cell? How do you expect to rehabilitate maladaptive coping behaviors and alleged criminality when you have them in conditions that exacerbate mental illness and antisocial behaviors? How do you expect to decrease recidivism when you cut them off from their families and friends by not allowing to hug and play party cake or receive colored pictures from their children or visits from someone who have a criminal background?

Please help me by looking into why Cheshire CI is being so punitive with the incarcerated men there.

All the best,

Sister Eli, MSW