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My Visit to

York Correctional Institution

Introduction: 

On May 4th, with T Moran and a criminology class from Stonington High School, I took a tour of York Correctional Institution located in Niantic, CT. York CI is the only women's correctional facility in all of Connecticut with security levels ranging from minimum to super maximum (Levels 2-5.) The current population is 914 which is significantly lower than their usual 1500. Two entire housing facilities have been closed down due to such low numbers. ​

This tour was arranged through Legislative Liaison David McCluskey of the CT Department of Correction and was led by CO Carol Waterbury, their Director of Community Outreach.

Before going on the tour, with no clue on what I was going to hear about, I wanted to learn more about York and the the programs that are designed to help the inmates. One of the key conclusions I come to in my thesis paper is how prisoners are not rehabilitated truly but instead are being exploited so having a real life example could make or break my thesis. But instead I learned the stories of what it was truly is like to a woman in prison which was astronomically more The reality of life in prison was a topic that I wish I explored more in my Social Justice Day Workshop and this was an amazing opportunity to do it now. Unfortunately, I was no able to take any photos or bring in anything to record conversations as everything except an ID was not permitted into the facility. 

The Sights & Smells: 

From the start, wherever we went, inmates stared at us. These women of all ages, races, and ethnicities dressed in jeans and burgundy shirts, yellow if they were of a high risk security level, were relentless. We were on the receiving end of points and curious glares throughout the campus and on the "tiers" (their term for the floors of where the cells are.) Some would laugh and others would make comments like, "Look at their faces." But there were others who were welcoming; they waved and said "Hi" as we walked by. Besides from the women constantly staring with us, it was hard to miss the fact that everything was gray and concrete and depressing to a certain extent. The only upside to the gray interiors and exteriors was the fact that there were so many windows everywhere you went. Sunlight was let in from every direction, and although it doubles as a safety precaution, having sunlight in such a bleak place clearly means a lot to most of these women. Every cell has a toilet and a sink (because lockdowns can sometimes last a week) and a bunk bed meant for two women. The walls of many of the cells were decorated with pictures of their children and families while hair products and other toiletries were scattered everywhere. 

And when it comes to smells: it's not pleasant. Many women who come into York struggle with substance abuse issues therefore the pungent smell of detox is prevalent in 3 North (the facility where the new intakes are placed.) What makes this even worse, but the smell of vomit is intensified as the women are locked in their cells for most of the day and are held five at a time until they are placed into permanent housing after a 10 day waiting period. Besides that one building, the women make up the cleaning staff of York and take pride in making sure that the buildings are constantly clean and somewhat pleasant smelling. 

Institutional Employment:

The highest paying job in the institution is sewing t-shirts, pillowcases, blankets, and other linen items that will eventually be distributed to every correctional facility in Connecticut. That job pays 30 cents an hour. Some other jobs include working in the kitchen, janitorial duties, and laundry. The most these women make on daily basis is $1.50/day. Rebekah Robinson shared with us that the next day she will be working a 13 hour shift. Most interestingly, CO Waterbury's team of three women (they can be only five at most) make up a special community outreach program where they work in places like Camp Hazen and paint buildings, garden, mow lawns, etc. as a form of community service. One of their most recent tasks was unloading three truckloads of soil and laying it down and sowing it. Doesn't this seem like intense labor for little monetary reward? Well, according to Waterbury, the women don’t mind doing hard labor for little pay because it’s rewarding to them and they see it as a privilege to be able to help their communities. A lot of the women in York find that working long hours for little money is better than just sitting there and rotting away in prison because at least they have something to take their minds off of their sentences. 

Programs:

To give some background information on York and the programs they have there (as provided by the government website): there is an inpatient drug treatment unit called the Marilyn Baker House; a hospice program trains inmate volunteers to provide end of life care to fellow offenders; the Charlene Perkins Reentry Center which has a 100-bed stand alone unit assists in preparing appropriate female offenders who are within 18 months with skills they will need for reentering their communities; the 'Keys to Success' Community Reintegration Unit which is a specifically designed program of support to and accountability by women who want to work towards a path or successfully reintegrating into their communities; and many many more. What I learned from the tour is that there are GED programs and courses offered by Trinity, Wesleyan, and Quinnipiac so they can earn college credits. Their newest program, which will be available next year, is a housing unit where 18-25 years with sentences on the longer side are separated from the rest of the general population and take a federally funded life skills course in order to help them reintegrate into society at some point in their lives. Through this program, the women will be able to learn how to open up a checking account, use a computer, filling fill out job applications, and other major life skills that would be needed in order to succeed in a life after prison. There is also a longstanding program titled "Mother and Child" where the women can spend time doing activities such as arts and crafts or painting a mural with their children in order to maintain a strong bond. When asked if men's correctional institutions had such a wide variety of programs, CO Waterbury said "no" because "men don’t need it as much" in terms of emotional instability. 

Conclusion:

If I had to explain my short time period spent at York Correctional Institute in three words, I would use: poignant, dreary, and inspiring. The women I spoke with at the end of our tour were women who were victims of an abusive relationship, women with low self-esteem and little self-worth, women who were in the wrong place at the wrong time, women who had nobody in their lives, and finally women who were victims of their circumstances. They were normal people living normal lives. Any woman could end up in York themselves. And to reinforce that idea the one message that the inmates wanted to drive home, and honestly stuck with me the most, was that even in poor circumstances, you still have the ability to make your own choice. In terms of my thesis and how that comes into play, these women are indeed exploited for their hard work, but they need something to pass the time. And the programs offered at York are extensive and useful to these women as they are grateful to have substance abuse counseling and opportunities to become a better person, because in the end, that's all they truly desire. 

 

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