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As I witness the unfolding of the process of hiring an ombudsperson to provide independent oversight over the Department of Correction I am reminded of so many dreams deferred under the current administration.
Yesterday, the public finally heard why Gov. Ned Lamont chose Hillary Carpenter to provide independent oversight for Department of Corrections from an article written by WSHU, Ebong Udoma. In it he stated he chose her to hold this very important position “because her experience as a public defender would make her a strong advocate for the safety and rights of inmates and correctional staff”.
For someone who is not directly impacted by the public defender division one might believe that makes a lot of sense. Those who have been directly impacted will declare this is absolutely not a sound reason for nominating her over the first and second choice the advisory committee chose to send to the governor. Thousands are serving time as a direct result of relying on public defenders to bring justice. As a matter of fact, that point was made clear by opponents of her nomination at the confirmation hearing last month and again at a public hearing held on April 2. Their concerns appear to have fallen on deaf ears and closed minds. Initially the people felt heard and then an unusual second vote changed all that. An initial vote of 8-8 to confirm which killed her confirmation was almost immediately recalled with a new outcome of 15-2. We can all ponder on what happened between the votes.
Ms. Carpenter is an unknown among activists who have been on the ground supporting and advocating for the wellbeing of incarcerated people for over a decade. She has been completely absent from that fight. Publicly she stated she has met with those who have been doing the work as well as community members impacted by incarceration. She has not. What she did do was spend a few hectic moments with me while I was preparing for an event that was scheduled to begin within an hour of her showing up. Now she can to check off the box that she met with Stop Solitary something legislators who voted in the affirmative requested of her. Like Marisol Garcia stated at the April 2 public hearing, “Many talk a good talk.” Incarcerated people need someone who can walk the walk. They lost their freedom because people can talk the talk.
In courtrooms across the state of Connecticut over 90% of cases are plea bargained. That is a horrible record for those seeking justice. Plea bargains are the result of overburdened and indifferent defenders who don’t have the energy and may even lack the skill set to try cases. Some failed in private practice and opted for the security of a state position. Defendants have a right to trial and yet few of their cases are ever tried. This is common in places like New Haven, Hartford, Bridgeport and Waterbury. Many defendants plead guilty to charges they didn’t commit because they can’t trust their public defender to aggressively fight for them. All public defenders are not progressive or culturally competent and so plea bargaining is the only choice (mostly poor) clients have. To choose the least of the candidates for the ombuds position because she has a long history as public defender is a gravely naïve and leaves our incarcerated community without cover. A dream deferred by political tampering in the process.
I am a bit suspicious about the entire unwinding and unusual process. I suspect, which I hope is not true, that this administration in unison with a department that may be freaking out at the possibility of someone uncovering major systemic problems, including unchecked abuse of power, physical and medical neglect and untimely death. With that in mind one might want the ombuds office to be a lame duck operation. There have been countless scathing reports and investigations about improprieties within the Connecticut Department of Correction. Stories are published and yet the public remains in the dark about outcomes for these systemic issues. It’s why this position is so important to examine and publish what’s going on outside public scrutiny. This position is imperative to support both incarcerated people and those who work inside under current conditions because a toxic environment makes everyone sick. We need someone who does not shy away from the difficult task and who is able to stand while opposition tries everything they can to undermine their assignment to provide external oversight over a department in dire need of it.
To place someone in that position to operate as a lame duck would extinguish the hope many among the incarcerated community, their families and staff now tightly hold onto. Yes, many of the staff are also looking forward to external oversight and transformative changes. I know because I talk with many of them who silently support everything I am trying to accomplish. Can Ms. Carpenter say the same? If all those impacted by this system were asked what they know about Ms. Carpenter, I suspect many will respond, Ms. Who? That is why she has not earned the right nor the trust of those most impacted to do this work. I have nothing personal against Ms. Carpenter. My opposition is stated in my piece. She has not proven to any of us that she is the right fit to be Connecticut’s first INDEPENDENT ombuds entrusted to provide oversight for Ct jails and prisons. The question remains why is Lamont pushing so hard for her to fill that position completely ignoring the people’s voice.
Barbara Fair
West Haven, CT
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Fair is a licensed clinical social worker and a member of Stop Solitary CT