Sen. Kissel Featured in National Magazine

Senator John A. Kissel (R-Enfield) was featured in this month’s edition of State Legislatures, a publication of the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). The article (attached), highlights key discussion points from state lawmakers nationwide on correction’s issues. “I was honored to participate in this conference with so many outstanding legislators from around the country. The article in this month’s NCSL magazine does a great job highlighting some very important areas of discussion”.

The conference, co-sponsored by NCSL and the Public Safety Performance Project of the Pew Center on the States, specifically focused on how states are dealing with prison issues and policies during the current budget crisis. Sen. Kissel was quoted in the article as saying “Better use of our tax dollars is part of our focus [in Connecticut]. We know that if we can properly supervise released offenders for an optimum 18 months, we greatly improve their odds of success. If we can help break the cycle of recidivism, it will mean less victimization. It makes fiscal sense to redirect our resources, and the pay back is enormous”.

“Severe state budget deficits nation wide are affecting criminal justice reform efforts,” said Sen. Kissel. “While we are facing a significant number of problems here in Connecticut, it was helpful to understand how other states are dealing with the same issues and what steps they are taking to move forward despite budget shortfalls”.