Connecticut Prisons Are 'Operating in State of Sustained Institutional Failure' According to New Report

Ombudsman report finds "sustained institutional failure" at DOC

A report released yesterday by DeVaughn Ward, Connecticut’s Department of Corrections Ombudsman, found DOC to be experiencing “persistent, systemwide breakdowns in the delivery of legally required services,” and to be “operating in a state of sustained institutional failure.” “Across nearly every core domain evaluated—staffing and operations; medical and mental health care; sanitation, hygiene, and environmental conditions; food services; legal …

Connecticut prisons are 'operating in state of sustained institutional failure' according to new report

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — Connecticut prisons are "operating in state of sustained institutional failure," according to a new report from the Office of the Correction Ombuds. It's a 60 page report that took a year to compile. The findings are being presented to the judiciary committee, the governor and the state department of correction. Some [...]

Connecticut prisons in 'sustained institutional failure,' watchdog report finds

The 57-page document describes the state's corrections systems as plagued by longstanding issues, including routine staffing shortages and inconsistent health care.

Correction ombuds details 'institutional failure' in CT prisons report

A report released Tuesday by the Correction Ombuds DeVaughn Ward on the conditions of Connecticut’s state correctional facilities concluded that the system is “operating in a state of sustained institutional failure.”  The 2025 Conditions of Confinement report examined several aspects of prison life, from food service to technology to medical care. The report described unsanitary conditions — like rodents, black mold and sewage backups — as well…

CT correction ombudsman finds ‘recurring failures,’ ‘structural deficiencies’ in state prison system

The Connecticut Office of Correction Ombudsman found “recurring failures” and “structural deficiencies” during an examination of the state’s correctional facilities that reportedly turned up unsanitary conditions, a lack of adequate medical care and staffing shortages that led to prolonged lockdowns, among other issues. The findings were detailed in the first of what is expected to be an annual Conditions of Confinement Report, which was release…

Report on Connecticut's corrections facilities finds ‘sustained institutional failure,' calls for legislative oversight

“Connecticut’s correctional system is operating in a state of sustained institutional failure.” That’s what a new report by the Office of the Correction Ombuds concluded after looking into complaints and reports across the state’s correctional facilities for over a year. The OCO was re-established in September 2024 and submitted its inaugural 2025 report. Despite the OCO lacking a full investigative staff, they investigated reported incidents, c…