Politics & Government

Commissioner Responds to McFee

The Montville Town Councilor called Arnone a liar

Recently, in a story here on the Montville Patch about the conviction status of the sex offenders in the new sex-offender treatment facility in Montville, and on a broadcast on a local TV news program, Town Councilor Dana McFee said he thought Department of Correction Commissioner Leon Arnone was "a bold-facedd liar."

Arnone had told representatives from Montville, during negotiations about the facility, that it would not house "the worst of the worst."

Twelve of the 24 offenders in the facility have convictions for first-degree sexual assault.

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In the letter to McFee, Arnone said:

"I want you to know that I take great offense to that statement. I have spent 38 years in service to the state of Connecticut and have earned a reputation of being honest, straightforward and always willing to work toward amicable and reasonable solutions.

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"I fully stand by my comments made during a series of meetings last year in advance of the opening of the January Center for sex offender treatment on the grounds of the Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center.

"As was referenced in the article, we carefully vet all the offenders who are assigned to that facility through a clinical evaluation, which is based on empirical factors for their risk, their history, their needs, receptiveness to treatment and other criteria. These are offenders who are close to the end of their sentence and through treatment will be reintegrated into their communities.

"I would stress, that in contrast to the reporter's asserted basis for the article, a conviction on a particular charge does not in and of itself indicate that an offender is at a high risk for reoffending.

"Lastly, as  we have promised since day one, the January Center is a safe and secured facility on the grounds of a high-security correctional institution. This, along with our careful placement of offenders there, is the basis of our commitement to insure the protection of the public.

"Since the beginning of this project, the Connecticut Department of Correction, and I during my tenure, have always been available to openly discuss this facility and its operations. I would suggest that instead of acrimoniously throwing insults in the media, that a continued open and frank discourse regarding the facts would far better serve the Town of Montville, its elected officials and most importantly, its citizens."

McFee responded, saying that Arnone had said that  "On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the worst, the residents of the program will be a 2. 

"How can that be taken out of context?" McFee asked.


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