The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-03-24


 pital for care, maintenance and treatment of the criminally insane and psycopathS is substantiated by the facts upturned by the recent in veStigation of the inadequacies of our present state institutions. The investigation and subsequent report was made by the six-man commit tee appointed by the Legislature.
 These facts plus all they imply, to even the mind with the least amount of imagination, accentuate not only the urgency of such a matter as the construction of such hospital, but also spotlight the deplorable fact that Connecticut has continued this long without some concrete effort to alleviate the situatio: and prog reSS forward.
 The subject of the handling and disposition of the criminally insane is broad one and delicate one as well, conjunctive at all tim s with grave responsibilities on the part of society in general and upon those authorities into whose hands will be placed the immediate re- responsibilities.
 556 Criminal Insane The Reviewer has just completed a reading and study of the 30 page report of the committee received from Senator Patrick Wallace CD, this city who is Senate clerk of the Legislative Welfare committee and Chairman of the Legislative Penal Institutions committee.
 A total of 1,484 persons are now confined in our state institutions comprised of the Middletown State hospital; Fairfield state hospital; Norwich state hospital; Connecticut Reformatory; Long Lane Farm; Wethersfield Prison; Mansfie Id State Training School and the Southbury Training School.
 Of this latter total, 556 have been adjudged criminally insane, a popu- lation comprised of 474 men and 82 women. These are confined in the following numbers in the following institutions: Middletown, 148; Fair field, 125; Norwich, 265 and Weth- ersfield, 18.
 In fairness to the authorities of these institutions it must be stated as in the report of the committee that severe handicapping has result ed from wartime manpoWer Short- ages and other comparable factors For example at the Fairfield State hospital the ratio of attendants to patients is one to every 139 patients during the nighttime, fact which is not only a deterrent to proper ad- ministration but danger to the welfare of all patients as well as a situation which can never promise of any constructive benefits to those confined.
 Recommendations
 Following its survey the commit tee has made the following recom- mendations; 1-that separate hospital unit be constructed for the care of the criElinally insane and the insane with criminal tenden- cies such inst tuition to be of 8 structural design best suited to af- ford the maximum in protection against escape; such institution to be equipped with the most modern and adequate of facilities for the care detention and treatment of such patients. 2-that suitable quarters be provided in this pro- posed hospital for the defective delinquents and vicious feeble minded as defined in state sec tionS 597 supplement-; 3-that a five member board be appointed by the Governor to consist of two psychiatrists one attorney one member of the Public Welfare Council and the commissioner of the state. police. This hoard to have exclusive authority in matters relating to the commitment of persons to this hospital.
 Also 4that each person com- mitted shall subject to approval of the commission remain in the cus- tody f the superintendent until he or she has been deemed fit to re- turn to society; 5-that thiS com mission now take immediate steps to redistribute the criminally in sane of the state into those quar- ters best suited to their needs un- til such 8 hospital can be com pleted; 6-that 8 ratio of not less than one attendant to six patents be maintained in all state hospital wards wherein are confined the crimina1ly insane and others cate gorized within the report.
 Tnade0uate Care
 It is revealed by the report that in all our state institutions at pres en those adjudged criminally in- sane are confined soley in what might be termed a status of incar- ceration thus disregarding the very fact that these persons are sick"