Stratford man advocates for better treatment for prison inmates
Clarence Austin says the biggest danger inside prisons are the employees, not fellow inmates.
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A Stratford prison reform advocate is calling for better treatment of minorities at jails and prisons across the state.
Clarence Austin tells News 12 he will testify next month before the State Claims Commission about alleged abuse that happened when he was incarcerated at Northern Correctional Institution in Somers in the 1990s.
Austin says as a result of being beaten, he is permanently disabled.
Austin, who has self-published a book about his experience, says the biggest danger inside prisons are the employees, not fellow inmates.
"You have a legal system in America that's supposed to uphold the law, but what they're doing are committing crimes and breaking their own laws they are supposedly upholding. I mean, they're letting their employees get away with crimes and this should not be happening," says Austin.
Northern Correctional Institution closed in 2021.
Austin is thankful state officials have instituted major reforms at facilities in the state. However, he still believes abuse is still happening at facilities in Connecticut and around the country.
