One year of CT Mirror criminal justice coverage

Kelan Lyons joined the CT Mirror staff one year ago this week to cover criminal justice. Here's a look back at some of his most impactful stories.

Special Feature: One Year of Criminal Justice Coverage Good afternoon, This week marks Kelan Lyons' first anniversary as CT Mirror's criminal justice reporter, a new beat that he has built one story at a time over the past year. When Kelan moved to Hartford last year, he thought he had a pretty good idea of what to expect in his new role at CT Mirror. This wasn't his first time covering criminal justice, after all. But his experience here has been much different than his first stint covering the subject — in Texas. The stark contrast, Kelan says, started to become apparent even before his first day on the job here. "There's this old balancing act between whether the criminal justice system's purpose is for rehabilitation or punishment," Kelan says in an exclusive interview in our monthly, Watchdog members-only "Inside The Newsroom" feature. "It appeared that Connecticut was really trying to move toward rehabilitation." (Want to read Kelan's full interview on how he built a new beat in our newsroom? With a one-time donation of $10, we'll send it to you. Just list "Kelan Inside The Newsroom" as your reason for donating. You can also upgrade to Watchdog membership today to get "Inside The Newsroom" every month.) Still, our state is hardly without its challenges — as evidenced by the thousands of people who turned out to protest this weekend amid the global pandemic. Kelan has worked to capture those challenges in his reporting. Here's a look at some of his most impactful stories in Year 1. Best, Kyle Constable Manager of Membership and Audience Development The Connecticut Mirror @KyleConstable on Twitter Our work isn't free! Help us keep telling the stories that matter. Support Criminal Justice Reporting in Connecticut In a hurry? Skim it: Shifting plans and a COVID-19 outbreak at a Connecticut prison Inmates seeking compassionate release face laws not built for COVID-19 Almost empty: 'Monument' to punishment-heavy '90s sees sharp population decline Casting a ballot from behind bars: No easy process From prison to practice: Connecticut man hopes to start bar association for formerly incarcerated lawyers Shifting plans and a COVID-19 outbreak at a Connecticut prison Kelan details the series of missteps that may have allowed COVID-19 to spread quickly through Connecticut's prisons and jails. Read on CTMirror.org Inmates seeking compassionate release face laws not built for COVID-19 Kelan examines why many inmates with pre-existing medical conditions, who have family members willing to take them in, still remain incarcerated. Read on CTMirror.org Almost empty: 'Monument' to punishment-heavy '90s sees sharp population decline Kelan looks at the rapidly declining population at Northern Correctional Institute in Somers — and how it reflects the state's trend toward a smaller incarcerated population. Read on CTMirror.org Casting a ballot from behind bars: No easy process Kelan shows how thousands of people in Connecticut's correctional institutions who are eligible to vote have had their ability to participate in elections severely limited due to their incarceration. Read on CTMirror.org From prison to practice: Connecticut man hopes to start bar association for formerly incarcerated lawyers Kelan tells the story of Dieter Tejada, a Norwalk man who has started a new bar association to knock down barriers for prospective attorneys with criminal records. Read on CTMirror.org If you enjoy our newsletters, please consider this: We are a nonprofit news outlet that depends on financial support from our readers and listeners. Become a CT Mirror member today and help us continue to keep Connecticut informed and hold government accountable throughout 2020. Copyright © 2020, The Connecticut Mirror, The Connecticut News Project, Inc., All rights reserved. Our mailing address is: The Connecticut Mirror The Connecticut News Project, Inc. 1049 Asylum Avenue Hartford, CT 06105

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