Creating National Connections to Better Serve Connecticut

August 22, 2025

a picture of the capitol building in Madison, WI

More than half a dozen IMRP staffers, researchers, and Connecticut Sentencing Commission (CTSC) members traveled to Madison, Wisconsin, to attend the National Association of Sentencing Commissions (NASC) annual conference. This year’s theme – The Future of Sentencing Commissions – was perfectly timed as CTSC seeks to revisit and refine its mission and vision following the appointment of interim executive director Rich Sparaco in June.

“It was great to attend with a strong presence from Connecticut,” said Sparaco. “We talked with other commissions, and while there are distinguishable differences between Connecticut and others, there are models for comparison we can look at in terms of structure and what we do.”

CTSC program administrator Tommy Dowd agreed. “Rich and I keep coming back to the idea of ‘back to basics’ for the Commission, asking fundamental questions like: How should the Commission function? Who decides what the Commission should focus on? What role do we play in the justice system?”
CTSC attendees split up to attend as many breakout sessions as possible. “One great session I attended was How to Run and Manage a Sentencing Commission: A Support Group for Commission Staff,” said Dowd. “It was hosted by Victoria Gonzalez of the Illinois Sentencing Policy Advisory Committee. Attendees were invited to share challenges and strategies for success, which vary from state to state. Learning about how other commissions function and address difficulties will help us as we seek to improve processes for CTSC.”
a group of conference attendees by a sign
Connecticut Sentencing Commission staff and members at the NASC conference
“My biggest takeaway is the importance of evidence-based decision-making and taking time to learn from the work of other states,” said Matt Hono, IMRP research technician for the CTSC, who attended panels on Pennsylvania’s justice reinvestment programs, surname analysis methods, and veterans in the criminal justice system. “Taking steps to improve data quality when possible,  understanding the importance of regular evaluation, and studying the experiences of unique populations who interact with the criminal legal system really reflects everything we’ve been doing.”
IMRP Researcher and Assistant Research Professor Lydia Wileden said she was impressed by the presence of fellow academics at the conference and the role that research plays in the work of each commission. “As a demographer, one of the things I was interested in was a pattern that a lot of states including Connecticut are experiencing which is a rebounding in the size of incarcerated populations after a precipitous drop in the past decade. I’m interested to work with 0ther states to understand that trend.”
Baby Mo on-site. At 8 months old, this was already his second academic conference.

The trip was also an opportunity for CTSC Commission members and IMRP staffers to get to know each other, and it wasn’t without its downtime. Dr. Wileden traveled with her 8-month-old son, Mo, whose favorite moment came outside of the conference when he got to see exotic animals at the Madison Zoo, including chickens. 

There was also a team-based scavenger hunt and bar crawl. While Connecticut didn’t emerge victorious, a good time was had by all.

“We had lots of cheese curds, which was a big plus,” added Tommy Dowd.

The team will share highlights of the conference at the next CTSC Commission meeting which has been rescheduled from its planned date in September to October 23rd.
To learn more about the Connecticut Sentencing Commission, visit their website: https://ctsentencingcommission.org/