A lawyer from New London who has advocated for the rights of people held in state custody will serve as Connecticut’s new ombudsman for the correctional system, filling the role on a temporary basis while the search for a permanent ombudsman continues.
Gov. Ned Lamont on Friday announced DeVaughn L. Ward will assume the position of correction ombudsman on an interim basis.
The job has remained vacant since lawmakers created it in 2022, due in part to a disagreement among Lamont, lawmakers and an advisory panel over who should serve in the role.
Ward is managing attorney at a private law practice in Hartford, and previously worked in state and local government in Connecticut. He also served from 2020 to 2023 as senior legislative counsel for the Marijuana Policy Project, based in Washington D.C. In that role, he lobbied in favor of legalizing adult-use cannabis sales in Connecticut and four other northeast states, and for medical cannabis in a handful of other locations, according to the governor’s office.
Ward has also represented incarcerated people in lawsuits filed against the Department of Correction, including some that resulted in significant settlements. In one such case, the state paid $1.65 million to the family of a 19-year-old who died from complications from lupus while incarcerated, according to the Connecticut Mirror.
The ombudsman will provide independent oversight over the Department of Correction and work to safeguard the rights of people in state custody.
In a written statement, Lamont said he appreciates Ward’s willingness to get the office up and running. Ward will start in the position Sept. 23. The ombudsman will be a “valuable voice” on behalf of people in custody, Lamont said.
“DeVaughn is well-known in Connecticut as an advocate on behalf of those impacted by the correctional system, and his extensive experience and the work he has been doing in private practice will transfer well to his service as ombudsman,” he said.
Advocates have called on the state to speed up hiring for the job, which was created through a criminal justice reform bill that also curtailed the use of isolation, and established mandatory time outside a cell for most people who are incarcerated.
The legislation also created a new Correction Advisory Committee, which was tasked with vetting and recommending ombudsman candidates. Lawmakers envisioned the position would now be filled, and that the ombudsman would file an initial report on conditions inside prison facilities by Dec. 1, 2023.
Lamont previously nominated long-time public defender Hilary Carpenter for the job, but lawmakers didn’t confirm her appointment. An advisory panel also ranked two other finalists ahead of Carpenter for the position.
The advisory committee initiated a new search for a permanent ombudsman at its July 22 meeting, according to the governor’s office. The person selected for the role will receive a two-year appointment.
Ward was previously director of intergovernmental affairs for the Hartford mayor in 2016. Prior to that, he worked in roles at the Connecticut Department of Public Health and the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.
Ward earned his law degree at the University of Connecticut School of Law, and his bachelor’s degree from Howard University. In a prepared statement, he said the ombudsman position “represents a critical step forward in ensuring that our correctional facilities are held to the highest standards of accountability and transparency.”
“I am committed to approaching this role with the same passion and dedication that guided my legal advocacy for individuals affected by our justice system,” he said.
Correction: A previous version of this article incorrectly described the history of the prison ombudsman position. Connecticut previously had an ombudsman for the prison system, but the position was eliminated.
