Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has appointed the state’s first Latinx Commissioner for the Department of Corrections.
Angel Qurios, of Hartford, is a 30-year veteran of the department. Qurios had been the agency’s deputy commissioner before becoming interim commissioner last month.
Qurios said he believes in second chances.
“No one deserves to be defined by their biggest mistake or worse decision," Qurios said. "Incarceration is the penalty. Our job is to prepare people for a fresh start. Today, I am honored to be Governor Lamont’s nominee — blessed and grateful.”
The state’s prison system has the lowest number of inmates in three decades, with just under 10,000 inmates.
The agency was criticized earlier this year for how it handled social distancing and safety amid the COVID-19 pandemic.