There are several classes of people considered “protected people.” If you assault someone who is in this class, you face additional penalties. While Department of Corrections workers do not appear as part of the protected group, penalties for assaulting these people are more severe. This is because being a DOC worker can be dangerous, and the state makes attempts to protect its workers. By making the penalties for assault of a DOC worker more severe than regular assault, the hope is that this type of assault can be deterred. You can learn more about assault of a Department of Corrections worker here.

Department of Corrections Workers

You will face additional punishments if you are convicted of assault on a Department of Corrections (DOC) worker. This is true even though DOC workers are not considered protected people. A person commits assault of an employee of the DOC in the first degree in some situations. This is is a Class B felony. This crime happens when such a person:

• Is in the custody of the Commissioner of Corrections.
• Is confined in any institution or facility of the Department of Corrections and commits assault in the first degreeunder section 53a-59.
• The victim is an employee of the Department of Corrections.
• That person is acting in the performance of their duties as an employee of the Department of Corrections.

It is important to note that if you assault an off-duty DOC worker, you will be charged with assault. But, you should not be convicted of assault of a DOC worker. This crime is reserved for DOC workers who are injured while trying to do their jobs. If charged with assault of a DOC worker but you were not in a correctional facility when the assault took place, or if the DOC worker was not in the act of performing their DOC duties, you should speak to a criminal defense lawyer immediately. A lawyer will know how to build your defense in order to prove that you are being charged with the wrong crime and hopefully, they can get your charges reduced.

Penalties

If you are indeed convicted of assault on a DOC worker, you will face the following punishments:

• A prison sentence of 1-20 years. This sentence will be consecutive with any other sentence that you are currently serving.
• A fine of up to $15,000.

You can also be charged with assault on a DOC worker with a deadly weapon if you use some sort of deadly instrument to attack a DOC worker. This will result in more severe penalties, namely, a longer prison sentence. If convicted of assault on a DOC worker with a deadly weapon, you will face a prison sentence of up to 20 years, five of which cannot be suspended or negotiated. This means a guaranteed minimum of five years in jail. To avoid this punishment, you have to do everything that you can to be found not guilty of the crime. The best way to do this is by contacting a criminal defense lawyer who has handled assault cases such as yours.