ENFIELD, Conn. -- A plan to expand an Enfield prison is drawing criticism from both residents and correction officers.

Carl Robinson Prison added 114 inmates in September and another 114 are expected to be added this week with more on the horizon.

Connecticut's already overcrowded prisons began feeling more of a squeeze when Gov. Jodi Rell banned the release of any violent offenders on parole.

Eric Pogg told Eyewitness News that he has worked at the Carl Robinson prison for 17 years and has lived through waves of overcrowding and riots that accompany them.

He said that the Department of Correction needs to consider safety risks before jamming more prisoners into the state's prisons.

"We all want to go home safe," Pogg said. "As the union feels, they're not adequately staffing the facility. Back in the early 90s, we had a commissioner that was not listening to the safety concerns of the union and we had five riots at our facility -- people died."

State representatives also told Eyewitness News that they are concerned about safety risks as well as the strain on other areas of the prison.

"Our sewerage system -- that many more people utilizing the sewer system," said Rep. Karen Jarmoc.

Rep. Kathleen Tallarita said the prison needs more corrections officers before more prisoners are added.

"I want the prisoners behind bars … where they're supposed to be. I want our communities protected from these people who have been convicted of committing crimes," she said. "Our concern is within the prison walls, they're overcrowded, they don't have enough corrections officers to take care of the amount of people they want in those prisons."

State representatives also told Eyewitness News that they don't believe that the Department of Corrections has been forthright concerning its plans for the prison.

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