Last December Elias Roblero, was in the Meriden Court to answer charges of driving under the influence. The hearing was short; the state prosecutor and the public defender agreed that Elías was a family man with no criminal history and did not deserve jail time. The judge concurred, imposing an 11-month suspended sentence and two years of probation. His wife, 15-year old daughter and 17-year old son were waiting for him in the hallway. Elías only needed to check with the parole office, sign some documents, and be released to his family. He never came out.