Gertrude Koskoff

Gertrude Farber Koskoff (May 30, 1911 – November 12, 1992) was an American politician who served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1953 to 1959, representing the town of Plainville as a Republican.

Personal life Koskoff was born Gertrude Farber in Worcester, Massachusetts, on May 30, 1911. She was married to lawyer and politician Milton Koskoff, who represented Plainville in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1939 to 1947. Together, they had two children, Harriet and David Koskoff. She was Jewish.

While serving in the House of Representatives, much of Koskoff's work was on prison reform and civil rights. Koskoff was recognized by the Connecticut Valley branch of the NAACP for legislation she introduced to broaden the definition of public accommodations. She advocated for the prison system to provide for the treatment of mentally impaired inmates, introduced legislation to reform Connecticut's probation system, and was internationally recognized in the field of penology. She was invited to speak at the International Conference on Criminology in England in 1955.

In July 1956, more than 200 inmates at Wethersfield State Prison staged a sit-in. In response, Governor Abraham A. Ribicoff appointed Koskoff and state Senator Joseph S. Longo to meet with the prison's board of directors to discuss prisoner grievances. The inmates had requested Koskoff's presence because of her interest in prison reform during her tenure.

Later career Following her service in the House of Representatives, Koskoff served on the State Board of Parole. Originally appointed by Governor John N. Dempsey in 1968,