“Should Vermont reduce its reliance on incarceration as a response to criminal conduct?” Attorney General Bill Sorrell would like to hear what Vermonters think and is hosting three forums across Vermont in December to gather that feedback.
“Vermont leaders and legislators have taken many steps during the past two decades, both through policy and legislation, to ease prison overcrowding and minimize the need to send Vermont prisoners out of state,” said Sorrell. “I would like to hear whether Vermonters are ready to ask the Legislature to commit to a statewide policy that reduces reliance on incarceration or lengthy incarceration in response to criminal conduct at the prosecution and sentencing stages of a case.”
According to Sorrell, violent crime rates nationally, and in Vermont, are on the decline yet the rate at which individuals are incarcerated has increased threefold in the past 40 years. Vermont taxpayers now spend over $150 million per year on corrections at an average cost of nearly $60,000 per year per incarcerated individual. “I think it is time to have a public discussion about how Vermonters would like our limited resources to be spent and whether there is substantial support for a policy that would reduce reliance on costly incarceration if it can be accomplished without compromising public safety,” said Sorrell. “I look forward to hearing what I expect will be diverse views and opinions.”
Representatives from law enforcement, corrections and human services officials, prisoner rights groups, victim advocates, and others will join the Attorney General at the following forums:
Monday, December 7, 2015 - 5:30 p.m.
Town Select board Room
171 Bridge Street
White River Junction, VT
Tuesday, December 8 - 7:00 p.m.
Rutland Free Library – The Fox Room
10 Court Street
Rutland, VT
Monday, December 14 - 5:00 p.m.
Burlington City Hall Contois Auditorium
149 Church Street
Burlington, VT
United States