Priority Area 1: Reconvene the Justice Reinvestment II Working Group to monitor implementation and develop additional policy recommendations for improving post-prison treatment, services, and supervision.
Update: In July, CSG Justice Center staff prepared for the August 17 Justice Reinvestment II Working Group meeting. Additionally, staff were invited to address the Joint Legislative Justice Oversight Committee (JJOC) to discuss Vermont’s Department of Corrections (DOC) transitional housing contracting changes and to consult on risk and needs assessment as it relates to S. 7—an act related to expanding access to expungement and sealing of criminal records.
As a result of assessments conducted by CSG Justice Center staff during Phase I of the Justice Reinvestment Initiative, Vermont’s DOC directed funding to scatter-site housing for individuals released from correctional facilities. CSG Justice Center staff spoke to the JJOC about the benefit of DOC’s new scatter-site housing in addition to the already established congregant housing option. Following CSG Justice Center staff testimony, DOC’s Interim Commissioner Jim Baker reaffirmed and shared additional details about DOC’s current scatter-site and contingent housing efforts.
Committee members also sought to reexamine expungement and sealing; this is the second time that CSG Justice Center staff have been asked to testify on this issue. While this is not a part of the Justice Reinvestment policy package, CSG Justice Center staff shared expertise as it relates to risk and needs assessments. To better direct future discussion on expungement and sealing, CSG Justice Center staff shared the names of other individuals in the field who can speak directly to the questions committee members seek to answer. Members will resume the discussion on expungement and sealing at the August meeting.
Priority Area 2: Implement presumptive parole, earned good time, and furlough status consolidation.
Update: In July, CSG Justice Center staff continued to meet regularly with DOC and parole board staff and leadership to discuss ongoing implementation.
Priority Area 3: Evaluate the current use of sanctions and incentives and recommend improvements to increase adherence to evidence-based practices.
Update: No update.
Priority Area 4: Analyze current policy and practice to identify ways to improve assessment processes, care coordination, information sharing, and case management for people in the criminal justice system who have complex behavioral health issues.
Update: In July, Policy Research Associates (PRA) continued to provide technical support to an internal AHS working group tasked with creating a model for supporting people on community supervision with complex mental health and substance use needs. CSG Justice Center staff met regularly with PRA to discuss AHS’s progress and provide strategic guidance to ensure that group’s work aligns with the JR II Working Group’s recommendations.
Priority Area 5: Increase criminal justice data collection and analysis capacity and establish outcome measures and regular data monitoring to track the implementation progress of Act 148.
Update: In July, CSG Justice Center staff continued to receive data monitoring reports from DOC and the parole board. CSG Justice Center staff also met with DOC to discuss a timeline and process for submitting a more complete set of measures than they have been able to previously provide, including returns to incarceration.
Priority Area 6: Assist in creating standards to examine the data collection, monitoring, and evaluation process, especially as it concerns disparate outcomes for different demographic groups.
Update: In July, CSG Justice Center staff prepared for the upcoming August 17 working group meeting by examining research on sentencing reform and other states’ reclassification efforts. CSG Justice Center staff also conducted additional data cleaning and quantitative analysis while working with the judiciary and the Department of Public Safety to obtain additional data for the racial equity analysis. Based on the data currently available, CSG Justice Center staff were able to complete the coding procedure to format data for criminal history match requests.
The Racial Disparities in the Juvenile and Criminal Justice Advisory Panel (RDAP) resumed their meetings as they seek to to determine where a potential new Bureau of Racial Justice Statistics should be situated. They have included several nonprofit partners to help inform their goals.
Press Clips:
Vermont DOC to spend $5.8 million on transitional housing
Vermont Department of Corrections to expand transitional housing funding
Vermont Corrections Dept announces transitional housing grants
Corrections department to fund 15 agencies for ‘scattered’ and congregate housing
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