Changes to VT DOC

[Gaoler]

Senate recommends big changes in prisons

Published: Wednesday, April 9, 2008
By Nancy Remsen
Free Press Staff Writer

MONTPELIER -- Senators signaled Tuesday that they were ready to make big changes to the state's prison and probation systems -- to curb costs and create better outcomes.

In a bill that won preliminary and final approval on unanimous voice votes, the Senate recommended more treatment for alcohol and substance abuse among inmates, increased transitional housing to help more inmates return successfully to the community, changes in probation standards to stop the flow of people back to jail for drinking alcohol, and caps on the number of cases probation officers may handle. These changes are considered investments to produce better results.

To pay for these, the bill calls for a series of changes in the use of the state's correctional facilities, starting with the closure of the state's most expensive prison -- the Dale women's facility in Waterbury. All female inmates would be moved to the prison in St. Albans. The men housed in St. Albans would be dispersed to prisons in Springfield, Newport, a new work camp developed at the Windsor prison or sent out of state. It costs half as much to house inmates in out-of-state prisons.

"This bill is a really big deal," said Senate Appropriations Chairwoman Susan Bartlett, D-Lamoille. "We have tried for a number of years to get savings out of Corrections to invest in the community," she said, referring to community services such as housing and alcohol treatment. "In this bill we are doing something."

"It's a major initiative that doesn't use any new tax dollars," Senate Judiciary Chairman Richard Sears, D-Bennington, said after guiding the bill to passage Tuesday morning.

While it might be a big deal, by Tuesday afternoon it was clear that law enforcement and municipal officials from Franklin County didn't think it was a good deal -- at least not for them. A contingent from the county came to the Statehouse to complain to their House and Senate members.

Under the proposed restructuring in the bill, the detention cells at the St. Albans prison would no longer be available, forcing local law enforcement to transport people they wanted to hold for court appearances to South Burlington or Newport.

"To ask us to go overnight from having lodging available to nothing is a lot to swallow," St. Albans City Manager Dominic Cloud said.

Rep. Jim Fitzgerald, D-St. Albans, turned to Corrections Commissioner Rob Hofmann, who attended the meeting, and asked how local police and the county sheriff were supposed to find the money for this new expense. "These people don't have money to transport people."

"This plan is originating in the Legislature," Hofmann replied. "You are a member of the body that does our budget and the sheriffs' budget."

Hofmann explained that the changes the Senate proposed grew from frustration over the dramatic annual growth in Corrections costs. "We are sucking oxygen out of the rest of the General Fund," Hofmann said.

While he doesn't like all the changes in the Senate bill, he said earlier in the day that "this is the best option on the table at the moment." Speaking to the Franklin crowd, he said, "If someone doesn't like it, put forward a better plan."

The House has yet to make a decision about the prison restructuring portion of the bill. The House wrote the sections on new investments in treatment and housing.

"We need to be sure if we proceed with the reorganization it will achieve the savings and it won't cause more problems than it's worth," said Rep. Jason Lorber, D-Burlington.

House Institutions Committee Chairwoman Alice Emmons, D-Springfield, said a special work group with representatives from several committees was set up to study the prison plan "because this reorganization was really becoming this major issue."

Before her committee votes on the restructuring provisions in the Corrections' bill, she said, "I'm waiting for the work group to report back." She expects to hear early next week.

Contact Nancy Remsen at 229-1298 or nremsen@bfp.burlingtonfreepress.com