Department of Corrections

Republican Gov. Phil Scott will introduce legislation that would create clearer legal standards for when a defendant can be held without bail. He said the provision will address a practice that his administration has coined “catch and release.”

Corrections officials say maintaining strong family bonds can improve outcomes for children and their incarcerated parents.

Restorative justice is a process that focuses on the offender repairing the harm caused by their actions, and uses dialogue and empathy rather than punishment. Vermont's only women's prison has had restorative justice classes for the past few years.

A state office is requesting zoning changes in Essex to build a correctional facility and reentry unit on state-owned land to replace the only women's prison in Vermont.

New data from the Vermont Department of Corrections shows a 25% increase in detainees in prisons from five years ago. Officials said it could be due to the pandemic-era backlog of cases.

A workplace safety complaint filed recently by the Vermont State Employees' Association alleges that staff at the state prison in Springfield are forced to work in excessively hot conditions.

Vermont’s only women's prison is half a century old and in terrible shape. The state has set aside millions for a new facility but construction is years away.

Jeffery Nichols died from a fentanyl overdose shortly after being booked at the state prison in St. Albans. Six months after his death, his parents are demanding that the state release more information about the incident.

Robert Brown, who’d been held at the state prison in St. Johnsbury, died Tuesday at the University of Vermont Medical Center. State police said Brown was brought to the hospital last week after experiencing health issues.

The team will review critical incidents, like prison deaths and escape attempts. DOC says it will increase transparency with the public