Department of Corrections

A federal judge on Tuesday appointed Nick Deml, the former head of Vermont’s prison system, to take over Rikers Island, the troubled New York City jail.

A 28-year-old woman held at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility died over the weekend after being transferred to the hospital, according to the Department of Corrections.

Vermont State Police are investigating the death of a 68-year-old man at the state prison in Springfield. Authorities say the death does not appear suspicious.

A program that has offered parental support services to incarcerated mothers will soon be available to men held at the state prison in Newport.

Vermont hasn’t had a permanent facility for justice-involved youth since 2020. The lack of a secure facility has meant more juveniles have been held in adult prisons.

Richard Davis, 78, of Orleans, died Saturday morning at Southern State Correctional Facility. The Department of Corrections says his death does not appear suspicious.

The lawsuit, filed this month in Franklin County civil court, alleges that prison staff didn’t provide adequate care to their son, who died from an apparent drug overdose in 2023.

Nick Deml came to Vermont after seven years working at the CIA. He’d never worked in corrections before and was tasked with navigating the pandemic, reforming a toxic workplace culture, and addressing an acute staffing shortage.

Nick Deml, the commissioner of the Vermont Department of Corrections, will step down from the post on Aug. 15. In a press release on Monday, Gov. Phil Scott said former Burlington Police Chief Jon Murad will take over as interim commissioner.

Vermont’s prison population has risen back near pre-pandemic levels, largely driven by an increase in people held pre-trial, according to the Department of Corrections.