Act 40 Criminal Justice Investment and Trends Report

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Introduction

In 2023, the Vermont Legislature passed Act 40 An act relating to a report on criminal justice – related investments and trends naming the Statistical Analysis Center (SAC) {The Crime Research Group (CRG) is the contracted SAC in Vermont} as the entity to prepare and submit a comprehensive report to the policy and appropriation committees which have oversight for the criminal justice system in Vermont. 

Act 40 instructed the SAC to compile data showing: recidivism rates, clearance rates, evidence of desistance, returns to incarceration from community supervision, bail rates, pretrial detainee data, funding for, and utilization of, substance abuse, mental health, educational, and vocational initiatives for incarcerated individuals, funding for, and utilization by, individuals served through Justice Reinvestment and related initiatives including: domestic violence intervention programming, offender transitional housing, restorative justice programs, general fund expenditures for justice reinvestment initiatives, and the average cost per bed of the Department of Corrections’ out-of-state beds contract in fiscal year 2019 and for each fiscal year thereafter. 

To the extent available, the report also includes demographic information on the data points reported.

Methods

CRG received data extracts and information from the following agencies to prepare this report. 

  • Department of Corrections
  • Department for Children and Families
  • Department of Mental Health
  • Office of the Attorney General
  • The Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence
  • Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services
  • Vermont Judiciary, Office of the Court Administrator

Each section of the report describes the data used to prepare the analysis.

Findings and Highlights

  • Crime rates are relatively stable, with the exception of larceny, which has been increasing, and drug and narcotic offenses, which are decreasing,
  • People of color, especially men, have much higher rates of recidivism.
  • Black defendants are more likely to be held without bail or on cash/surety bond. All other races were more likely to be released on conditions.
  • Bail is overwhelming set at under $201 in criminal cases.
  • Returns for violations of conditions dropped after the implementation of Justice Reinvestment policies.
  • Returns to incarceration from community supervision decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Returns started to increase in 2023-2024.
  • Individuals in a transitional housing program have an average stay of 247 days before moving to stable housing.

There are eight sections of the report. Each section has its own interactive website. Click on the links below to see the full report for each topic.

Next Steps

CRG will update sections of the report as it analyzes additional data and receives further input from agencies, the Legislature, and the community.  This will be completed early in 2025.

As CRG, our partners, and members of the community have discussions of this report, CRG will suggest ways that it could be enhanced or broadened to more accurately report on and measure what people are interested in.  Suggestions for further indepth research are always welcome.