VT Inmate Population Down, Crime Rate Remains Low

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin is hailing what he calls good news on the corrections front: Vermont has seen a reduction in its prison population, while its crime rates also are down.  WAMC’s Pat Bradley reports…

Numbers released on Wednesday show Vermont's inmate population has dropped by more than 140 since 2008, to 2,059 people behind bars. It had been projected to grow by 26 percent between 2008 and 2018.

Meanwhile, the governor says Vermont's violent crime rate has dropped by 5 percent since 2008. And recidivism — people who've done time returning to prison for new crimes — is down 9 percent.

Shumlin was joined by officials from the Pew Center for the States and the Council of State Governments Justice Center, who've been advising on Vermont's efforts to reduce recidivism.

I’m Pat Bradley, WAMC News. 

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