Joint Legislative Corrections Oversight Committee

Report delivered January 2012

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Monday, June 13, 2011

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

11-1, 11-2, 11-3

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Organization Meeting of New Committee Members and Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

Senator Sears elected Chair; Rep. Emmons elected Vice-Chair; Rep. Haas elected Clerk

10:15 AM

The Role of the Corrections Oversight Committee

Goal setting for the year

• Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  
• Sen. Dick Sears, Bennington County
  

10:45 AM

Overview of 2011 Legislative Session pertaining to Corrections Oversight

Act 41 (S.108)

• Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  

11:25 AM

The Capital Bill as it impacts DOC

• Kasey Bryan, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  

11:45 AM

DOC Updates on Facility Switch, Plans for Implementation of Act 41, and Monthly Reports

• Lisa Menard, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

12:40 PM

Update on Recidivism Reduction Study and Work Camp Evaluation

• Max Schleuter, Executive Director, Vermont Center for Justice Research
  

1:00 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

11-4, 5, 6, 7

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Persons Incarcerated on Detention Status

• Amy Davenport, Administrative Judge, Court System
  
• T.J. Donovan, Chittenden County State's Attorney, Chittenden County
  
• James Mongeon, Executive Director, Department of State's Attorneys, Sheriffs & Special Investigators
  
• Bobby Sand, State's Attorney, Windsor
  
• Matthew Valerio, Defender General, Defender General's Office
  

12:30 PM

Lunch

1:30 PM

Vermont Inmates Incarcerated at the Franklin County Jail (Greenfield, MA)

• Susan Bartlett, Special Assistant to the Governor
  
• Gordon Bock , Chairman, CURE VT
  
• Barry Kade, Attorney, prisoner advocate
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Matthew Valerio, Defender General, Defender General's Office
  

3:30 PM

Adjourn

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Thursday, September 15, 2011

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

11-8, 9, 10

Meeting Record

10:30 AM

Facility Transition

• Tiffany Bluemle, Executive Director, Vermont Works for Women
  
• Cheryl Elovirta, Supervisor, Probation & Parole, Burlington
  
• Jess Kell, Kids Apart Program, Lund Family Center
  
• Michael Ohler, Burlington Housing Authority
  
• Susan Onderwyzer, Program Services Executive, Lund Family Center
  
• Jean Sinckewicz, Burlington Housing Authority
  
• Bob Wolford, Community Corrections, Howard Center for Human Services
  

12:30 PM

Working Lunch

1:30 PM

Out-of-State Beds

Committee Discussion

• Lisa Menard, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• David Turner, Superintendent, Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility
  

2:30 PM

Committee Discussion with the Commissioner

Storm, budget, challenges, etc.

• Lisa Menard, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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Monday, October 17, 2011

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

11-11, 12, 13, 14

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Review Incarcerated Women's Initiative (2007)

• Kimberly Bushey, Program Services Director, Department of Corrections
  
• Jill Evans, Women and Family Services Coordinator, Vermont Department of Corrections
  

10:45 AM

Recommendations for Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility and Update on the Facility Transition

• Lisa Menard, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

11:15 AM

Update on Storm Response

• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

11:30 AM

Committee Discussion - Facility Visits

Open Meeting Law

• Michael O'Grady, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  

12:00 noon

Lunch

1:00 PM

Community Response to Justice Reinvestment

• Jeff Allard, Probation Officer, Department of Corrections
  
• David Peebles, Community Restorative Justice Executive, Vermont Department of Corrections
  
• Karen Vastine, Community Justice Coordinator, Burlington Community Justice Center
  

2:30 PM

Recidivism Measures of Vermont correctional Populations

• Mike Eisenberg, Research Manager, Justice Center
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

3:15 PM

Adjourn

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Monday, November 28, 2011

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

11-15, 16, 17, 18

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Paperwork Reduction

• Michael Touchette, Department of Corrections
  

10:55 AM

Monthly Report

Storm Response; Mental Health Update; Reentry for Female Inmates; Dedicated Beds for Chronic Repeat DUI Offenders

• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

11:10 AM

Organizations that Work on Corrections Issues

• Karen Gennette, Court Administrator's Office
  

11:20 AM

Substance Abuse Treatment Waiting Lists

• Barbara Cimaglio, Deputy Commissioner, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program, Dept. of Health
  
• Jackie Corbally, Treatment Chief, ADAP, Department of Health
  

12:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM

Community Response to Justice Reinvestment

• Chris Louras, Mayor, Rutland City
  
• Michael E. Schirling, Chief of Police, City Of Burlington
  

2:00 PM

Draft Report

Committee Discussion

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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Monday, December 19, 2011

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

11-19, 20, 21

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Strategies to Reduce Recidivism

• Max Schleuter, Executive Director, Vermont Center for Justice Research
  

11:00 AM

Dedicated Beds for Chronic Repeat DUI Offenders - Feasibility Study

Act 56, H.264

• Kimberly Bushey, Program Services Director, Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

11:30 AM

Committee Discussion

Draft Recommendations for Final Report

• Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

12:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM

Commission Discussion

• Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

12-1

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Roundtable with the Justice Center, Council of State Governments

• Mike Thompson, Executive Director, Council of State Government Justice Center
  

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Thursday, July 19, 2012

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

12-2, 3, 4

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Review of Legislation enacted in 2012

• Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  
• Katie McLinn, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  

10:20 AM

Discussion of Nonviolent Misdemeanor Review Committee

• Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  
• Erik FitzPatrick, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  

10:45 AM

Sec. 37 of 2012 Capital Bill

Committee Discussion

11:00 AM

Update from Department of Corrections

• Lisa Menard, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Monica Weeber, Director of Planning, Department of Corrections
  

12 noon

Lunch

1:00 PM

Housing in the Community

• Lisa Menard, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Matthew Valerio, Defender General, Defender General's Office
  
• Monica Weeber, Director of Planning, Department of Corrections
  

1:40 PM

Unites States v s. Douglas Mason

• Sue Blair, Executive Director, Vermont Parole Board
  
• Sarah London, Assistant Attorney General, Governor's Office
  

2:30 PM

Other issues, future meetings

3:00 PM

Adjourn

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Thursday, September 27, 2012

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

12-5, 6, 7, 8

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Dashboard for Tracking Vermont Corrections Trends

Power Point presentation

• Amy Davenport, Administrative Judge, Court System
  
• Tedd Holladay, Database Analyst, Council of State Government Justice Center
  
• Jessica Tyler, Database Analyst, Council of State Government Justice Center
  

12:00 PM

Lunch

1:00 PM

Vermont Corrections Dashboard

Continued from morning

1:45 PM

Monthly Report

Department of Corrections

• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

2:00 PM

Opportunity for Citizen Participation

Colorado witnesses will be testifying by phone

• Gordon Bock , Chairman, CURE VERMONT
  
• Alison Morgan, Assistant Director of Finance and Administration, Colorado Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Dianne Tramutola-Lawson, Colorado CURE
  

3:00 PM

Overtime Scheduling of Correctional Officers

Committee Discussion

• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

3:30 PM

Adjourn

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Tuesday, October 16, 2012

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

Comments

South Burlington Police Station

CDs

12-9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

DOC Monthly Update and Town Agreements

• Lisa Menard, Deputy Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Monica Weeber, Director of Planning and Organizational Development, Department of Corrections
  

10:30 AM

Paperwork Reduction Progress Report

• Michael Touchette, Department of Corrections
  

11:00 AM

Opportunity for Citizen Participation

Continued from September 27th meeting

• Committee Discussion
  
• Gregory Hale, Superintendent, Northwest Correctional Facility
  
• Barry Kade, Attorney, Montgomery
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

12:00 PM

Working Lunch

Committee Discussion, setting November 16th Agenda

1:00 PM

Advocates* testimony on subcommittee questions

* Advocates, sheriffs, police, community justice centers

• Robert Arnell, Superintendent, Chittenden Correctional Facility
  
• Michael Cartier
  
• Leslie Ferrer, Phoenix House of New England
  
• Richard Gagne, Dismas House of Vermont
  
• Janelle Gilbert, Community Justice Coordinator, Winooski
  
• Gregory Hale, Superintendent, Northwest Correctional Facility
  
• Rachel Jolly, Works For Women
  
• Kevin McLaughlin, Sheriff, Chittenden County
  
• Gary Taylor, Chiel of Police, St Albans
  
• Richard Turner, Aviation Program Director, Phoenix Houses of New England
  
• Karen Vastine, Community Justice Coordinator, Burlington Community Justice Center
  
• Marc Wennberg, Community Justice Coordinator, St Albans
  

2:15 PM

Department of Corrections testimony on subcommittee questions

• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

3:15 PM

Committee Discussion

3:30 PM

Adjourn

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Meeting Details

Hearing Type

Standard

CDs

12-14, 15, 16, 17, 18

Meeting Record

10:00 AM

Children of Incarcerated Parents

• Kimberly Bushey, Program Services Director, Department of Corrections
  
• Seth Lipschutz , Supervising Attorney, Prisoners' Rights Office
  
• Dawn Matthews, Prisoners' Rights Office
  

11:00 AM

Detainees

• Amy Davenport, Administrative Judge, Court System
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  
• Matthew Valerio, Defender General, Defender General's Office
  

12:00 PM

Lunch

12:30 AM

Opportunity for Citizen Participation and Contact with Inmates

Continued from 9/27/12 and 10/16/12

• Gordon Bock , Chairman, CURE VERMONT
  
• Seth Lipschutz , Supervising Attorney, Prisoners' Rights Office
  
• Dawn Matthews, Prisoners' Rights Office
  
• Andy Pallito, Commissioner, Department of Corrections
  

2:00 PM

Update on Rutland Hub/Spoke Initiative

• Harry Chen, Commissioner, Department of Health
  

2:30 PM

Draft Annual Report

• Michele Childs, Legislative Counsel, Office of Legislative Council
  
• Committee Discussion
  

3:30 PM

Adjourn

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