The Vermont Statutes Online
The Statutes below include the actions of the 2025 session of the General Assembly.
NOTE: The Vermont Statutes Online is an unofficial copy of the Vermont Statutes Annotated that is provided as a convenience.
§ 4601. Purpose
It is the purpose of this chapter to allow State and local law enforcement agencies
to assist in providing fingerprint records of minors to their parents or guardians
who so request and to ensure the classifiability of the fingerprints so taken. (Added 1985, No. 27.)
§ 4602. Authority to take fingerprints of minors
(a) Subject to the conditions set forth in subsection (b) of this section, any State or
local law enforcement agency may establish or participate in a program of voluntary
fingerprinting of minors. Only minors whose parents or guardians request the same
shall be fingerprinted under the provisions of this chapter.
(b) A law enforcement officer shall not take the fingerprints of a minor as a part of
a program of voluntary fingerprinting unless he or she has, within the past three
years, received training approved by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council in the taking
of classifiable fingerprints as certified by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council.
(c) Any law enforcement agency participating in a program of voluntary fingerprinting
of minors shall ensure that fingerprints are taken in such manner and with such materials
and equipment as to ensure their classifiability and their use under the Federal Missing
Children Act, 28 U.S.C. § 534. (Added 1985, No. 27.)
§ 4603. Ownership of fingerprint records
(a) No law enforcement officer or agency shall make or retain duplicates of fingerprint
cards or records taken as a part of a program of voluntary fingerprinting.
(b) Fingerprint cards and records created under this chapter shall be given to the parents
or guardians of the minor to be held for the benefit of the minor. Such cards and
records shall become the property of the person fingerprinted when he or she attains
the age of majority.
(c) Fingerprint cards and records created under this chapter shall not be used against
the person fingerprinted in any criminal or other judicial proceeding and all cards
and records shall prominently state this limitation on their use. (Added 1985, No. 27.)
§ 4604. Exclusions
(a) Nothing in this chapter prohibits any person from fingerprinting any other person
by a method not authorized by this chapter. However, this chapter provides the only
sanctioned method by which law enforcement agencies and officers may take fingerprints
of minors pursuant to a program of voluntary fingerprinting of minors.
(b) No law enforcement agency or officer is required by this chapter to take the fingerprints
of any minor if doing so would be unreasonably difficult or impossible or would create
an undue burden on the law enforcement agency or officer. (Added 1985, No. 27.)