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| Corrections says: Funds are short |
| By timesargus.com |
| Published: 12/03/2013 |
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The Department of Corrections is asking for an additional $1.5 million to cover its budget for 2013. Much of that shortfall is due to the rising numbers of detainees: people who are in prison awaiting trial, or because they’ve violated probation. Corrections Commissioner Andrew Pallito said the system currently houses 448 detainees — nearly a quarter of the total prison population. Pallito thinks that number could come down. “If we had some support services — and we’re in the process of building those services within the agency, within the criminal justice system — that should lead to a lower detention population,” Pallito said. “There has to be some willingness, though, by our communities, No. 1, and then our partners and providers to accept some more risk.” Vermont has beds for 1,600 prisoners in seven facilities within the state. More people in detention means that more inmates will be sent to out-of-state, for-profit prisons, Pallito said. “If we receive more people tonight, and we need to send more people out of state, it’s the out-of-state costs that rise. Because we can’t, we don’t overcrowd in Vermont. We have a statute that limits us to 105 percent of capacity. We’re not like other states where you go 150-200 percent of capacity,” he said. “So if our populations start to run higher, as they have over the last several years with detentions, then more people go out of state.” The cost for housing prisoners out of state is nearly half that of the in-state rate. Pallito noted that is because there are fewer educational, job training and mental health treatment programs offered in out-of-state prisons. Read More. |
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