Vermont DOC chosen for national prison research grant

Ellie French
VTDigger

Vermont has been selected as one of five states to participate in a national prison research program.

The Urban Institute, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, chose Vermont as part of its Prison Research and Innovation Initiative. The grant program will gather data that can help policy makers make correctional facilities more “humane, safe and rehabilitative.”

DOC officials said the grant’s implementation is good timing. Eligibility for the project was contingent on three requirements. Any state applying for the research had to have an academic research partner, support from government leadership and support from leadership at a publicly operated prison that had at least a 300-person capacity.

“There have been changes that we’ve talked about trying to move forward for a long time,” said Judy Henkin, Deputy Commissioner of the DOC. “Unfortunately, change doesn’t happen overnight.”

Full Story: Vermont DOC chosen for national prison research program