With what’s happening in cities like Minneapolis, the Addison County Democratic Committee’s Criminal Justice Panel wanted to emphasize the importance of tackling criminal justice issues in Vermont.The virtual meeting held Monday night identified problems such as race, police, drugs, and much more. One conversation addressing specific topics like racial disparities in criminalization. “The criminalization starts young. It is wildly disproportionate in Vermont, it’s just small numbers so that’s why we don’t always see it,” Senator Kesha Ram (D) said. “Black young men are 2.5% of Chittenden County’s population and they are 25% of those charged as youthful offenders in our courts.”Chittenden County State Attorney Sarah George starting the conversation on cash bail, something she eliminated in her county.”The folks that can usually post that bail more easily are the ones that don’t care if that money is lost and so are less likely and certainly not more likely to show up for court,” George said. “The folks that can’t afford it one way or another stay in jail.”Another major talking point focusing on where Vermont stands when it comes to life sentences without parole. “This is an issue that Vermont actually has the opportunity to be the first in.” Skyler Nash from Burlington’s Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging said. “There is currently no state that has removed the life without parole sentencing statute from their books and it is really a travesty. Outside of the United States this is considered to be a human rights violation.”Mairead O’Reilly from Vermont Legal Aid leading the discussion on what is known as “collateral consequences” of criminal convictions. Such consequences could be the denial of things like housing, education, or employment because of a previous record.”All of the opportunities that any of us need to lead a dignified life are the opportunities that can be denied lawfully on the basis of criminal records,” O’Reilly said. Another element to the “collateral consequences” conversation was expungement. “It’s unjust the rich people can get their records expunged more easily than lower income folks,” O’Reilly said.The hope is to expand on the crimes eligible for expungement so more people have the opportunity to not let their past follow them as they make steps toward a better life.
With what’s happening in cities like Minneapolis, the Addison County Democratic Committee’s Criminal Justice Panel wanted to emphasize the importance of tackling criminal justice issues in Vermont.
The virtual meeting held Monday night identified problems such as race, police, drugs, and much more. One conversation addressing specific topics like racial disparities in criminalization.
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“The criminalization starts young. It is wildly disproportionate in Vermont, it’s just small numbers so that’s why we don’t always see it,” Senator Kesha Ram (D) said. “Black young men are 2.5% of Chittenden County’s population and they are 25% of those charged as youthful offenders in our courts.”
Chittenden County State Attorney Sarah George starting the conversation on cash bail, something she eliminated in her county.
“The folks that can usually post that bail more easily are the ones that don’t care if that money is lost and so are less likely and certainly not more likely to show up for court,” George said. “The folks that can’t afford it one way or another stay in jail.”
Another major talking point focusing on where Vermont stands when it comes to life sentences without parole.
“This is an issue that Vermont actually has the opportunity to be the first in.” Skyler Nash from Burlington’s Office of Racial Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging said. “There is currently no state that has removed the life without parole sentencing statute from their books and it is really a travesty. Outside of the United States this is considered to be a human rights violation.”
Mairead O’Reilly from Vermont Legal Aid leading the discussion on what is known as “collateral consequences” of criminal convictions. Such consequences could be the denial of things like housing, education, or employment because of a previous record.
“All of the opportunities that any of us need to lead a dignified life are the opportunities that can be denied lawfully on the basis of criminal records,” O’Reilly said.
Another element to the “collateral consequences” conversation was expungement.
“It’s unjust the rich people can get their records expunged more easily than lower income folks,” O’Reilly said.
The hope is to expand on the crimes eligible for expungement so more people have the opportunity to not let their past follow them as they make steps toward a better life.
