Did Vermont Deputies Just Bail on Transporting Released Prisoners? It's More Complicated Than You Think
Other Vermont media coverage has been big on the alarmism, but short on the details.
Navigating Vermont's Reentry Transportation Gap
A recent headline from VTDigger, "Sheriffs' Deputies Will No Longer Provide Rides for People Released from Vermont Prison," sparked immediate concern across the state. On its face, the announcement can sound like law enforcement is walking away from a critical responsibility, leaving vulnerable Vermonters stranded at the prison gate. However, the reality of the situation is far more complex and shines a light on a systemic gap that has existed for years.
The practice of sheriffs' deputies providing these rides was never a formal, contractual obligation. Instead, it has largely been a stopgap measure—an informal public service performed to solve an immediate problem in the absence of a designated system. The core, funded duties of Vermont's sheriffs' departments are enforcing laws, providing court security, and serving legal documents. Transporting individuals upon their release from prison falls outside this official mandate. Therefore, the potential shift in policy is not an abandonment of a formal duty but a decision that forces a crucial, statewide conversation: If providing this essential ride isn't officially the sheriffs' job, then whose is it?
This article aims to explore that question by looking beyond the headline to make the issue whole. We will examine why that first ride is so critical, who the key players are, and what solutions already exist to ensure that a person's release from prison is a true first step toward a successful future, not a dead end.
The Critical First Mile: Why Transportation is a Pillar of Successful Reentry
When an individual is released from a Vermont correctional facility, their first hours of freedom are among the most critical. Where they go, who they meet, and the services they can access often determine whether their path leads toward stable housing and employment or back toward incarceration. For most Vermonters, reliable transportation is a daily necessity; for someone reentering society, it is a lifeline. 🧬
National research underscores that a lack of transportation is one of the most significant barriers to a successful transition back into the community. According to a report by Policy Research Associates, a national behavioral health research firm, transportation is essential for meeting the immediate, critical needs of a person on their first day of release. This includes checking in with a parole officer, securing a bed at a shelter or transitional housing, attending substance abuse treatment meetings, and getting to a job interview. Failure to meet these obligations can result in a parole violation, sending the individual straight back to prison.
The link between mobility and recidivism is clear. A study from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, found a direct correlation between access to transportation and the ability of formerly incarcerated individuals to comply with the conditions of their release. Without a ride, a person released from a rural facility could be left stranded, miles from the nearest bus stop and hours away from the resources they desperately need to rebuild their life.
A Question of Responsibility: The Role of Corrections and Law Enforcement
The potential end of this informal service from sheriffs raises a fundamental question: Whose job is it to ensure a person gets home safely?
The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) is responsible for creating a "release plan" for every incarcerated individual. This plan outlines where they will live and the conditions of their supervision. However, the physical act of transporting them to that location often falls into a gray area.
Advocacy groups argue that the state's responsibility does not end when an inmate's sentence is served. According to organizations like the ACLU of Vermont and Vermonters for Criminal Justice Reform, who have spoken on related issues, releasing individuals without a concrete plan for transportation is counterproductive to the state's goals of reducing recidivism. They contend that if the state invests hundreds of thousands of dollars in a person's incarceration, it is fiscally and socially irresponsible to withhold the small, final investment in transportation that could secure that person's success.
Paving a New Path: Vermont's Existing Transportation Alternatives
While the potential gap left by sheriffs is significant, Vermont is not without resources. A patchwork of state, regional, and non-profit programs already exists to address transportation insecurity, though they were not necessarily designed to handle the specific needs of post-prison reentry.
One key initiative is the "Recovery and Job Access Rides" program, operated by the Vermont Agency of Transportation (VTrans). This program provides free rides to individuals for employment, job training, and substance use disorder recovery services. It serves as a vital tool, but it requires coordination and is not an on-demand "taxi service" from the prison gate.
Furthermore, Rural Community Transportation (RCT) and other regional public transit providers offer services across the state. However, their routes may not reach correctional facilities, and their operating hours can be limited, especially on evenings and weekends when many releases occur. For someone leaving prison with no phone, no money, and no pre-purchased bus pass, navigating these systems is a monumental challenge.
The Road Ahead: Building a Coordinated System for All Vermonters
The debate over rides from prison is ultimately a debate about the kind of justice system Vermont wants to have. Should it be one that simply punishes and releases, or one that actively rehabilitates and invests in a person's successful return to the community?
Moving forward, the solution likely lies not with a single agency but in a collaborative, statewide strategy. This could involve formally funding non-profits to serve as dedicated reentry transportation providers, expanding the VTrans program to specifically coordinate "day of release" rides, or creating a new protocol where the DOC is directly responsible for arranging transportation as the final step of an inmate's release plan.
By understanding the critical role of that first ride home, Vermonters can engage in a more informed conversation about public safety, fiscal responsibility, and the best way to ensure that when a person's debt to society is paid, the gate opens to a road of opportunity, not a dead end.