St. J OKs new violent offender program
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By Carla Occaso Times Argus Staff - Published: May 12, 2005
ST. JOHNSBURY – Officials here approved developing a new violent offender re-entry program organized by the St. Johnsbury Community Justice Center and to be paid for with federal funds.
Selectmen voted unanimously for the town to submit a $109,000 re-entry grant application Monday night during their meeting. Town officials would administer funds.
"I am 100 percent behind this program," said Selectman Gary Reis before asking a series of questions. "Is there money in the budget to subsidize jobs? This is a serious imposition on some (employers)," he said. He was told the grant would not provide money to employers to cover offenders' wages.
This re-entry program is aimed at a narrow list of offenders, specifically those who are under the age of 35 and must serve more than a year in prison for committing violent crimes such as rape, murder, armed robbery or aggravated assault. There are only about two or three individuals who fit this profile to be released into St. Johnsbury this year, said Barbara Kittredge-Russell, superintendent of St. Johnsbury probation and parole programs for the Department of Corrections.
The re-entry program, called "A Job and A Place to Live," would help offenders find a job and a home after being released from jail. It would also facilitate getting community members and victims involved in planning the offender's life outside jail, such as demanding substance abuse and mental health counseling and drug screening. Each offender would work with a panel of family members, victims or victim's advocate, community volunteers, local law enforcement and a Department of Corrections caseworker to create and maintain the plan.
"I've worked with this population for a lot of years," said Kittredge-Russell. "When they get out of jail they lose track of what it is like to live outside the institution."
The Department of Corrections would retain all authority and responsibility for security and tracking offenders.
St. Johnsbury is one of several Vermont towns with community justice centers participating in this kind of offender re-entry program. Governing the entire statewide project will be the Vermont Re-entry steering committee made up of representatives of statewide stakeholders, according to a document handed out at the meeting.
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