Corrections committee backs amendment to add incarcerated and formerly incarcerated Vermonters to telecom stakeholder list

The House Corrections and Institutions Committee voted by voice/hand to support an amendment adding “Incarcerated Vermonters, formerly incarcerated Vermonters, and organizations representing incarcerated or formerly incarcerated individuals” to the stakeholder list for a Department of Corrections study of telecommunication services, Representative Brian Cheetah (Burlington) said.

Cheetah presented the amendment, saying the perspective of those directly affected would “strengthen the results” of the study and help the department understand how choices about phone and video policies actually affect people behind bars.

The chair and several members asked how DOC would identify and safely include currently incarcerated people. Committee members pointed to existing channels — probation, community-based reentry providers and service organizations — and offered specific groups that have participated in related stakeholder meetings, including Free Her Vermont, the Ishtar Collective and Mercy Connections. A member described a prior Chittenden facility meeting where two incarcerated women were brought in to speak once as an example of limited direct inclusion.

Members also raised practical concerns about representativeness and logistics: reaching men who are housed farther from families, secure-facility technology for remote participation and whether service providers consistently elevate formerly incarcerated voices. One member suggested DOC itself should be responsible for outreach mechanics and safety, while others said existing reentry partners could help recruit participants.

After discussion, a committee member moved and another seconded that the committee support the amendment; the chair reported a tally of 10–0 in favor on the straw vote. The amendment will be incorporated in further drafting, with members and staff expected to refine language about how DOC will consult and whom it will contact.

The committee did not adopt formal implementation details at the meeting; members asked staff to work with stakeholders on practical plans for recruitment and safe participation for incarcerated and formerly incarcerated people.