We know some things:

1) VERMONT LAW CONSIDERS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY TO BE A VIOLENT CRIME! (this way to all the evidence that a stale loaf of bread would need) Perhaps Dubie would be aware of how specific Act 157 was if he’d been present at his $60,000 per year part time tax payer funded job more often.

2) Peter Shumlin talks about “transitioning” non-violent offenders back into society in a manner that will reduce recidivism and thus the huge expense of locking someone up behind bars. Shumlin has stated at various debates that he wasn’t talking about early releases – just when someone leaves the prison; and the word “transition” implies nothing else.

The following has been “cut ‘n pasted” from Peter Shumlin’s Vision for Vermont (gentle hint to Peter – you WANT folks to be able to cut and paste from this – make it easier than that pdf):

A Frightening and Expensive Trend

The second largest area of growth in our state budget behind health care is corrections. Vermont has the distinction of locking up more non-­-violent offenders per capita than any other state in the country. 69% of our women prisoners and 45% of our male prisoners are non-­-violent offenders. They are often locked up for nothing more than writing bad checks or having nowhere else to go (on any given day, out of our entire corrections population, 150 individuals are incarcerated simply for a lack of appropriate housing. Many more are there for mental health challenges.)

What’s the connection between early education and our non-­-violent offenders? Roughly 90% percent had difficultly learning to read (most still do) and have drug and alcohol related addictions. If we are to meaningfully address the skyrocketing costs of corrections and social services programs and improve educational outcomes we need to make meaningful investments in early childhood programs.

Instead of putting non-­-violent offenders in jail we need to stop the problems before they begin. It is not only the right thing to do, it makes economic sense. Early education is a key component in this kind of prevention. Early education helps reduce the achievement gap and equals the playing field so that all children can start school ready to learn rather than behind before they even begin.

As Governor, I will integrate these non-­-violent offenders back into society and ensure that the community mental health, substance abuse, life skill training, affordable housing through VHCB and adult education services are in place to allow these Vermonters to become successful and productive members of society. The cost savings achieved would help fund Vermont’s universal pre-k education system. With each non-violent inmate costing the state’s taxpayers $51,000 annually, we will begin to bend the cost curve and provide resources where they belong – in early education.

Transitioning Vermont’s 780 non-­-violent offenders to become productive members of society, will save $40 million annually. Educating Vermont’s 8,138 three and four year olds who are currently not receiving early education would cost $33 million. We need to begin to aggressively address this problem.