Media Coverage of Crimes Committed by Furloughed Prisoners

The two largest newspapers in Vermont, The Burlington Free Press and the Rutland Herald wrote 22 articles regarding crimes committed by prisoners on furlough programs during 1997 and 1998 (see attached table). These newspapers also wrote 22 more articles regarding the Vermont State furlough policy. The 22 articles written about crimes committed on furlough represent16 individual incidents.

The distribution of the number of articles each violator received expressed in the following graph. The offender Brian Barcomb received four out of the six articles in the Burlington Free Press during April 1999. In all months except April, the media covered the same offense or offender multiple times.

The VT Department of Corrections has put together figures that highlight the success of furlough integration in 1998. A document from the department shows the number of furloughed prisoners in 98’ along with the portion of those prisoners that had been convicted of a new crime while they were on furlough (The pie graph below is taken from that document). The graph is based on the 1,320 prisoners furloughed in 1998. The data shows that 140 (11%) of those furloughed were convicted of another crime while on furlough.

The offenses committed by these furloughed prisoners was of the following nature:

• The most common offense was escape (33%), followed by DLS (16%), and possession of marijuana (8%).
• Six of the 181 total crimes were violent felonies, 63 were non-violent felonies, 13 were violent misdemeanors, and 99 were non-violent misdemeanors.

Other data compiled by the Vermont Department of Corrections illustrates the success of furloughed prisoners from 1989 to 1995. The graph below shows the amount of furloughed prisoners for the years 1989 to 1995. It also shows the amount of prisoners in violation of their furlough. Violations in furlough are defined as those who have failed to report to their supervisors, have had there furloughs revoked for criminal behavior, or have been convicted of a crime. The rate of crime convictions per prisoners furloughed is as follows: 1% in 89’, .7% in 90’, .3% in 91’, .6% in 92’, .5% in 93’, 1.1% in 94’, .4% in 95’.

On March 12, 1999 The Burlington Free Press ran an article titled, "Study: Vermonters skeptical of furloughs." Doble Research Associates conducted the study discussed in the article. After reading the Free Press article we contacted John Perry, an administrator at the Department of Corrections. He felt that the Free Press did a poor job conveying what the study really showed and sent us a copy of the study. The study was forty pages long and the results rely on a series of six focus groups conducted throughout the state in the fall of 1998 and the winter of 1999. Doble Research will complete, in 1999, a public opinion study contract with the National Institute of Justice that will document exactly how many Vermonters subscribe to views presented in this report (Doble, 13).

Doble found that Vermonters support a furlough program conceptually but not administratively, or at least not in the way they believe it is being administrated. When Doble asked Vermonters about the concept of a furlough program, they were overwhelmingly in favor. In the words of one man, "instead of dumping parolees into the community," the state should have a program in which offenders can make a gradual transition back into society, where supervision and control gradually diminishes. However, Vermonters sentiment changed when they were asked about the furlough program itself. They said it was filled with inappropriate, dangerous offenders who live in rent-free apartments without adequate supervision. Vermonters believe that the convicts in the furlough program are usually placed in it prematurely, before serving their minimum sentence (Doble, 11). The number one thing that Vermonters seemed to be cautious about was endangering the public to keep costs down. Thus, Doble Research concluded that officials should be wary about making the argument that supervision is lax or the ratio of furloughees to parole officers is high because of the need to contain costs. In the public mind, this is not an acceptable rationale (Doble, 12).

On April 20^th the Department of Corrections hosted a meeting at Burlington City Hall on the furlough program. Brian Crane (of the group researching this report) attended the meeting. The opinions expressed were similar to those expressed by the respondents in the Doble study. The general tone of the meeting was that the program was a good idea but that it needs to be administered better. Specifically, there is a need for supervision of furloughees after 11:00 p.m. (when supervisors now go home). Additionally, concern was raised about the concentration of furlough placements in Burlington’s Old North End. (The Burlington Free Press 4/21/1999)

Doble Research Associates, Inc. 1999. Restorative Justice and Community-Based Reparative Boards: The views of the People of Vermont

Vermont Department of Corrections. 1998. Court Data, p. 129.

Vermont Department of Corrections. 1996. Facts and Figures, p.159.

myriad.middlebury.edu/htbin/dbsearch

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Completed by Brian Crane, Paul Cascio, and Amen Teter on 4/21/99