Community justice centers warn of program cuts as DOC reshapes funding

LEDE: Directors and staff from Vermont’s community justice centers told the Senate Judiciary Committee on Feb. 1 that planned changes to Department of Corrections (DOC) funding and an uncertain Attorney General’s Office funding request for precharge diversion could leave some centers without state support, even as the centers reported high program completion rates and low recidivism for participants.

NUT GRAF: Speakers said Vermont’s 17 Community Justice Centers (CJCs) provide reparative panels, circles of support and accountability (COSA), reentry services and precharge restorative options that divert cases from court. They warned that DOC plans to change its FY26 funding allocation — moving from 17 funded centers to support for 13 centers and a new per‑county award structure — combined with no guaranteed legislative funding for the Attorney General’s proposed statewide precharge program, will create immediate budget uncertainty for several long‑running local programs.

Body: Kaci Viado, co‑director of Restorative Justice Programs at InterAction (formerly Youth Services in Brattleboro), told the committee that CJCs offer reparative panels, COSA and reentry work and are starting restorative practices inside correctional units. “We help participants self determine meaningful repair they can offer,” Viado said, and noted…