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Vermont DOC tells Appropriations panel staffing has improved but retention remains a problem
Summary
Department of Corrections leaders told the House Appropriations Committee that vacancy rates have fallen from a 2022 high but remain elevated, and that the department is pursuing scheduling, facility design and staff-support changes to retain employees.
Nick Dimelon, Commissioner of Corrections, told the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 12 that Vermont has reduced correctional vacancy rates since mid‑2022 but continues to face retention challenges that threaten operations.
Dimelon said Vermont ‘‘has about a thousand staff’’ in the Department of Corrections and ‘‘we have about 1,500 incarcerated individuals today,’’ with roughly two‑thirds sentenced and one‑third detained. He said systemwide vacancy rates have fallen from a July 2022 peak of about 32% among security staff to about 19% for security positions and roughly 14.9% overall today, but the decrease has plateaued.
The committee pressed the department on…
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