Vermont DOC: 90% of incarcerated population male; serious felonies drive most long-term stays, data unit says

Vermont Department of Corrections research staff told the House Corrections and Institutions Committee on Jan. 24 that the majority of people in state custody are held for felony-level crimes and that the incarcerated population is getting older.

The department's Research and Data Unit, which maintains a monthly public population dashboard, reported that about 90% of people in DOC custody identify as male, roughly 70% are under 45, and the share ages 55 and older has risen to about 13.7% from roughly 10% a decade ago, according to slides shown to the committee and cited by the Research and Data Unit director. The dashboard snapshots presented to the panel were dated Dec. 31, 2024.

Why it matters: an aging incarcerated population increases medical and reentry needs and affects decisions about housing, programs and long-term costs. Committee members pressed staff on what crimes are driving the trends, how the department captures out-of-state convictions and how data limitations shape policy discussion.

Just King Moore, the Research and Data Unit director, said the unit compiles monthly point-in-time data for a public dashboard and other…