Vermont advisers urge better juvenile-justice data, warn youthful-offender status carries risks

Judge Davenport and Karen Bastien, speaking for the Council For Equitable Youth Justice, told the Vermont House Judiciary Committee that available court and agency records show trends in juvenile filings but that the state lacks accessible, joined-up data to measure outcomes and program effectiveness.

The council—s chair, Karen Bastien, described the group as an advisory body required under federal law and attached for administrative purposes to the Department for Children and Families. "The Council For Equitable Youth Justice is Vermont's advisory group, for juvenile justice and delinquency prevention," Bastien said, noting the council manages federal juvenile-justice grant funds and supports implementation of Act 201.

The council asked the committee to prioritize three areas, Judge Davenport said: "data collection and accessibility, programming for youth in the juvenile justice system, and recidivism studies." She told lawmakers that Vermont's court filing counts show shifting volumes since FY18: delinquencies were in the 800—range in FY18 then dipped and roughly stabilized near 679 to 700 in recent years,…