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Experts brief Corrections & Institutions committee on "earned good time" policy and Vermont practice
Summary
Council of State Governments advisers told the House Corrections & Institutions committee that earned good time—credits for good behavior or program participation—is widely used across the U.S., can improve facility safety and reduce recidivism, and that Vermont’s recent changes (moving from 5 to 7 days per 30 'good' days and separating program participation from day-counting) reflect a pragmatic, administrable approach.
David Demora, a senior adviser at the Council of State Governments Justice Center, told the House Corrections & Institutions Committee on April 14 that "earned good time means that you have to have done something" to qualify, distinguishing it from automatic credits and noting that roughly 38–40 states use some form of earned credits.
Demora said earned good time is intended to reward positive institutional behavior, improve prison safety and reduce recidivism: "It helps improve prison safety because people have something to do, and people get some kind of reward for behaving well." He cautioned that studies show reductions in recidivism but do not…
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