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Witnesses tell committee contraband often arrives through staff at some facilities; private out‑of‑state sites described as more permissive
Summary
Formerly incarcerated witnesses told the committee that contraband—phones and cash—frequently entered facilities with staff involvement, that privately run out‑of‑state facilities showed different cultures and vulnerabilities, and that providing secure tablets could reduce illicit smartphone use.
At an Institutions Committee hearing April 28, multiple witnesses described how phones, cash and other contraband often reach incarcerated people through staff or outside arrangements, and how those dynamics differed between state‑run Vermont facilities and privately run out‑of‑state prisons.
Eugene Coteira, a formerly incarcerated man who has served multiple terms, told the committee that in his experience “90% of the stuff coming in is through staff.” He said staff were sometimes paid by people outside the…
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