Parental Incarceration in Vermont

This report provides background, context, and insights into the current impacts of parental incarceration of children in Vermont. In addition, it analyzes the expedient factors in H.399, a bill that proposes "to require the sentencing court to consider the criminal defendant's status as the primary caretaker of a dependent child prior to imposing sentence."1 A review of existing literature on the impact of parental incarceration on children provides insight into how Vermont parental incarceration affects childhood development and opportunity. The report also includes a mixed-methods approach consisting of comparative case study reviews of state sentencing policies and interviews with current key stakeholders and judicial actors. Additionally, the report examines the potential impacts of this bill on various state systems within Vermont. Finally, through these approaches, the report aims to inform policy decisions on sentencing guidelines related to defendants with primary caregiver status for children dependents in Vermont.