prisons

Virtual Community Forum on Proposed New Women's Correctional Facility 10/09/2024

From the Essex Community Justice Center:

Learn about the proposed women's correctional facility and re-entry center. Panelists include women's program providers in South Burlington correctional facility.

The Essex Community Justice Center serves as a neutral facilitator of these upcoming community events. The in-person forum is a chance for Essex community members to hear from the program providers who offer services inside the current women’s correctional facility. The virtual webinar is an opportunity to ask questions about the local impacts of the present facility, as well as the proposed re-entry center project. These events are being hosted separate from the Town of Essex Planning Commission meetings where zoning and siting decisions may be considered.

For more information visit: www.essexcjc.org

Community Forum on Proposed New Women's Correctional Facility 10/05/2024

From the Essex Community Justice Center:

Learn about the proposed women's correctional facility and re-entry center. Panelists include women's program providers in South Burlington correctional facility.

For more information visit: www.essexcjc.org

FreeHer VT No New Prison Noise Demonstration 08/12/2024

From FreeHer VT:

We are calling on community members to join us on Monday August 12 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM in Burlington for a noise demonstration calling on local architects to drop out of designing a new women's prison in Vermont!

In these times of suffering, the state should be extremely cautious about how they allocate community resources. Yet, there has been no indication of postponing or canceling the upcoming women’s prison project, which is currently estimated to cost over $70 million. In fact, the Department of Corrections plans to announce the site of the new women’s prison before the end of the summer! In response, FreeHer is preparing to take action so please stay tuned and be ready to plug in!

The first step we are taking is to urge the subcontractor, Freeman French Freeman, to drop the contract! FFF is the local architectural firm contracted to design the women's prison. They have been unresponsive to our communications and requests for meetings, so we are going to make some noise outside of their office in Burlington!

Join us to pressure Freeman French Freeman to DROP THE CONTRACT.

We will be protesting outside Freeman French Freeman on August 12th from 11am-1pm, the local architectural firm contracted to design the new prison, to urge them to withdraw from the project. We will have speakers, music, activities, and more. Please bring pots, pans, instruments, or any noise makers you'd like.

For more information visit: www.freehercampaign.org/vermont

FreeHer VT "From Incarceration to Education" Event 11/05/2023

From the organizers, FreeHer and the Education Justice Coalition:

Join FreeHer VT and the Education Justice Coalition for a march and panel event! Vermont Corrections general fund spending increased 335% between 1985 and 2017. By comparison, total general funding spending on education increased by just 57% over the same time period (Blueprint for Smart Justice VT). At this event we be march from the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility to a school to demonstrate our commitment to moving resources. Upon gathering we hear from FreeHer on their important campaign to stop the building of a new Women's Prison in Vermont.

For more information visit: www.freehercampaign.org/vermont

FreeHer VT Town Hall 02/06/2023

From the organizers:

Join FreeHer Vermont organizers and neighbors to learn how they're organizing to stop the construction of a new prison in Vermont, and how they plan to end the incarceration of women and girls in Vermont. They share about current campaigns and how Vermonters can get involved!

For more information visit: www.nationalcouncil.us

Women's March Vermont: Panel on Prison Reform at Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility 03/20/2019

From the Press Release:

The women in Chittenden Regional Corrections Facility (CRCF) in South Burlington, the state’s only prison for women, are housed in deplorable conditions. Despite high incidences of substance abuse disorder, mental health issues, and past sexual abuse, these women are denied basic services, treatment, and supports. Now CRCF is under increasing public scrutiny after a guard was arrested for sexual assault of a former inmate and the Department of Corrections blocked journalists from gaining access to records on the conditions and treatment of the women in CRCF.

Hear directly from formerly incarcerated women about their experience with poor conditions, inhumane treatment, and challenges they faced at CRCF when trying to access critical services, such as medical care. The conversation also features a representative from VT Digger, as well as advocates working for alternatives to incarceration and better outcomes for women and trans people entangled in the criminal legal system.

The event is sponsored by the ACLU’s Smart Justice Campaign (www.acluvt.org) and Women’s March Vermont (womensmarchvermont.com).

Justice For All TV: 242 Years of Slavery in Vermont 01/31/2019

Host Mark Hughes is joined by Andrew Subin and Timothy Fair, Co-Owners of Vermont Cannabis Solutions, and Sasha Thayer, Plainfield Selectboard Member and Member of Vermont League of Cities and Towns. Topics of discussion include de-constitutionalizing slavery in Vermont, Kiah Morris, and no cannabis taxation or regulation without reparations.

Music provided by the Dave Keller Band.

What's Going On?: The Nunes Memo and an Organic View on Current Events 02/02/2018

Sandy Baird, Marc Estrin, Kurt Mehta and Ian Stokes discuss current politics, immigration, the middle east and the possibility of Vermont's building a private prison system.

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CCTV Celebrates Community Media Day!

October 20th is Community Media Day (CMD), a celebration of free speech, local storytelling, and the power of community voices! CMD recognizes the essential role that public access TV stations and community media centers play in strengthening democracy: keeping local news accessible, amplifying underrepresented voices, and building connections across our neighborhoods. In honor of CMD, a few of our dedicated Community Producers shared why community media matters to them. I encourage you to check it out.