Vermont has the fastest-growing prison population in the country, and state officials are looking for ways to change that.
Governor Jim Douglas, Supreme Court justices and other officials joined yesterday for a conference devoted to addressing the topic.
They brought in a prison expert from the Council of State Governments to help come up with ideas for slowing or reversing the growth in inmate populations.
Some of those gathered for the event say they’re worried that Vermont’s corrections spending is hurting the state’s ability to respond to other needs.