Vermont Governor Phil Scott is touting the success of a pilot “accountability court” to reduce the backlog of cases in the state’s most populated county.
The Republican governor explained the idea, implemented last October, was to increase resources in Chittenden County over a four-month period to address a backlog of individuals with five or more pending cases, hold offenders accountable and connect them to any needed services
“Had we not put this accountability court in place many of these offenders would have been stuck in the persistent court backlog where hearings might not have been scheduled for weeks and months. By moving cases quicker, we were able to create stability and consistency.”
Chittenden County States Attorney Sarah George said more than 1,000 cases have been cleared through the accountability court program and other state-provided resources.
Scott said he wants to expand the program statewide, moving next to Rutland County.