Vermont Governor Phil Scott and legal professionals are praising the success of a pilot program designed to ease court backlogs.
Last October, Governor Scott, a Republican, appointed a special prosecutor to relieve a backlog of repeat offender cases in Chittenden County. The state Defender General designated a lead public defender and a judge was dedicated to the pilot four-month Community Accountability Court. The goal was to not only clear cases and hold offenders accountable, but also get them services such as addiction and mental health treatment.
As the program sunsets in Chittenden County, Scott calls it a success .
“Had we not put this Accountability Court in place many of these offenders would have been stuck in the persistent court backlog. By moving cases quicker, we were able to create stability and consistency and have all the key players at the table in order to address the root causes while also holding individuals accountable for their poor choices.”
Special Prosecutor Zach Weight was tasked with relieving the backlog of cases in Vermont’s most populous county. He says three primary factors led to the Accountability Court’s success.
“Number one is that we had an abundance of court time. We had five days a week, a dedicated judge to deal with these defendants and these cases and to really dig down into the issues that were underpinning the behavior that was engaged in. The second key aspect was we had the resources willing to talk with not just the attorneys but meet with the defendants, clinically assess them in some cases, and get them immediately engaged with services and support. And the third was collaboration between all the partners.”
Weight worked alongside Chittenden County State’s Attorney Sarah George, who had previously created a specialized diversion program to try to alleviate the backlog outside of the courts.
“For the folks whose cases had to stay within the courthouse walls, there simply was not enough court time. There were not enough prosecutors, not enough judges to address those people and those cases. Governor Scott provided resources that were desperately needed to dig us out of the backlog. Through the program that I developed and this specialized docket, we have cleared over a thousand cases.”
George added that the Accountability Court provided needed relief that allowed her office to focus on more violent crimes.
“Including homicide related offenses, to which we have resolved a significant number through trials and plea negotiations. This has put us in a better position moving forward to address all criminal behavior in our community, hold folks accountable, connect them to services and address the needs of the victims.”
Vermont Department of States Attorneys and Sheriffs Executive Director Tim Lueders-Dumont says the Accountability Court fundamentally shifts court operations.
“This is how courts should operate. It should be every docket is an accountability docket. So I think what we’re calling for here beyond the collaborative approach going forward is a new way of thinking about court. As we move forward, we know that flexible court time and human services are the most important aspects to deter repeat offenses and recidivism in the future.”
Governor Scott has included funding in the state budget adjustment to expand the program, beginning in Rutland County.
“I’m hopeful we can find a way to give Rutland the same focus and time Burlington received so we improve their quality of life, reduce crimes and make their downtown safer.”
Rutland County State’s Attorney Ian Sullivan says the county is well positioned to create a similar Accountability Court.
“I am assigning my most experienced deputy state’s attorney to be wholly focused on this project. We’ve looked at a list of defendants with four or more pending dockets in Rutland County. That’s 55 people. They represent just shy of 370 open cases in Rutland County. That’s almost 40-percent of our open docket. So those 55 people do represent a significant impact on our court schedule.”
Officials attribute the statewide backlog to the pandemic and an inability to catch up with cases.
When the pilot Accountability Court began, the Vermont Department of States Attorneys and Sheriffs reported that statewide more than 44 percent of pending dockets are related to people with three or more unsettled cases.