Poster #182 - Reimagining Women's Incarceration in Vermont: Prioritizing Humane and Effective Policy Recommendations

• In Event: ASC Poster Session I

Abstract

The current project is a case study focused on developing evidence-based policy recommendations for integrating high-impact programming into the design and build of a new women’s correctional facility in Vermont. This facility will replace the outdated Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility (CRCF), Vermont’s sole women’s prison, which has long struggled to meet the needs of incarcerated women. The current project seeks to inform facility programming, such as vocational training, education, healthcare, and reentry support, by presenting a set of actionable policy recommendations for creating more humane and effective correctional environments. Drawing from existing theories on trauma-informed care, gender-responsive programming, and evidence-based facility design, the current project examines how correctional environments can be optimized to support rehabilitation and successful reentry. By prioritizing design elements that foster dignity and rehabilitation—such as natural light, calming spaces, and trauma-sensitive features—the current project highlights how policy can drive the creation of correctional spaces that improve outcomes for incarcerated women and support their successful reintegration into society.

Authors

• Emily Anne Vaughan, Endicott College

• Ashley M. Appleby, Endicott College