Sarah Anderson, associate director of criminal justice and civil liberties at the R Street Institute, testified before the Vermont Senate Committee on Judiciary on March 13 regarding Senate Bill 140. The bill concerns implementing second look sentencing and compassionate release in the state.
Anderson said that the R Street Institute is closely following the legislature’s consideration of this bill because it relates to improving public safety while promoting a fair and efficient justice system. She explained that second look resentencing policies allow courts to reassess whether continued incarceration is necessary after an individual has served part of their sentence. “Importantly, these policies do not—and should not—guarantee release. Rather, they provide judges with the ability to evaluate whether a person who has demonstrated sustained rehabilitation and no longer poses a meaningful public safety risk should remain incarcerated for the remainder of their sentence, or if we should recognize their rehabilitation and allow them to return home to become productive, taxpaying members of society,” Anderson said.
She noted that such policies are gaining attention across the country as policymakers consider the long-term effects of lengthy prison sentences imposed decades ago. Anderson highlighted research showing that individuals who committed offenses at younger ages often experience significant development as they age, which reduces their likelihood of reoffending. “Second look policies are grounded in a simple but powerful proposition: people are capable of change and rehabilitation, and our justice system should allow for and encourage that possibility where appropriate,” she said.
Anderson also addressed fiscal concerns by pointing out that long-term incarceration is expensive for Vermont, especially as its prison population ages. She argued that allowing courts to reconsider lengthy sentences could help focus resources on those who pose ongoing risks rather than those whose continued incarceration offers minimal benefit.
In her conclusion, Anderson stated: “As this body considers Senate Bill 140 and the broader policy questions it raises, this conversation offers the start of an important opportunity to examine how Vermont’s justice system can balance accountability, public safety, fiscal responsibility, and the recognition that people are capable of meaningful change.”
