Press Release

Welch Pushes Bureau of Prisons to Clarify Stance on Residential Reentry Center in Vermont Following Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing 

Mar 13, 2024

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Following a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in late-February, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.) submitted written questions for the record for Bureau of Prisons Director Collette Peters, continuing to push the Director on why Vermont remains one of only two states without a Residential Reentry Center (RRC) despite the support from the Vermont Congressional Delegation, federal stakeholders, and the Vermont’s legal community.  

In the hearing Sen. Welch reiterated his, and the Delegation’s, support for a Residential Reentry Center, and expressed his intention to continue advocating for an RRC in Vermont. After the hearing, Sen. Welch asked Director Peters to clarify the following questions, including why the BOP has refused to place an RRC in Vermont: 

  1. What is the basis of BOP’s conclusion that Vermont does not need an RRC? 
  1. Please identify the number and location of all Vermont residents housed in RRCs as of February 28, 2024. 
  1. What steps have you personally taken to assess the need for reentry services in Vermont? 
  1. What steps has BOP taken to assess the need for reentry services in Vermont? 
  1. Have you reviewed the Vermont delegation’s letter, dated December 12, 2023, regarding Vermont’s preference for an RRC in our state? 
  1. Have you reviewed the letter from Chief Judge Crawford, dated December 12, 2023, regarding the federal judiciary’s preference for an RRC in Vermont? 
  1. What are the estimated 10-year costs for BOP to open an RRC in Vermont? 
  1. What has BOP currently budgeted for the RFP issued for a DRC in Vermont? 
  1. How many individuals per year do you expect a DRC would serve in Vermont? 
  1. What reentry services would they receive at a DRC? 
  1. What on-site programming is available at a DRC? 
  1. How many employees would BOP have at a DRC? 
  1. How many individuals per year would you expect an RRC to serve in Vermont? 
  1. What reentry services would they receive at an RRC? 
  1. What on-site programming is available at an RRC? 
  1. How many employees would BOP have at an RRC? 
  1. Please attach a copy of the market study conducted by BOP on placing an RRC in Vermont to the responses to these questions. 

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