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Women's Facility Replacement Project

The Vermont Department of Corrections (DOC) and Department of Buildings and General Services (BGS) are partnering to replace Vermont’s sole women’s facility, Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility (CRCF). 

CRCF was built over 50 years ago and designed as a short-term detention center for men. It reflects an outdated ideology, was not built to serve women, and cannot adequately meet the needs of those who live and work there. 

A replacement women’s facility will create a more dignified and supportive environment for incarcerated women in Vermont to heal and prepare to re-enter society. It will support better outcomes for justice-involved women and, in turn, Vermont’s communities. 

The proposed facility will include: 

  • A secure correctional area with vocational training space, offices, healthcare services and indoor and outdoor recreation spaces 

  • A re-entry area to prepare women for transition back into the community 

Evidence-Based Design: 

Photo of gardens at River Valley Therapeutic Residence in Essex, Vermont
Department of Mental Health
River Valley Therapeutic Residence
Essex, Vermont

Women follow different pathways to incarceration than men, and many incarcerated women report past traumatic experiences prior to incarceration, such as sexual and domestic violence. Trauma-informed and gender-responsive design is critical to fostering a rehabilitative environment. 

BGS and DOC are utilizing evidence-based design to ensure the facility is built to meet the needs of the women that live there. The facility is informed by Scandinavian correctional facilities and the Southern Maine Women’s Reentry Center. 

Evidence-based design principles include: 

  • Incorporating natural light and a calming color scheme

  • Ties to the outside and natural elements

  • No slamming doors, bells, or loud announcement 

  • Sound dampening features 

Frequently Asked Questions

Please click this link for a full list of frequently asked questions

Siting the Facility:  

The state conducted a comprehensive search of all state-owned land and several plots of private land to identify areas that could potentially host the facility. From this search, including over 400 plots of state-owned land, DOC and BGS identified two potential sites in Essex with the capacity to support design needs. 

DOC and BGS prioritized locating the facility in greater Chittenden County to maintain access to the existing workforce and current service providers at CRCF. The two sites are situated near public transportation and businesses where women in the re-entry program can search for employment. The two sites will also allow DOC to preserve critical partnerships with service providers located in the Burlington area such as Lund’s Kids-A-Part, Mercy Connections, the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (DIVAS program), and Vermont Works for Women. 

DOC and BGS are initiating conversations with the Town of Essex to explore the two potential sites and engage the town on their interest in locating the women’s correctional facility in this area.  

Public Presentations & Community Engagement: 

Upcoming events:

  • 10/5/24 - Essex Community Justice Center community forum, 10:00-11:30am, Essex Town Hall Community Room
  • 10/9/24 - Essex Community Justice Center virtual community forum, 6:00-7:30pm
  • 10/24/24 - Essex Planning Commission meeting and public comment, Essex High School

Past presentations:

Contact: 

DOC and BGS welcome any questions, comments, or concerns about the new facility. To get in touch with a member of our team, please reach out to ahs.docwomensfacility@vermont.gov.