§ 3272. Community reentry; prerelease planning

(a) Consistent with 28 V.S.A. § 721, the Department of Corrections shall jointly establish with the community of planned residence a community reentry support team for all offenders designated as high risk under section 5411b of this title. The Department, the reentry support team, and the offender shall jointly begin developing a release plan for each offender subject to this subsection beginning at least 12 months prior to the offender’s release. The Department shall designate a person to oversee the creation of prerelease plans developed under this section and to review completed plans.

(b) A release plan developed under this section shall be individually tailored for each offender, shall describe in detail the community reentry programming planned for the offender, and shall include provisions addressing:

(1) the appropriate residence for the offender;

(2) postrelease treatment;

(3) the community support and accountability network available to the offender; and

(4) potential employment for the offender, including job and skills training.

(c) A release plan developed under this section shall include a plan for victim safety developed jointly by the Department and any known victim desiring to participate. A plan developed pursuant to this subsection shall include victim wraparound services when practicable and desired by the victim.

(d) Notwithstanding the provisions of 3 Vt. Stat. Ann. chapter 25, the Department shall develop an internal directive to implement the provisions of this section.

(e) This section shall not be construed to affect in any way the Department’s duty to develop and implement plans for offenders to return to the community under 28 V.S.A. § 1(b). (Added 2005, No. 192 (Adj. Sess.), § 14.)