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Explore our coverage of government and politics.

ACLU Shares Responses To Its Criminal Justice Survey From State's Attorney Candidates

A Vermont man charged with murder is arguing the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution should protect him from facing the death penalty.
Michal Chodyra
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iStock
The ACLU of Vermont surveyed 20 candidates for state's attorney on a range of criminal justice issues.

The Vermont chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has gotten a lukewarm response from state’s attorney candidates to its survey on a range of criminal justice issues.

Of the 20 candidates surveyed, ACLU of Vermont Executive Director James Lyall said three gave full responses. Many other responses were prepared collectively by the Department of State's Attorneys and Sheriffs.

More from VPR — Who's Your County Prosectutor? ACLU Wants To Make State's Attorneys Household Names [June 7]

Lyall said elected prosecutors play a huge, but perhaps unrecognized role in reforming the criminal justice system and reducing the prison population.

"No public official has more power to implement those kinds of reforms than elected prosecutors," Lyall told VPR. "Vermonters also have said that they're more likely to favor candidates for state’s attorney who will increase transparency and accountability. And so this survey is an effort to do that, to increase transparency and attention to an important office that often flies under the radar."

The state's attorney candidate survey responses are posted on the ACLU of Vermont's website.

Disclosure: The American Civil Liberties Union is a VPR underwriter.

John worked for VPR in 2001-2021 as reporter and News Director. Previously, John was a staff writer for the Sunday Times Argus and the Sunday Rutland Herald, responsible for breaking stories and in-depth features on local issues. He has also served as Communications Director for the Vermont Health Care Authority and Bureau Chief for UPI in Montpelier.
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