The justice system isn’t always easy to understand. Throughout the campaign, I will share a series of videos to help Chittenden County residents understand the Office of the State’s Attorney, the work we do, and how it impacts our communities.
Domestic Violence
In this episode I talk about domestic violence prosecution and a change I made last year that is already producing real results. I started my career in this office as a VAWA prosecutor handling 200 to 300 domestic assault cases at a time, and I saw firsthand how limited law enforcement capacity to fully investigate these cases put unnecessary pressure on victims. Last year I redirected VAWA funds to hire a dedicated domestic violence investigator housed within my office, a former Burlington police officer with specialized experience in this area. In the past year she has improved the quality of evidence available to us through trauma informed victim statements, witness follow up, progressive injury documentation, and jail calls. The result is that victims are believed and people who cause harm are held accountable. The lesson is that public safety is about using resources wisely and finding what actually works.
Homelessness is a public safety issue, not a crime. I see the consequences of failed policy in my courtroom every day, people cycling through on minor charges and back within months. Prosecution does not break that cycle. Stable housing and treatment do. That is why I have prioritized diversion and expanded the Chittenden County Accountability Court, connecting people to a path forward instead of incarceration.
That does not mean anything goes. My office prosecutes crimes, and when someone causes harm, there are consequences. But anyone promising that more arrests will solve what you see on our streets is not being honest with you. Taking care of our neighbors is what public safety actually requires.
Cash bail is set by a judge, not by prosecutors and not by law enforcement. Its only legal purpose is addressing flight risk, not public safety. In practice, it has become a way to jail people who are presumed innocent simply because they cannot afford to pay. When that happens, housing goes, jobs go, treatment gets cut off, and research shows pretrial detention actually increases the likelihood of reoffending.
Cash bail being sold as a solution to public safety is a false promise. It is not based on evidence. It does not make us safer, it just makes our system less fair.
New episode of Get Curious with Sarah George! Vote in the Democratic primary on August 11th.
Content Warning (CW): The following content includes racist and violent language. Viewer discretion is advised.
As a prosecutor for over 15 years, I have handled threats my entire career. What I did not expect was to become the target of threats and hate from people who believe things about me that are not true, or who want to silence the work that challenges the status quo. But it happens. Especially when candidates run on fear.
I refuse to let intimidation set the agenda. This campaign is about bringing people together, not pushing them apart. A justice system that is fair, smart, and free from fear.
Here is how you can help. Join me on June 30th for a virtual fundraiser with Senator Tanya Vyhovsky, Senator Kesha Ram Hinsdale, and Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner. Link in bio.
This is still Vermont. Help me keep it fair, smart, and fearless
Episode 13 of Get Curious with Sarah George is here and we are talking about race and the legal system.
The American legal system was built on systemic racism and classism. Vermont is not exempt. Our prison population is among the most racially disproportionate in the country, and those disparities run from a simple traffic stop all the way through prosecution and sentencing.
As we approach Juneteenth, I want to be clear: freedom is still not equal for all. Real change means acknowledging that directly, finding solutions outside the system, and standing in solidarity with marginalized communities to declare that freedom is a right, not a privilege.
If you vote for me in the Democratic primary on August 11th, I will keep fighting for a justice system that is fair, smart, and free from fear.
In this episode of Get Curious with Sarah George, I talk about the true origins and meaning of Pride. Pride isn't just about parades and rainbow flags. It began with the Stonewall uprising in 1969, when Black and brown queer people, including trans women Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, resisted police raids and systemic harassment. That resistance laid the foundation for organized LGBTQ+ activism and established Pride as a symbol of defiance, visibility, and liberation. At its core, Pride is protest. It reclaims public spaces, asserts our right to exist openly, and demands equality. It is also community, culture, and public safety.
As a member of the queer community, Pride is deeply personal to me. Queer identities continue to be targeted through laws, policies, and institutions across our country, from healthcare bans to exclusion from public spaces. Representation in leadership matters because it helps ensure our institutions reflect the communities they serve and sends a powerful message that queer people belong everywhere, including in positions of public service and decision making. So as you celebrate Pride this month, remember where it started and the work that still lies ahead. Happy Pride!
In this episode of Get Curious with Sarah George, I talk about accountability courts and the innovative approaches I've been implementing to improve public safety and reduce repeat offenses in Chittenden County. After the pandemic left our courts with a major backlog of cases, it became clear that the traditional court process alone wasn't working fast enough for victims, communities, or the individuals causing harm.
In October 2025, I worked with the governor and the judiciary to create additional court time dedicated to people with multiple pending cases and by the end of February, that court had resolved nearly 700 cases. When that program shifted focus to Rutland, I made sure to continue a version of it here in Chittenden County. Every Friday, we now dedicate a courtroom to addressing repeat offenses and we bring social service providers directly in to connect people with treatment, housing, and other essential support. The goal is real accountability, the kind that actually improves public safety, reduces delays, and delivers faster resolutions for victims and our community.
In this episode of Get Curious with Sarah George, I reflect on the history of the U.S. civil rights movement and the everyday people and leaders who fought to dismantle legal segregation and pass landmark legislation like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
I discuss the critical role local courts, prosecutors, and judges play in upholding constitutional protections, particularly as civil rights face increasing pressure under the current federal administration. I emphasize that Vermonters should feel safe exercising their rights to free speech, protest, and civic engagement without fear of federal overreach.
If re-elected as Chittenden County State's Attorney, I am committed to protecting the civil rights of all Vermonters and speaking out when those rights are under threat.
Episode 9: 2026
In this episode of Get Curious with Sarah George, I talk about how Vermont's prisons are at their highest population since 2019 and it's costing us all.
At $312/day per person, Vermont spends over $95K per incarcerated individual annually, more than twice the national average. That's roughly $500,000 every single day to temporarily warehouse people, many of whom haven't even been convicted of a crime.
529 of the 1,669 people currently incarcerated are detainees, some sitting in jail simply because they can't afford $200 bail.
We can do better. A smarter justice system invests in prevention, mental health, and rehabilitation, saving taxpayer money AND building safer communities.
COURT BACKLOG: UPDATE
In this episode of Get Curious with Sarah George, our first episode of “Season 2026”, I discuss the Court Backlog: Update and provide a report on the progress made in the last 4 years and what that means moving forward.
Since 2020, we have faced an enormous case backlog. This has made it incredibly difficult to prioritize and resolve nonviolent offenses, leading to frustration in our community about whether folks were being held accountable. But through coordination between law enforcement, director service providers, community leaders, and more, we have cleared over 1,000 cases that would not have otherwise been prioritized.
COURT BACKLOG
Episode 7: 2022
Our last episode of the 2022 “Season”: Court Backlog, is an explanation of why our Court backlog is so significant.
In 2020 the Vermont Supreme Court issued an Emergency Order due to COVID that significantly limits the number of cases being heard in Courthouses around Vermont and dramatically impacts the way in which the judicial process operates.
That order expired on August 31st, 2022, nearly three years after the initial court closure. Since re-opening, Courts and State’s Attorney’s offices have been working tirelessly to address the significant backlogs.
While we dug ourselves out of that backlog the Court prioritized the scheduling of violent offenses for trial, further adding to the backlog of misdemeanor and nonviolent offenses.
PRE-TRIAL DETENTION
Episode 6: 2022
Vermont law and the United States Constitution require that every person charged with a crime be presumed innocent. That is not a technicality, it is the cornerstone of our entire criminal legal system. Because of that presumption, the burden of holding someone in jail before they have been convicted of anything is incredibly high, and it should be.
It is also worth addressing cash bail directly. Using it to detain people who simply cannot afford their freedom does not make our community safer. It only makes our legal system less fair. Wealth should never determine whether someone waits for their day in court at home or behind bars.
RESTORATIVE JUSTICE
Episode 5: 2022
Restorative Justice is one of the most powerful tools we have for true accountability, and it is often misunderstood.
This process gives victims significantly more power than our traditional court system. They are able to voice what they need and how they want harm to be repaired. The results speak for themselves: victims are 30% more likely to be satisfied with the outcome of their case through a restorative process, with an overall satisfaction rate of 85%.
If restorative justice means victims are more satisfied and offenders are less likely to re-offend, that is victim-centered, that is accountability, and that is what real public safety looks like.
EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT SAFETY
Episode 4: 2022
I am the only lawyer in a family of nurses. My grandmother, mother, brother, and sister-in-law have all dedicated their careers to nursing, and from an early age they instilled in me a deep appreciation for service, sacrifice, and compassion.
I want to voice my full support for the nurses at UVMMC's Emergency Department, who are facing staffing shortages, wage inequities, and workplace violence. They are essential members of our community and deserve the resources necessary to do this work safely.
If you hear that my office refuses to prosecute assaults against Emergency Department staff, please get curious. Many of the cases brought to my attention were never referred to my office by law enforcement in the first place. When they are, we pursue accountability in a manner consistent with our values. Prosecution, however, is only one part of a much larger equation.
Healthcare professionals deserve safe staffing, competitive wages, and accessible healthcare. I stand with them, and all nurses, as they advocate for what they have rightfully earned.
CRIME RATES
Episode 3: 2022
There is a targeted campaign of disinformation happening around crime in our community and it is scaring people unnecessarily.
When someone tells you crime is at a record high? Get curious. Yes, certain crimes ticked up in 2021 and 2022, but overall, crime is still nearly a third lower than it was ten years ago. That's not opinion, that's data.
Are there concerning incidents of violence in our community? Absolutely. And when police solve those cases and send them to my office, we are working to hold people accountable. But here's something worth sitting with: policing, prosecuting, and incarcerating people alone does not make communities safer. What actually works is investing in people. Food security, housing, economic opportunity, that's what moves the needle, and the facts and experts in this field back that up.
Our community is safer now than it was five years ago. Don't let fear mongering tell you otherwise.
POLICIES
Episode 2: 2022
This episode is all about transparency and what policies my office actually has, where to find them, and how to spot misinformation.
When I became State's Attorney in 2017, I committed to being open with our community about what my office does and why. That means everything is in writing. My Mission Statement, Bill of Values, bail policy, racial equity policy, fair and impartial policing policy, truancy policy, nonpublic safety stop policy, and more. It's all on my website under Platform and Policies.
So here's the thing, if someone tells you my office has a policy of not prosecuting serious offenses? Get curious! If we have a policy, it exists in writing and it's publicly available. No guessing, no taking anyone's word for it. Go check for yourself.
We want to hear from you. What questions do you have about the justice system, prosecution, public safety, victims’ rights, diversion, or how cases move through the courts? Use the button below to add your question and we’ll do our best to answer them in upcoming videos!