Right now, there are around 150 Vermonters behind bars in Tutwiler, Mississippi.

Question-asker Devon Kurtz is wondering: Why does the state send these men to a private prison more than a thousand miles away — especially since there's a vacant prison in Windsor, Vermont?

Click here for the web version of this episode, including photos and a full transcript. And read an in-depth dispatch from Liam’s visit to Tutwiler here.

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This episode was reported by Liam Elder-Connors. Editing and production from Sabine Poux, Burgess Brown, Alicia Freese and Josh Crane. Our intern is Sarah Bokelberg. Angela Evancie is our Executive Producer. Theme music by Ty Gibbons; other music by Blue Dot Sessions.

Special thanks to Zoe McDonald, Catherine Hurley and Tom Marsh.

This episode was made possible with support from the Vermont Public Journalism Fund.

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Brave Little State is a production of Vermont Public and a proud member of the NPR Network.