Vermont Penal Code Made Simple

by Kimani Upshur, M.Ed.

Most people meet the criminal justice system for the first time when it is already too late: in a courtroom, in a police interview room, or in a letter from the State’s Attorney. Vermont Penal Code Made Simple exists so your first meeting is a calm one. This plain-language guide walks you through Vermont’s actual criminal law — Title 13, Crimes and Criminal Procedure, of the Vermont Statutes Annotated — section by section, in words anyone can understand. Inside you will learn how to read Vermont’s criminal code and look up any law yourself, free and online; how criminal law works, from what makes an act a crime to why the State must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt; and how Vermont grades offenses, with the exact dollar and weight thresholds that change everything. The book covers crimes against persons — homicide, assault, domestic violence, sexual assault, kidnapping, and stalking — with real penalties, and the property, drug, and driving offenses ordinary people meet most. Its framework is three words: Know. Assert. Protect. This is general education, not legal advice, and the book says so plainly. Written from a Christian worldview — Scripture first.