Our View: No excuse for Maine State Prison murder
We should reject a prison culture in which the strong are allowed to victimize the weak. There is a common belief that since prisons are filled with dangerous people it’s inevitable that they will be dangerous places.
MAINE COMPASS: Criminal justice system should focus on rehabilitation, not punishment
Last week, legislators considered L.D. 1765, a proposal to create a commission that would examine and revise Maine’s criminal laws. This is an important opportunity for our state to evaluate the effectiveness, objectives and purpose of our criminal justice system.
Death of inmate at Maine State Prison ruled a homicide
Micah Boland, 37, was stabbed to death, apparently by another inmate, state police say.
Our View: ‘Shoot-to-kill’ bill overkill for Windham prison escapes
Should trying to escape from the Maine Correctional Center be a capital offense? A proposal now before the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee could make it one.
Defense attorney: Plea deal being negotiated for former jail guard accused of sex assault
ROCKLAND, Maine — Plea negotiations are ongoing between the defense and district attorney’s office for a former Knox County Jail guard accused of sexually assaulting a female inmate.
New state prison mental health center met with optimism
WARREN, Maine — Last spring, Maine Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte said that during a Cabinet meeting, Gov. Paul LePage leaned over and said to him that more beds for the seriously mentally ill were needed.
Bigger prison, same staff: The math behind LePage’s plan to double beds at Windham prison
As lawmakers work to firm up a state budget that’s out of balance and debate an expansion of Medicaid, a proposal to nearly double the capacity of the Maine Correctional Center in Windham will resurface in coming weeks.
Maine State Prison inmate dies
WARREN, Maine — The death of a 53-year-old prisoner at the Maine State Prison does not appear to be suspicious, according to the Maine Department of Public Safety.
Outcomes of 2 Maine prisoner death cases raise questions as a third inmate murder case gets ready for trial
ROCKLAND, Maine — Three Maine State Prisoners have been beaten to death in less than five years but the outcomes of the first two cases have had mixed results.
York County jail inmate killed himself, police say
Jeffrey Noonan, 49, who was on suicide watch, caused his own death by removing a shunt used for kidney dialysis, officials say.
Brewer man pleads no contest to assaulting prisoner who later died
ROCKLAND, Maine — A former Maine State Prison inmate could serve nine more months behind bars for his role in the April 2009 beating death of another prisoner.
When commencement is a second chance for 13 Maine State Prison inmates
The following is adapted from a commencement address delivered to 13 University of Maine at Augusta graduates who earned bachelor’s and associate’s degrees while incarcerated at the Maine State Prison in Warren. The commencement ceremony took place Nov. 4, 2013. The inmates’ education costs were paid for by the Sunshine Lady Foundation, run by Doris Buffett.
Maine prisoner files claim over pepper-spray incident
The prison controversy led to policy changes and a ‘teachable moment’ for prison personnel.
‘Overdue’ overhaul of Maine criminal laws could be delayed by price tag
AUGUSTA, Maine — The monumental and, as some say, overdue task of overhauling the laws around crime in Maine began to unfold Wednesday around the central question of “how monumental should the task be?”
2nd Knox County jail guard accused of sex assaults against female inmate
ROCKLAND, Maine — A second Knox County Jail guard has been accused of sexually assaulting a female inmate.
Maine’s spending on prisoner health drops but remains among highest in country
Maine has slowed its spending on health care for prisoners over the past decade but remains one of the highest spenders in the country, according to a study conducted by two national nonprofit organizations.
Probationers, photos, nature of crimes removed from publicly accessible Maine prisoner database
WARREN, Maine — A recent change that eliminates some information from the Maine Department of Corrections’ online prisoner-probationer databasehas been greeted with relief by the state’s prisoner advocates.
Prison education program offers new beginnings for Maine inmates
WARREN, Maine — Sergio Hairston played varsity football for Lewiston High School, but the running back had spotty attendance and left school in October 2006, his senior year.
Experts: Number of women in Maine prisons has grown sixfold since 2002
PORTLAND, Maine — The number of women held in the Maine state prison system has grown nearly sixfold since 2002, a stark increase that experts say is sparking new conversations about the best way to rehabilitate female criminals.