1. MAINE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
A Plan For
A Unified State Adult Correctional System
January 28, 2008

2. Challenges Faced By Our Correctional System Denise Lord
Overcrowding in state & county jails systems exist while a surplus of beds is available several counties. By 2011 prisoner populations nationally will be up by 13% while Maine can expect a rise of 21%. Both the State & several counties are considering new construction to meet both immediate & future bed space demand;
The cost to manage & operate the state and county correctional facilities is also on the rise. During the last 3 years the cost to operate county jails has increased at a rate of 9% compared to an increase of 5.7% in the State prison system. Property tax payers paid $67 million dollars in 2006 & is estimated to pay $72 million in If nothing changes, it is estimated it will cost property tax payers $148 million in & $184 million by 2015 to operate county jails.

3. Goals of Unification Provide for Property Tax Relief;
Provide for an Overall Reduction in County & State Correctional System Cost through greater efficiencies;.
Reduce the Rate of Growth in the Cost of Corrections;
Improve the Services for Offenders with Special Needs (mental health, substance abuse, co-occurring disorders);
Provide for Community Alternatives including Graduated Sanctions for Probation Violates & Pre-trail Services in all Regions;
Provide a standards Level of care for all Prisoners including Medical, Mental Health & Medication Management;
Manage Available Jail & Prison Bed Space Statewide to Utilize Existing Bed Space & Avoid the Cost of New Construction in the Immediate Future.
Pursue Professional Correctional Accreditation of Facilities

4. Regional Service Centers for Financing, Human Resources & IT Services
Consolidate Contractual Services
Commodities , Food & Commissary Services, Clothing, Linens, Uniforms & Fuel;
Medical, Mental Health & Substance Abuse
Regionalize Pre-Trial Services;
Pharmacy Services;
Inmate Programs & Services
Regional Transportation System
Regional Training System

5. Proposed Unified Correction System Design Ralph Nichols
MDOC would assume the authority & operations of all county jail facilities;
Regional correctional facilities will be organized according to the 8 existing prosecutorial districts to maximize the resources & meet the needs of each district. This design would provide;
10 regional correctional facilities in the 8 districts ;
3 re-entry centers; (Bangor WRC, Cumberland Re-entry & York Re-entry Center)
2 mental health units; (Two Bridges MH Stabilization Unit, MSP MH Treatment Unit)
A unit for female offenders sentenced to more than 90 days;
A protective custody unit &;
A medical infirmary unit;
5 county jails would be closed (Franklin, Kennebec, Oxford, Piscataquis, & Waldo) & converted to 72 hour holding facilities to accommodate local law enforcement needs & minimize transports;
Offender populations would be managed based on a predetermined design of where pre-trail & sentenced inmates will be housed for any given district;
Offenders with special needs or high risk security concerns would be managed in specialized housing units according to a centralized classification system;
A core of fundamental programs, services & interventions would be provided at all regional correctional facilities to address the many & varied needs of inmates.

6. Eight Districts

7. Each Regional Correctional Facilities Would Provide One or More of the Following Functions
72 Hour Holding Facility: A facility certified under Holding Facility Standards pursuant to MRSA 34- Section 1208 to detain offenders arrested up to 72 hours for the purpose booking, bail, transport to a regional facility or a court appearance within 72 hours of being delivered to the Sheriff.
Pre-Trial/Short Term Sentences: A facility designated for the detention of pre-trial offenders or inmates sentenced to 90 days or less;
Pre-Trial/Longer Term Sentences: A facility designated for the detention of pre-trial offenders or inmates sentenced to more than 90 days up to one year.
Re-Entry Centers: A minimum security, community based residential facility designed for the transition of offenders from a secure correctional setting to the community based on an established release plan.
Infirmary: A correctional Unit providing an increased level of medical care for medical needs that can’t be managed safely in in an out patient setting but not of a level requiring hospitalization .
Mental Health Unit: A correctional Unit providing short term diagnostic evaluation, stabilization and treatment for serverly mentally ill inmates.

8. Redistribution of Jail Population & Resulting Unified System Capacity

9. Unified Correctional System

10. Resulting Unified System Combined MDOC & Jail Population Projections & Capacity

11. Unified System Anticipated Savings & Cost Avoidance Scott Ferguson

12. Needs & Inventory Focus Group Task to Complete For BOA to Plan System Changes Mike Vitiello & Ralph Nichols
Update Data & Information on Existing System
MDOC & Jail Population Projections
Existing Average Daily Populations by Gender, Classification, Legal Status, Admissions & Releases.
Update MDOC & Jail Capacities, Both Operational & Fully Rated Capacity. Determine impact of MDOC Budget Reductions on system capacity.
Existing Facilities Staffing Inventory/Analysis
Update Existing Facility Inmate Programs & Services
Jail Facility Physical Plant Inventory
Existing Jail Support Services (Admin, Finance, HR, Training, IT)

13. Planning Efforts
Analysis information & data collected on a statewide basis
Conduct Planning Sessions with stake holder to identify potential system options & efficiencies.
Present options to working group for review & recommendations
Develop proposed implementation/transition plan & time frame
Present recommendation to BOA for consideration.