In
last week's edition of "The Monument", a
'Sound Off' writer complained that prisoners were
not being used to help keep highways clean, and that
DOT workers need to do this work. In fact, prisoners
in the past, from facilities such as the Maine Correctional
Center, have provided tens of thousands of hours for
community service.
Gray has benefited from prisoners painting the library,
the old central fire station, renovating a fire truck,
helping to relocate trash and recyclable bins at the
transfer station, painting the inside of Stimson Hall,
and thousands of hours at the Wildlife Park. Gorham,
Windham, Casco, Otisfield, and Falmouth are among
some of the other communities that have benefited
from community service programs from the prisoners
at Maine Correctional Center.
Prisoners, under the supervision of trained correctional
trades instructors, have donated thousands of hours
to the Salvation Army Camp Sebago, Camp Sunshine in
Casco, Otter Ponds Camp and numerous churches and
non-profit organizations. They put a new roof on the
Westbrook armory and even assisted in fencing in the
Long Creek Youth Development Center several years
ago. They have even picked up trash along the interstate.
Could they do more?
Like any agency, MCC is dependent upon state funding.
Over the past few years as demands have gone up and
the state's revenues have held steady, such community
service is no longer available because people are
no longer available to supervise these crews.
Prisoner work crews have a long history in contributing
to community service, yet the financial considerations
and state revenues no longer allow these crews to
be as active as they have been in the past. Today
requests are prioritized based on levels of need.
If they could supply the supervision to watch prisoners
pick up litter and prevent escape, they probably would.
