Work on women’s pre-release center has begun on River Road - By Michelle Libby

Ready for foundation to be layed next week

Last year two meetings were held to discuss the 23,000 square foot women’s pre-release facility that was to be built on River Road in front of the Maine Correctional Center. Landry/French Construction Company of Scarborough broke ground in late November. Next week, the foundation will be poured, according to Dr. Joseph Fitzpatrick, Commissioner of the Maine Department of Corrections.

The program allows women with three years left on their sentence, who have good behavior, the opportunity to transition to the pre-release program. Though this facility they continue to get training, therapy and management, however they are no longer behind bars and are encourage to work in the community.
“This is extreme low risk. It’s called community level of custody and there is no risk to the community, but a lot of benefits,” Fitzpatrick said at the meeting last March.

The building will have state of the art security, cameras and alarmed doors and two officers will be on duty at all times. There will be 68 beds with an addition 24 possible, if needed.

The pre-release program currently resides in Alfred in a building that it too small and lacks programming space. It also has no medical facilities for the women who have to travel to the Maine Correctional Center to get care.

They anticipate the project being finished in early 2017 and will cost just under $10 million.