Maine Inmate Search
Maine inmate records refer to the documentation of people imprisoned within the state’s correctional facilities, like prisons and county facilities. These are considered public information, so they can be viewed and inspected per the Maine Freedom of Information Act. These records include the person’s physical description, age, date of birth, criminal charges, sentencing information, and court dates. The information is maintained by the Maine Department of Corrections, so record seekers that would like to know more information on inmate welfare or facility policies can contact the department by phone or in person.
Typically an inmate search is done via the online portal provided by the Department of Corrections. However, there are third-party sites that can also provide information on the offender. These may provide the required information, but it is always safe to use the designated state platform. To perform a successful inmate search, the interested party has to know a specific amount of information concerning the offender. For one, one should know the person’s full names, where they were incarcerated, and booking numbers. Requesters that do through the search database may not be able to immediately locate the inmate, which means they are either in a federal facility or a local jail that has not yet updated its database. Though some databases allow one to search using a partial name or an alias, the Maine Department of Corrections platform does not. So one would be required to give the individual's first, middle, and last name.
What Are Maine Inmate Records?
Maine inmate records are information that is provided concerning individuals serving in any of the state or county facilities. These records are accessible to all parties with no legal restrictions due to the Freedom of Information Act. They are also maintained by the Maine Department of Corrections, which avails an online platform through which interested parties can search for information on inmates.
The data includes physical details, criminal charges, court dates, and bail information. Anyone who does not get the desired information on an inmate may call the county-specific sheriff’s office, as they are charged with maintaining the data. Alternatively, they may contact the Department of Corrections for inmate welfare and policies queries.
It is also important to note that public criminal histories can be obtained through the online Public Criminal History Request service. The information held within the service, though, would solely be for informational reasons. Law enforcement personnel are also advised to take no action against a client based on the information provided on the platform. They also should not act without a consult with the Department of Corrections.
What Are Maine Prison and Jail Records?
Maine has 16 counties and 13 jails spread across the state. There are also six state prisons that the Maine Department of Corrections maintains. Though the sheriff’s office manages the county jails, the MDOC coordinates the inmate data and welfare across the counties. State prisons in Maine cater to felonies and higher-order misdemeanors from inmates. The county jails deal with inmates that have committed misdemeanors that do not attract more than a year’s sentence. Maine County jails are temporary holding facilities for inmates awaiting trial or sentencing.
The Maine Department of Corrections also coordinates two juvenile corrections centers. The MDOC runs a program that provides services to the public and other government bodies in different areas, like license plates, embroidery, upholstery, garments, wood harvesting, and engraving.
Maine Department of Corrections also illustrates the inmates under supervision when they are on probation, along with those under managed community confinement. Its adult prisoner and probationer search services make it possible to review inmate release dates as well. Though, it is usual for the record custodian to seal that data for privacy or security reasons.
Maine incarcerates 328 per 100,000 individuals in prisons, immigration, detention, and juvenile facilities. From the US Census information, it was found that people of color were overrepresented in arrests within the state. Black people were found to be imprisoned at 1,553 per 100,000. Native Americans also had a high incarceration rate of 747 per 100,000. Whites were found to be underrepresented in the prison population, while blacks, Latinos, and American Indians were overrepresented.
Maine refers to its incarcerated population as residents or under community supervision. Per the criminal legal system, out of the prison population, the higher population is on probation, while the others are in state prisons or local jails. Federal prisons have a smaller population than these, while parole and involuntary commitment make the least members of the Maine criminal legal system.
Interestingly, Maine prisons and jails are shifting their incarceration expenses to those behind bars. Jails in Maine currently charge upwards of $3.15 for a 15-minute phone call, though the prisons cost $1.35 per quarter-hour call. Maine suspended its co-pay as well for prisons at the start of the pandemic when it came to flu-related visits, though the goal is to eliminate them considering the economic cost to the inmates. Inmates in the Maine prisons, though, have a zero balance in their account to get basic hygiene items, legal photocopies, and writing supplies. Convicts in prisons, though, earn 58 cents an hour for the work done. Unfortunately, the state does not offer e-messaging. Maine facilities also release 755 individuals every year.
How to Perform Inmate Search in Maine
Maine’s Department of Corrections caters to all inmate information, providing data on adult prisoners and probationer search services. Interested parties may access the records by entering specific details on the inmate state inmate portal. That is their full names, gender, age range, weight, eye color, current status, and offense type. The results should illustrate a list of individuals that fit the search criteria, so requesters may select the appropriate option and get a full profile.
On the other hand, it is possible to access county-specific information on inmates. The sheriff’s office maintains county jails, so interested parties can search the information using the portals provided by their offices. For example, counties like have a list of inmates that is published online. Interested parties in these cases may use the appropriate search list to find a person in jail. For the counties that do not provide information on inmates online, it is possible to view their records by contacting the appropriate sheriff’s office or county state department of corrections.
How to Contact an Inmate in Maine
It is not possible to call an inmate that is housed at a Maine corrections department facility, though they are able to make outgoing collect calls or prepaid during approved hours. Suppose the inmate is not able to afford the call fees. In that case, it is possible to fund their prepaid telephone account by depositing funds with a debit or credit card via the Department of Corrections web portal. It is worth noting that the site does not accept prepaid debit cards, though.
Alternatively, well-wishers may fund the inmate accounts by depositing the revenue in the kiosks that are located in the county jail lobbies. Should there be an emergency as well, one can call the jail facility on the phone and talk to the staff, who will then relay the message after it has been reviewed by law enforcement and relevant authorities. Once the emergency has been verified, the facility can have a special phone call for the inmate. That being said, all phone calls from inmates are monitored and recorded.
If one attempts to use call forwarding or a three-way calling, the call may be terminated. The inmate is also going to lose their phone privileges. As of April 2022, Justice Janet Mills approved the H.P. 853, which caps the calls of costs in state prisons. That means the calls cannot exceed the federally mandated rate of 12 cents a minute in prisons. It can go as high as 21 cents per minute in jails. The Maine Department of Corrections currently charges the prisoners 9 cents a minute via a contract with Legacy Inmate Communications.
Inmates cannot receive and send emails as well, through e-messaging. It is also possible to get printed mail from family and well-wishers. The Department of Corrections has mandated that all incoming general correspondence for adult residents has to be on 8 ½” x 11 white paper. It should also be printed or written in black or dark blue ink. Interested parties, though, are not allowed to send mail that has unique fonts or on colored paper. Each facility also has the right to maintain practices for inspection, reading, and restricting prisoner mail. That is as necessary to prevent the introduction of contraband and to ensure the safety of prisoners, staff, and others.
How to Visit an Inmate in Maine
The Maine Department of Corrections permits residents to allow family, friends, and professional visitors to visit inmates under conditions consistent with the safety, security, and orderly management of facilities. Maine’s Department of Corrections has a visitor’s guide that provides clear information concerning visit protocols and rules to prevent conflict. The Maine Department of Corrections also provides directions on parking and check-in, which can be answered following contact.
Visitors to jail and prison facilities are also mandated to follow facility rules such as appearing on time, wearing appropriate clothing from neck to knee, and not carrying contraband. Clothing should not have any vulgar markings, and neither should they engage in loud or inappropriate talk. Visitors are mandated to provide their government-issued identification on arrival. Any underage visitors must also come with their legal guardians or approved adult visitors. The staff members are expected to be professional and they are expected to be courteous at every time. It is equally important that visitors approach the staff members with respect. However, Regular visitors must notify the Chief Administrative Officer or the designee at least a week before scheduling the next visit. That is, the visitors have been charged with or are found guilty of a crime or a juvenile crime since approval has been granted.
No visitor other than immediate family members is allowed more than one resident visit list. Immediate families such as mother, father, children, foster, spouse or adoptive parents, and grandparents are allowed to visit. Similarly, step-relatives such as brothers, sisters, and parents may visit as well. The visit applications can be obtained from the resident that one wants to visit or from the Maine State Prison.
Professional visits are those concerning a significant matter involving a resident between a resident and legal representatives or private investigators. It can also be a legal advocacy organization or Department of Corrections staff from outside the facility. There is no professional who is allowed to schedule a visit with the resident unless it is approved via the Chief Administrative Officer. Verification of professional capacity, though, would be needed. If the requirements are met, then approval would be given unless there is suspicion that allowing the individual to visit would facilitate criminal activities or violate the facility regulations. Visits should be done on specific days of the week as well, depending on the county facility or the state prison.
How to Send Money to an Inmate in Maine
Offenders are allowed to receive funds from their friends and well-wishers via deposit to the commissary account as well as the telephone account. The Maine Department of Corrections, though, has made it easier to deposit revenue via the online portal. Inmates can then use the money to buy different items from the commissary. That is a store in the facility that sells hygiene, snacks, commodities, stationery, games, and postage. To deposit money, the well-wisher must know the Maine Department of Corrections number of the inmate and their date of birth. It is also possible to use debit and credit cards to deposit money into the inmate's account. The MDOC provides a registering portal for individuals so they can access the inmate’s details and deposit revenue. Though, individuals can deposit money into the inmate’s accounts using the kiosks located in the facilities' jail lobbies. Some facilities have Touchpay platforms also allowing individuals to pay for telephone or commissary services as needed by the inmates.