The Maine Department of Corrections is finally entering the 21st century. The expansion and rehabilitation of the prisons at South Windham and Warren along with the new juvenile centers at Charleston and South Portland have resulted in a cleaner, safer and more functional Corrections Department.

We are not yet finished. All of the work, construction, training and offender programming done so far will be of little value to taxpayers if the rest of the rebuilding is not completed.

Phase II will enable the department to actually provide necessary treatment programs for the sex offenders in the system. It will increase the effectiveness of the security perimeters of the South Windham facility. It will continue to provide much needed jobs in one of the most economically depressed counties in Maine. It will increase the ability to provide enhanced community transition programs to prisoners who are about to be released, and it will help reduce the cost of housing prisoners by up to 34 percent at some institutions.

At Machias, the total bed space would increase from 96 to 152 with minimal additional costs due to design improvements and security enhancements. At South Windham, all of the renovated areas would be in compliance with American Corrections Association standards and building codes. A new infirmary would be built to care for sick prisoners and new visiting areas would be cleaner and safer for the public. New and more efficient classification systems would be added, as well as a perimeter fence to increase institutional security. Officer and prisoner safety will be enhanced at all of the facilities, and that can only be good for taxpayers.

All this along with the lowest interest rates for public bonds in years makes it worthwhile to vote yes on Question 1 bond issue, the Phase II prison construction question, on Nov. 5.

Edward Willey

State of Maine coordinator

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees

Council 93

Augusta