CONCEPT DRAFT

SUMMARY

This bill is a concept draft pursuant to Joint Rule 208.

This bill proposes to encourage greater efficiencies in the delivery of county correctional services using one or more of the following:

1. State funds for cost-benefit analyses and start-up expenses of innovative and cost-saving correctional facilities and programs, including those shared by 2 or more counties;

2. State financial incentives through the community corrections provisions of the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 34-A, section 1210-A for a county or group of counties that demonstrate an ability to reduce the cost of providing correctional services while maintaining the level of service required by state and federal rules, laws and constitutional requirements;

3. Reductions in existing legal, geographic, technological and other impediments to the more efficient delivery of correctional services, including, but not limited to:

A. Legal barriers to holding pretrial judicial proceedings and trials in the court nearest the place of incarceration in order to reduce inmate transport costs; and

B. Increased utilization of video circuits for arraignments and other proceedings; and

4. A state-administered county correctional facility construction agency modeled along the lines of the programs that finance the construction of public schools or state government facilities.