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Lawmakers look to revise youth justice system

Maine legislators heard from the Maine Department of Corrections on the plan for youth justice system

MAINE, USA — The Maine Department of Corrections and the state legislature are working on ways to better support people in youth prison.

In doing that, Maine DOC Commissioner Randy Liberty said he and his team are working to provide more community-based corrections. He presented the findings of an assessment done by the Center for Children’s Law and Policy and said the DOC is now looking for a number of smaller facilities.

Commissioner Liberty said the DOC is trying to find tow to four locations across Maine, “in northern, central and southern [Maine] and we’ve done that. We’ve located 18 buildings that may be a possibility,” he said

Right now, Long Creek Youth Development Center is the only youth prison in Maine. The idea is to bring down the number of people in each facility and keep young people in their own community.

"A more therapeutic environment so finding that balance between therapeutic and providing the services that they need to transition successfully and still provide public safety," Liberty said.

The Maine DOC is working to find the right communities that will be able to provide necessary resources for these facilities.

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