Maine Inmate Records

Maine ranks low in incarceration rate. With about 107 inmates per 100,000 residents, the state's imprisonment rate is about 69.9% lower than the national incarceration rate average, which stands at 355 per 100,000 total population. According to reports, an estimated 3,137 individuals are incarcerated across jails and prisons. This includes about 1,657 in-state prisons and approximately 1,480 in local jails. Although no federal prison operates in Maine, offenders convicted of federal crimes are sentenced to federal prisons in other states.

Inmates incarcerated within the state's prison system are supervised by different government agencies. In other words, offenders held in state prisons and local jails are not overseen by the same prison/jail authority. Each correctional authority is responsible for maintaining records of inmates in their custody. Unlike the federal prison system or some states, offenders convicted of violating state laws in Maine are all incarcerated in state-operated prisons, not local jails or private correctional facilities.

The following are some of the details included in a typical Maine inmate record:

• Personal Information - This includes the inmate's name, aliases (if applicable), age, weight, hair color, eye color, gender, race, mugshot, and physical identifiers like tattoos. Scars and marks.
• Arrest Details - These include the date, place, and time of the arrest, booking information, charges, the arrest warrant, and details of the arresting agency.
• Court Record and Conviction Details - These include offense and offense class, count, sentence date, length of sentence, court trial details, name of the court, and docket number.
• Custody and Release Information - This includes the name of the holding incarceration facility and contact information, incarceration status, MDOC number, and the earliest custody release date.

Are Inmate Records Public in Maine?

Yes. Most inmate records in Maine are considered public information under the state's Freedom of Access Act. This Act grants members of the public the right of access to public records collected and maintained by government agencies, while also protecting the privacy rights of individual citizens and government interests. Juvenile inmate records are considered confidential in the state and may not be publicly disclosed. Similarly, inmate records that have been expunged or sealed in Maine are exempt from public disclosure in Maine.

What Agencies Are Responsible for Inmate Records in Maine?

Maine government agencies authorized to incarcerate convicted offenders and/or keep their records include the following:

• The State of Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC) - The Maine Department of Corrections is responsible for the administrative supervision of the adult and juvenile correctional facilities in the state. In addition, it has a responsibility to keep records of all the inmates incarcerated in the 7 state-operated adult correctional facilities and 1 juvenile facility. Offenders housed in these facilities are typically those convicted of serious crimes, leading to long-term incarceration.
• Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) - Generally, inmates confined in federal prisons for violating federal laws are overseen by the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP), which also maintains the records of such inmates. While there is no federal prison in Maine, individuals who commit federal offenses in the state and are convicted of their crimes are sentenced to federal prisons in other states to serve their terms. The BOP keeps detailed records of such persons while they serve their prison sentences.
• County Sheriff's Offices - The local jail system in Maine is administered by the county sheriff's offices across the state. Each county sheriff in charge of a local jail is responsible for keeping up-to-date records of all inmates confined in their custody. The majority of inmates incarcerated in the state's 15 local jails are those serving short sentences (usually one year or less) and individuals awaiting trial.
• Police Departments - Generally, local police departments in Maine handle the initial arrests that lead to offenders' convictions and consequent sentencing to prisons or jails. While they do not provide custody for convicted individuals, they keep detailed records of all arrests executed under their jurisdiction, some of which are a part of inmate records in the state. Similarly, the State Bureau of Identification (SBI) maintains criminal history records, which typically include arrest and conviction information, despite not directly keeping inmate records.

How To Search an Inmate's Information in Maine

Before engaging in any inmate information search or lookup in Maine, it is best to have details of the correctional facility where the inmate is confined.

Find an inmate in the Maine State Prisons

The Adult Resident Search system provided by the Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC) enables interested parties to find information regarding adult inmates in state prisons overseen by the MDOC. Users can search for inmates using their MDOC numbers or names and fill in as many search fields as possible to narrow the search. The result obtained from this search generally includes an inmate's personal information, convictions, and the condition of supervision.

Another means of searching inmate information in the Maine state-run prison is visiting the correctional facility housing the inmate. Record custodians are always willing to help as long as individuals seeking information regarding inmates can provide basic details that can facilitate the search. While this service may attract a small charge, information retrieved on any inmate is typically detailed.

Find an Inmate in Local Jail

Anyone seeking to obtain information about an inmate in a Maine local jail should look the inmate up using the online inmate search tool provided by the sheriff's office in charge of that facility. Generally, each local jail maintains its own collection of inmate records, which can contain details like the inmate's name, booking date, charges, bail amount, and release dates. Interested persons will need to search these inmate tools with the relevant parameters to obtain information about the inmates whose records they intend to retrieve.

Alternatively, a person may need to contact the local jail housing an inmate to make a direct inquiry about the inmate's records in their possession and inquire about what is required to obtain more comprehensive records. Depending on the county, a requester may be asked to submit a written request (it must contain relevant information to help facilitate the search) in person or by mail.

Find an Inmate in Federal Prison

The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) offers the public an Inmate Locator that can enable them to retrieve information regarding inmates housed in federal correctional facilities from 1982 to the present. While federal prisoners are not held in Maine because the state has no federal prison, information regarding individuals convicted of federal crimes but sentenced to serve their terms in out-of-state federal prisons may be found by looking up the BOP Inmate Locator. Generally, the Inmate Locator allows users to find information using inmates' names or their BOP register numbers as the search criterion.

How Can I Access Old Inmate Records?

Records of inmates previously incarcerated in state-operated prisons in Maine may be found through the State Archives, while those of offenders who served their terms in federal prisons are available through the National Archives. Third-party sites like Mainepublicrecords.us are also reliable platforms for looking up records of old inmates in the state. These websites typically gather public information, including inmate records, from credible and official sources, and upload them to their databases, where members of the public can gain access to them, although at a nominal fee.

If someone needs detailed records of a former inmate who served their prison or jail term in a Maine state-run prison or local jail, they may visit the prison or jail where the inmate was incarcerated to request detailed information about them. In most cases, requesters will be required to submit written requests containing certain details that can help custodians locate the files of the inmates whose records they seek. This also applies to former inmates who served prison terms in federal prisons outside the state.

Alternatively, detailed information about an old inmate may be accessed by submitting a public records request to the relevant correctional authority in possession of such information. If an offender was previously incarcerated in a Maine state-operated correctional facility, anyone may retrieve comprehensive information about the inmate by submitting a Freedom of Access Act (FOAA)request to the state's Department of Corrections (MDOC) by email or contacting the MDOC at (207) 287-4336. The request must contain the applicant's name and information regarding the record they seek. Interested persons may submit FOIA requests to the BOP to obtain information regarding former inmates incarcerated in federal correctional facilities.

Can I Find a Maine Inmate Record for Free?

Maine inmate records are available for free through inmate search resources provided by each correctional authority in the state. These resources generally permit inmate lookup using specific search criteria, but each can only provide access to information regarding inmates under the jurisdiction of the prison/jail authority supervising them.

To find information about an inmate who is incarcerated in Maine's prison system, regardless of which agency supervises them or where the inmate is housed, consider using independent sites like Mainepublicrecords.us. These websites generally provide members of the public centralized access to information regarding inmates incarcerated in local and state prisons or jails in the state, as well as convicted offenders in out-of-state federal correctional facilities. However, their services are not free. Users will have to pay a small fee to be able to access the sought information.

Jails and Prisons in Maine

The correctional facilities operating in Maine and providing housing for convicted individuals are categorized based on the government agency in charge of facility administration and inmate record-keeping. The state has 7 state-run adult correctional facilities and 1 juvenile correctional facility, all supervised by the State of Maine Department of Corrections (MDOC). Similarly, there are about 15 local jails in the state, each overseen by a county sheriff's office.

Furthermore, the state's Adult Community Corrections (AAC) under the MDOC provides community-based supervision to individuals sentenced to probation. It is divided into three regions, namely Region 1, Region 2, and Region 3, each with several sub-offices.

State Prisons in Maine

The table below contains a list of state-operated correctional facilities in Maine:

Private Prisons in Maine

Maine does not have any private correctional facilities.

Maine Inmate Statistics

• Maine Incarceration Rate - 107 per 100,000 residents
• Male Incarceration Rate - 179 per 100,000 males
• Female Incarceration Rate - 20 per 100,000 females
• Youth Custody Rate - 22 per 100,000 youths
• Number of Prisoners in Private Prisons - 0
• Black/White Imprisonment Disparity - 8.8:1
• Latino/White Imprisonment Disparity - 3.6:1
• Number of offenders under community supervision - 471 per 100,000 people
• Number on probation - 480 per 100,000 people
• Number on parole - 0 per 100,000 people (Maine no longer operates a parole program)
• Felony Disenfranchisement Rate - 0%

* Source: United States Bureau of Justice Statistics