Rehabilitation programs key issue for Maine’s inmates

About 200 Maine State Prison inmates registered to vote Wednesday at a program organized by the Portland NAACP. Click here for more on the event.

The inmates stand out from other voters in that corrections reform is a top concern. Beyond that, their priorities are similar to most Americans. They care about health care, the Iraq War and the economy.

Charles Jones of Portland is serving a 70-year sentence for murder. He’s a former vice president of the prison’s NAACP branch. He follows politics closely, eyeing candidates who support rehabilitation programs as a means of reducing recidivism.

“When I think about what to do with my time, I want to do things that matter, that make a difference,” he said. “I felt disinvolved in society. Registering to vote gives you a sense of responsibility and a chance to be involved.”

Jones registered to vote as a Democrat because of the negative impact President Bush has had on the country. He opposes the war, and “the Patriot Act seemed kind of shady to me.”

He hasn’t picked a candidate yet. He said he’d do some more research to find out who is more concerned about rehabilitation programs.

In a debate last year, Hillary Clinton advocated for prison alternatives for non-violent offenders and reforms in the criminal justice system. Barack Obama said he will review mandatory minimum sentences “to see where we can be smarter on crime and reduce the blind and counterproductive warehousing of nonviolent offenders.”

Patrick Dorney of Portland is serving time for aggravated assault. He’s never paid attention before, but this year the election grabbed his attention. The various issues concern him because he has a 10-year-old growing up on the outside.

Wednesday he registered as a Democrat because, “I know I didn’t like any Republican I’ve ever followed or heard anything about,” he said.

Jack Desrosiers, who is from Massachusetts, is serving time for writing bad checks. He will be out in September. Because he is from out of state, he cannot register to vote, but was still interested in the seminar. He will register when he is released, and said he views it as an opportunity to give back after costing society.

After hearing from the parties, he said he liked the Republicans’ views of smaller government.

“I’m new to the whole thing,” he said. He started paying attention to politics because of a “need for new avenues to spend time on instead of getting in trouble. Now is as good of a time as any to get involved.”