Maine DOC’s Adult Correctional Programming Division is committed to serving the State of Maine by ensuring that adult residents—from the recently incarcerated to the long-term committed—leave MDOC’s facilities with the treatment, training, skills and education needed to succeed after their period of incarceration.
Did you know?
Access to education in prison lowers the odds of recidivating by 43 percent and increases the likelihood of employment by 13 percent, while saving $5 for every $1 spent.
Each correctional facility offers a range of education and vocational training opportunities to residents, allowing them to enter the workforce as highly-skilled and prepared workers.
Hiring Qualified Residents
It is the policy of the Department of Corrections to establish work opportunities for eligible residents at each of its adult facilities that afford residents the opportunity to learn job skills and develop good work habits and attitudes that they can apply to jobs following their release.
Policy 25.1 – Resident Work Opportunities
Goals:
The Work Release Program:
- Prepares residents for release by providing opportunities to gain hands-on work experience/training, gain self-confidence, work ethically and responsibly, and to achieve financial stability; and
- Provides employers with reliable, consistent and well-trained workers who are held to high standards by the Maine Department of Corrections.
Employer Benefits:
- Potential tax credits through the federal government from $1,200 to $9,600 per eligible resident
**You can find more information about the work opportunity tax credit at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wotc - Employers are eligible to have the residents federally bonded for up to six months at no cost
**You can find more information about federal bonding at: https://bonds4jobs.com/ - Minimum wage
- No requirements to provide benefit packages
- Reliable manpower is a priority and readily available
- Workers are held to a higher standard through MDOC rules and regulations
- Employers can choose from a pool of applicants and conduct interviews, if desired
- MDOC takes care of any and all necessary hiring paperwork, W4s, tax credit paperwork, etc.
- MDOC assists with any required training and/or policy and procedures
- Short-term and long-term employment options
- Schedule can be flexible depending on employer needs
- Employees can work as many or as few hours or days as employers require
Other Benefits:
- Victim’s restitution is automatically deducted
- Residents are required to put 10% of their gross pay into a savings account (up to a minimum of $1,000) to help with their release planning
- Residents are required to pay room and board for housing costs which saves Maine taxpayer’s money
- Residents are required to pay their fines, restitution, child support, etc.