AUGUSTA

Overcrowding problems in Maine’s jails can be alleviated by allowing nonviolent inmates to serve their time at home while wearing electronic monitoring bracelets, Gov. Paul LePage said.

LePage mentioned the issue during a televised forum in Bangor, saying nonviolent offenders and people struggling with addiction and mental illness should be allowed to serve their sentences outside of prison so they can access treatment.

LePage’s comments came on the same day he reaffirmed his support for capital punishment for drug dealers.

He said on Wednesday the proposal will be part of a comprehensive package aimed at addressing Maine’s overcrowded correctional system. LePage plans to submit a bill when a new legislature meets next year.

Jails in Penobscot, Kennebec and Androscoggin counties have had the worst overcrowding problems in the state, in part due to an influx of inmates with mental health issues and increased court filings.

Some counties, including Kennebec, Somerset and Cumberland, have recently started using similar electronic monitoring systems for a limited number of inmates.

Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce said the use of monitoring bracelets can save taxpayers more than $100 each day per inmate, but sometimes, he added, there can be negative responses from victims, police departments or prosecutors who feel being confined to a home is not enough punishment.

He said the system is set up so police are notified whenever people leave their homes. It can also be programed to allow people to visit a doctor or treatment center, and police are notified if a person strays from a designated route.

Kennebec County interim Sheriff Ryan Reardon said monitoring programs can be helpful, but they also shift the burden of compliance from the jails to patrol units. The monitoring systems and bracelets are also costly, he said.

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