“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” These words are usually credited to Albert Einstein.

In this case, the insanity, as part of the two-year budget submitted by Maine’s governor, Janet Mills, is that the so-called Department of Corrections can make people stop committing crimes by locking them in jail or prison for months or years. Given how many of those locked up return to prison or jail, sometimes over and over again, locking people up and punishing them just doesn’t work.

A large percentage of those in Maine jails and prisons experience mental health issues and/or substance use disorder, have no place to live, or have too little income. These are public health and economic problems, not criminal and legal ones. Being in jail makes things worse for them: no mental health support; inadequate drug treatment programs or none at all; a loss of a job, housing, health care and other necessities, and often loss of family ties. It’s no wonder most come out of prison or jail as or more likely to commit crimes than when they went in.

The state wants to increase the Department of Corrections budget from $416 million to $461 million for 2024-2025. We should take the $45 million difference and some of that $416 million for mental health, substance use disorder and affordable housing. We’d have much safer communities as a result.

Larry Dansinger
Bangor

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