On January 9, 2012 Maine Corrections Commissioner Joseph Ponte and his staff gave a four hour presentation to the Maine legislature's Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and were questioned by them. Ponte and staff describe reforms implemented at both headquarters and the state's prison facilities, and issues that have arisen since Ponte took the job a year ago.
Hour 1 ***
Hour 2 ***
Hour 3 ***
Hour 4 *** Work Session(11 minutes) on LD 1095 Private Prison bill .
SUMMARY OF EACH HOUR
Hour 1
0 0:01 Intro. Dept of Corrections (DOC) requires Ponte to review for efficiency and performance Changes faced in the last ten months in the position and some of the projects, including working on Maine's Government Evaluation Act of 1995 .
2:00 Ponte introduces staff attending: Warden Patricia Barnhart; Superintendent of Windham Correction Ctr Scott Burnheimer, Scott Jones Downeast Correctional, Jeff Morin, Charleston and Mountain View facility, Rob Morrin, Rodney Bouffard, Long Creek Center, Scott Ferguson representative of fiscal, Bob Walden new director of industries, Troy Varney new QA manager, Gary Laplante is new Chief of Security, Ralph Nichols operations. Board of Visitors: John Wilson MSP. Carol Kontos, Robert Peacock and Jeff Morin for Mtn View & Charleston and Tanya Demillo Long Creek Correctional Ctr.
4:15. Government Evaluation Act report highlights. Reduce likelihood of re-offending by providing evidence based services. Putting resources from secure facilites and moving to the commmunity side.
4:46 Ponte describes different prison facilities around state
9:07 Unit Management description. Staffing matrix
10:20 changes in organizational structure
13:20 Sen Gerzofsky Q about overtime pay and sick leave
16:20 Rep Burns Q Overtime how accomplish?
21:40 Ponte Facility Managers' New accountability program. Weekly teleconference of al facilities
25:00 Ponte intros Judy Plummer director of special projects DOC on measuring performance based standards
28:40 Plummer q'd : Rep Burns Rp Haskell, Senator Whittemore (34:53) Rep Burns
36:45 Ponte on Federal laws they comply with ACA stds. Recently Morrin got a grant for Prison Rape Elimination act training
37:39 Mainecare and prisoners
41:00 Regulatory agenda Emerging issues: new director of industries Bob Walden. New QA position.
42:19 Ponte introduces Cindy Brann. asst commissioner Adult Community Corrections appt'd 4/13/11
43:00 Brann starts
56:35 Brann Q'd by Rep Plummer and Haskell to end at 1:02:04
Hour 2
0:01 Cindy Brann continues
4:00 (Break in recording) Medical contracts
9:00 Security improvements
16:01 other areas: Julia on Classification.
26:10 Cindy Brann again
34:40 Prison Dogs
36:25 Ponte's Capital Improvements wishlist
40:07 Contraband question
41:30 Board of Visitors chair John Wilson
51:40 Rep Haskell
52:30 END of hour 2
Hour 3
0:00 Rep Haskell Questions BOV chair Wilson
6:10 Carol Kontos chair BOV Windham Correctional Ctr
18:05 Robert Peacock
40:55 Tonya Demillo
59:00 end
Hour 4
00:00 Prison industries Bob Walden of Prison Industries questioned
21:12 Barry Stoodley on Juvenile Services & Q&A
53:10 Bath Salts at prison
54:30 to 57:00 Closing remarks.
END
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