We’ve got to end the stalemate over improvements to the Penobscot County Jail

By Scott Pardy

Penobscot County Jail is in dire need of improvement. Built in 1869, the facilities haven’t been significantly renovated in nearly 40 years. They’re inadequate for properly housing inmates and providing rehabilitation programs. Proposals to address this issue have been met with resistance, creating a stalemate that ultimately benefits no one.

On one hand, law enforcement officials state the need for constructing a new jail, arguing that modern facilities are necessary to ensure both the safety of staff and inmates and the proper implementation of essential programs. On the other hand, community groups urge for a shift in focus, proposing that funds be allocated solely to alternative programs such as housing and drug treatment, which they believe would be more effective in addressing the root causes of crime and reducing recidivism rates.

This stalemate helps no one. While the discussion continues, inmates remain housed in substandard conditions, tensions between law enforcement and community groups escalate, and much-needed progress toward a solution stagnates.

Constructive dialogue and openness to different perspectives are sorely needed. Both sides share some common goals — improving public safety and inmate outcomes. Both likely agree the status quo is unacceptable.

Rather than seeing new jail construction and alternative programs as an either-or proposition, we should view them as complementary solutions both worthy of investment. A balanced “and” approach can help move the conversation forward. Direct funds to modernize deficient jail facilities while also adequately supporting community-based initiatives. Perhaps a neutral third-party mediator could facilitate this, helping find areas of agreement.

Despite varied perspectives on incarceration, some form of modernized jail facility will be necessary for the foreseeable future. This reality, however, should not deter us from seeking innovative solutions and expanding effective community-based programs. With good faith negotiations, a compromise accommodating both goals is possible. This would be far better than the current state of deadlock, which benefits no one and leaves our community trapped in a cycle of frustration and inaction.

Our inmates, law enforcement personnel and broader community deserve better than the current stalemate. It will take willingness to listen, seek understanding of different views, and identify mutually-agreeable solutions. Compromising for progress beats entrenched debate currently preventing us from improving unacceptable conditions. The time for cooperation and level-headed problem solving is now.

Pardy of Bangor is the owner of Fresh Start Sober Living and a volunteer at the Penobscot County Jail.