# Maine

The Board of Trustees of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy certifies corrections officers and, since 2025, probation and parole officers, under the same law that covers police. Since 2023 the State has split corrections certification into adult and juvenile types, given jail boards of visitors open access, required yearly counts of people held in their cells 22 or more hours a day, enacted a corrections use-of-force statute tied to Board training, and stopped requiring jails to hold people detained only for civil immigration violations. Most Maine laws take effect 90 days after the session ends; entries are dated by effective date.

Source: https://uscli.org/corrections-tracker/maine

## At a glance

- **Certifying body:** Board of Trustees of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (MCJA). It certifies adult corrections officers (county and regional jails and state adult facilities), juvenile corrections officers, and, since July 1, 2025, probation and parole officers ([25 M.R.S. §§ 2801-A, 2803-A](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2801-A.html)). The Board, its rules, and its discipline process are covered on the [Maine Officer Ledger page](https://uscli.org/officer-certification-tracker/maine).
- **Statute:** 25 M.R.S. chapter 341 (§§ 2801 to 2809), Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Jail standards and Department of Corrections powers: 34-A M.R.S. §§ 1208, 1208-B, 1210-F, 1402, 3032, and 3102. Jail boards of visitors: 30-A M.R.S. § 1651. Corrections use of force: 17-A M.R.S. § 107-A.
- **Minimum standards:** As a condition of continued employment, a corrections officer must complete a Board-approved basic training course within the first 12 months and then keep basic certification. The Board may extend the 12 months by up to 180 days in extenuating circumstances and may waive training for an equivalent course in another state or federal jurisdiction ([§ 2804-D(1)](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2804-D.html)). Agencies must notify the Board of each appointment and termination within 30 days, and a hiring jail or facility gets the applicant’s prior employment records on a signed waiver (§ 2805-B). Board admission standards are on the Officer Ledger page.
- **Basic training:** A Board-approved basic corrections course, with a separate course allowed for juvenile corrections officers. By statute it must include 8 hours on recognizing and responding to mental illness and substance use disorder, taught by a trainer certified by a nationally recognized organization that provides evidence-based mental health training, and, since January 1, 2024, a block on confidentiality of attorney-client communications (§ 2804-D(1)). The adult course length could not be checked: the MCJA rules pages returned HTTP 403. The Officer Ledger page reports a 200-hour juvenile basic corrections program under Board rule chapter 5.
- **In-service training:** Corrections officers must complete Board-prescribed in-service training, including new laws and court decisions, as a condition of continued employment; failure is grounds to suspend or revoke the certificate. Since September 24, 2025, the Board must also set in-service training on use of force outside a facility for corrections officers and supervisors who transport people in custody ([§ 2804-F](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2804-F.html)). Probation and parole officers have a parallel duty from July 1, 2025 (§ 2804-N). Annual hours were not verified.
- **Decertification:** Same Board process as for police: the Board “may” refuse, suspend, or revoke a certificate and impose civil penalties up to $1,500, and it must review all law enforcement and corrections certifications by March 31 each year ([§ 2806-A](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2806-A.html)). Grounds include sexual contact with a person in custody. See the [Officer Ledger page](https://uscli.org/officer-certification-tracker/maine) for the full grounds and the Board Cases Public List.
- **Jail standards:** The Commissioner of Corrections sets mandatory and desirable standards for county and municipal jails, holding facilities, and short-term detention areas, and enforces them. Each facility gets a comprehensive inspection every 2 years (waivable for nationally accredited facilities), at least 3 more inspections every 2 years, and unannounced inspections; deficiencies need a 60-day correction plan, and the Commissioner may restrict or close a facility ([34-A M.R.S. § 1208](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/34-A/title34-Asec1208.html)). Under § 1208-B the Commissioner also sets rules on jail staffing, prisoner management, programming, and officer training, with advice from the County Corrections Professional Standards Council. Each county jail has a 7-member board of visitors (30-A M.R.S. § 1651).
- **Probation and parole officers:** Department of Corrections employees. Since July 1, 2025, a person hired as a probation and parole officer must complete a Board-approved basic course within 12 months, meet Board certification standards, and complete Board in-service training. Officers who met the prior Department requirements were provisionally certified until October 1, 2025 ([§§ 2804-M, 2804-N](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2804-M.html); P.L. 2023, c. 525, § 7).
- **Restrictive housing:** No statutory cap on duration. In adult facilities, segregation as punishment requires a prior impartial hearing and approval by the chief administrative officer, a medical visit when it exceeds 24 hours and at least daily after that, and a report to the Commissioner, with reasons, of any segregation or solitary confinement over 5 days ([34-A M.R.S. § 3032](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/34-A/title34-Asec3032.html)). Since September 24, 2025, the Commissioner’s annual reports must count people held in their cells at least 22 of 24 hours (P.L. 2025, c. 259; entry below).
- **Corrections use of force:** Since September 24, 2025, 17-A M.R.S. § 107-A lets corrections officers, supervisors, transport officers, and others responsible for people in custody use reasonable nondeadly force to prevent an escape or enforce a Department or jail rule, and in self-defense. Deadly force is allowed against imminent deadly force, or to prevent the escape of a person believed dangerous after reasonable efforts to advise the person, or where the officer reasonably believes the person already knows the officer is trying to prevent the escape. At the Maine State Prison, state-employed officers may use deadly force to prevent an escape after a warning. A corrections officer or supervisor is not justified under § 107-A without Board in-service training under 25 M.R.S. § 2804-F(5) in the setting in which the force is used ([§ 107-A](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec107-A.html)). Pregnant prisoners may not be restrained, including during transport and postpartum recovery, unless the chief administrative officer finds a substantial flight risk or an extraordinary circumstance. Restraints are never allowed during labor or childbirth, leg and waist restraints are never allowed, and restraints come off at a treating clinician’s request (34-A M.R.S. § 3102).

## Changes, 2023 to 2026

- Jul 29, 2026 — **Jails need not hold people detained solely for civil immigration violations** — P.L. 2025, c. 671 (LD 2058), amending 25 M.R.S. § 1502 · Effective July 29, 2026 (general effective date of the 132nd Legislature, Second Regular Session) — Municipal and county jails must still be available at all times to detain people arrested by state or other law enforcement officers, “unless the persons are detained solely for a civil violation of federal immigration laws.” — **For corrections staff:** Booking staff are not required to accept a person held only on a civil immigration violation. — [Laws of Maine 2026 (P.L. 2025, c. 671)](https://legislature.maine.gov/doc/12627)
- Jul 29, 2026 — **Board of visitors vacancies: legislative leaders appoint if the Governor does not within 90 days; legislator access to facilities** — P.L. 2025, c. 765 (LD 1962), amending 34-A M.R.S. § 3001-A(1) and enacting § 3001-B · Effective July 29, 2026 (general effective date of the 132nd Legislature, Second Regular Session); access rules due January 31, 2027 — The Governor still appoints a 7-member board of visitors for each state correctional facility, except as provided in new paragraph H of § 3001-A(1). When a vacancy occurs, the Commissioner “shall provide notice to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives within 5 days of the vacancy.” The Governor must fill it within 90 days of the notice; if not, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House “shall jointly appoint a member to fill the vacancy.” New § 3001-B lets a legislator access correctional and detention facilities under rules the Commissioner adopts; those rules are listed under pending items below. — **For corrections staff:** Board of visitors vacancies at state facilities must be reported within 5 days, and a board seat left unfilled for 90 days can be filled by legislative leaders. — [Laws of Maine 2026 (P.L. 2025, c. 765)](https://legislature.maine.gov/doc/12627)[34-A M.R.S. § 3001-A](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/34-A/title34-Asec3001-A.html)
- Sep 24, 2025 — **Corrections use-of-force statute; Board training required for the justification to apply** — P.L. 2025, c. 429 (LD 1710), repealing 17-A M.R.S. § 107(5), (5-A), enacting § 107-A, and amending 25 M.R.S. § 2804-F · Approved June 27, 2025; effective September 24, 2025 (general effective date; no emergency clause) — New § 107-A, “Physical force in corrections,” replaces § 107(5) and (5-A) and also covers transport officers, a term the act adds to Title 17-A. Nondeadly force is allowed to prevent an escape, to enforce a Department or jail rule, and in related self-defense. Deadly force is allowed against imminent deadly force, or to prevent the escape of a person believed dangerous after reasonable efforts to advise the person (or where the person already knows). At the Maine State Prison, deadly force to prevent an escape is limited to state-employed officers and requires a warning. Private persons directed by an officer are covered. A corrections officer or supervisor is not justified under § 107-A without in-service training under new § 2804-F(5), which requires the Board to set use-of-force training for corrections officers and supervisors who transport people outside facilities. The facility deadly-force and Maine State Prison rules were carried over from former § 107; the Officer Ledger page records the same point. — **For corrections staff:** Corrections officers and supervisors who transport people outside a facility must complete the Board’s out-of-facility use-of-force in-service training; without it they lose the § 107-A justification. — [P.L. 2025, c. 429](https://legislature.maine.gov/ros/LawsOfMaine/breeze/Law/getDocById/?docId=120690)[17-A M.R.S. § 107-A](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/17-A/title17-Asec107-A.html)[25 M.R.S. § 2804-F](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2804-F.html)
- Sep 24, 2025 — **Yearly reports must count people held in their cells 22 or more hours a day** — P.L. 2025, c. 259 (LD 405), enacting 30-A M.R.S. § 1660(5) and 34-A M.R.S. § 1402(15) · Effective September 24, 2025 (general effective date; no emergency clause); first state facility report due January 15, 2026 — The Commissioner of Corrections’ annual reports to the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee must give the total number of prisoners “segregated and not allowed to leave their cells for a minimum of 22 hours out of a 24-hour period during the prior calendar year,” the duration of each instance, and the reason. The duty covers county and regional jails, in the § 1660 jail report, and each state correctional facility, starting January 15, 2026. Segregation means separation from general population for administrative or punitive reasons. The committee may report out legislation in response. — **For corrections staff:** Record the start, end, and reason for each segregation placement so the facility can report it. — [Laws of Maine 2025 (P.L. 2025, c. 259)](https://legislature.maine.gov/doc/11985)[34-A M.R.S. § 1402](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/34-A/title34-Asec1402.html)
- Aug 9, 2024 — **Probation and parole officers brought under Academy certification** — P.L. 2023, c. 525 (LD 2045), enacting 25 M.R.S. §§ 2801-A(7-A), 2803-A(5-C), 2804-M, 2804-N · Approved March 6, 2024; effective August 9, 2024 (general effective date; no emergency clause); training and certification required from July 1, 2025 — The act creates a probation and parole officer certificate issued by the Board, which had to set standards by July 1, 2025. From that date, a person hired as a probation and parole officer must complete a Board-approved basic course within 12 months and meet Board standards. In-service training is required, and failing it is grounds to suspend or revoke. Officers who met Department of Corrections requirements before July 1, 2025 were provisionally certified until October 1, 2025, by which date the Department had to submit transfer documentation. People performing probation functions are excluded from the definition of law enforcement officer. — **For corrections staff:** Probation and parole officers now hold an Academy certificate that the Board can suspend or revoke. — [P.L. 2023, c. 525](https://legislature.maine.gov/ros/LawsOfMaine/breeze/Law/getDocById/?docId=105860)[25 M.R.S. § 2804-M](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2804-M.html)
- Apr 11, 2024 — **Victims may be told the outcome of sexual misconduct investigations in jails and prisons** — P.L. 2023, c. 615 (LD 2250), amending 5 M.R.S. § 7070(2)(E), (F) and enacting 30-A M.R.S. § 503(1-B) · Approved April 11, 2024; effective on approval (emergency clause) — To keep the Department of Corrections and county jails compliant with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act, the finding on an allegation of sexual misconduct or sexual harassment in a correctional facility or county jail (substantiated, unsubstantiated, or unfounded) may be disclosed to the alleged victim. Unless the allegation is unfounded, the victim may also be told whether the employee is still assigned to the same location or still employed, and whether the employee was criminally charged, convicted, or not indicted. — **For corrections staff:** If you are accused of sexual misconduct, the outcome and your assignment and employment status may be shared with the person who made the allegation. — [P.L. 2023, c. 615](https://legislature.maine.gov/ros/LawsOfMaine/breeze/Law/getDocById/?docId=107059)[Laws of Maine 2024](https://legislature.maine.gov/doc/11071)
- Oct 25, 2023 — **Attorney-client confidentiality: corrections training block and facility standards from January 1, 2024** — P.L. 2023, c. 394 (LD 1603), Part A, §§ A-11, A-13, A-14, amending 25 M.R.S. § 2804-D and 34-A M.R.S. §§ 1208(8), 1402(14) · Became law without the Governor’s signature July 6, 2023; effective October 25, 2023 (general effective date; no emergency clause); training and standards duties from January 1, 2024 — Beginning January 1, 2024, the basic corrections course must include a block on the confidentiality of attorney-client communications and on what facilities do after a breach. By January 1, 2024, the Commissioner had to set mandatory standards for every county and municipal detention facility and every state correctional facility: a confidential registry of attorneys’ contact information, breach procedures, and designated space for attorney-client meetings and the timely exchange of case materials. — **For corrections staff:** Follow your facility’s procedures for confidential attorney calls and meetings and for reporting a breach; new officers get this block in basic training. — [P.L. 2023, c. 394](https://legislature.maine.gov/ros/LawsOfMaine/breeze/Law/getDocById/?docId=103356)[34-A M.R.S. § 1208](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/34-A/title34-Asec1208.html)
- Oct 25, 2023 — **Jail boards of visitors get 3-year terms, required members, and open access** — P.L. 2023, c. 383 (LD 1626), amending 30-A M.R.S. § 1651 · Effective October 25, 2023 (general effective date; no emergency clause) — Each sheriff appoints a 7-member board of visitors for each jail. Terms are now 3 years instead of 1, and the board must include members with knowledge of women’s incarceration, a formerly incarcerated woman with child welfare experience, and a mental or behavioral health professional. Boards must have open access to all physical areas of the jail, including housing units, and the chance to speak with prisoners and staff, subject to security policies, and must make recommendations on mental health services. — **For corrections staff:** Give board of visitors members access to all areas and to staff and prisoners, under the sheriff’s security policies. — [Laws of Maine 2023 (P.L. 2023, c. 383)](https://legislature.maine.gov/doc/10330)[30-A M.R.S. § 1651](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/30-A/title30-Asec1651.html)
- Oct 25, 2023 — **Separate certification for adult and juvenile corrections officers** — P.L. 2023, c. 341 (LD 42), amending 25 M.R.S. §§ 2801-A, 2803-A, 2804-D · Approved June 28, 2023; effective October 25, 2023 (general effective date; no emergency clause) — The act defines an adult corrections officer (custody or direct supervision in a county or regional jail or a state adult facility) and a juvenile corrections officer (a state juvenile facility), and provides that “corrections officer” means either. The Board may approve a separate basic course and certification standards for juvenile corrections officers. Officers already certified keep the certification that matches their facility type. The trainer for the mental health block must be certified by an organization that provides evidence-based mental health training. — **For corrections staff:** Jail and adult prison officers hold an adult corrections certificate; staff at the state juvenile facility hold a juvenile certificate. — [P.L. 2023, c. 341](https://legislature.maine.gov/ros/LawsOfMaine/breeze/Law/getDocById/?docId=103229)[25 M.R.S. § 2804-D](https://legislature.maine.gov/statutes/25/title25sec2804-D.html)

## Enacted, not yet in force, pending, and bills that did not pass

- **Legislator access to correctional facilities (rules due January 31, 2027):** P.L. 2025, c. 765 (LD 1962) enacts 34-A M.R.S. § 3001-B, effective July 29, 2026, letting legislators visit correctional and detention facilities under Commissioner rules. The major substantive rules on access to areas, clients, and staff, and on grounds for denial, are due to the Legislature by January 31, 2027 and are not yet in force. [Laws of Maine 2026](https://legislature.maine.gov/doc/12627)

Failed corrections bills from 2023 to 2026 were not swept for this page; see the Officer Ledger page for bills on officer certification. For laws without an emergency clause, effective dates are the general effective dates the Legislature announced for each session (October 25, 2023; August 9, 2024; September 24, 2025; July 29, 2026).

## Checked and unchanged

- 25 M.R.S. § 2806-A (decertification grounds and penalties): last amended 2021, per the Officer Ledger page.
- 25 M.R.S. § 2804-D (corrections basic training): c. 341 and c. 394 are the only 2023 to 2026 changes credited here; c. 341 also struck “first aid” from the trainer clause, a wording change.
- History notes compared: 34-A M.R.S. § 3102 is unchanged since 2015; § 1208 was also amended by P.L. 2023, c. 135, and § 3032 by P.L. 2025, c. 6, and those changes were not reviewed.
- History notes not credited as changes: 30-A M.R.S. § 1651 was also amended by P.L. 2025, c. 345, § 1 (new sub-§ 4, ¶ F: each jail board of visitors must share its annual report with the other boards); 34-A M.R.S. § 1402 by P.L. 2023, c. 659, § 1 (sub-§ 5, prisoner grievance procedures) and P.L. 2025, c. 485, § 1 (a reentry services program for residents of correctional facilities, reallocated to sub-§ 16); and 30-A M.R.S. § 503 (county personnel records) by P.L. 2023, c. 159 and c. 646, Pt. B, and P.L. 2025, c. 111. Their prior texts and effective dates were not reviewed, so they are not entered as changes.
- Not verified: adult basic corrections course hours and in-service hours, because the MCJA and Secretary of State rules pages returned HTTP 403.