EiA Spotlight: Maine

Maine currently has dozens of correctional residents involved in work-based learning (WBL) opportunities, making as much as $25/hour, with several residents working in salaried, full-time positions with benefits. Maine started small, and being at the forefront of EiA exploration has not been without its challenges. But Maine has found EiA to be worth the effort in how it can improve facility conditions, expand the impact of HEP programs, and increase wellbeing for residents and their families.

Upgrades to internet access and educational technology availability made it possible for participants in HEP programming to pursue short term WBL opportunities

Compensation earned through participation in EiA has allowed residents to pay restitution and other fines and pay for further education. Tangible rewards like these, as well as benefits to facility culture and resident outcomes after reentry, have been essential to building and maintaining buy-in for MDOC staff.

An existing structure that has supported successful EiA implementation in Maine has been Maine State Prison’s Earned Living Unit (ELU). The ELU is a housing community based on restorative justice principles of shared leadership and consensus-based decision-making and allowed the MDOC to start small and pilot test EiA.

‍Action steps for other states looking to adapt Maine’s approach:

Adopt a Human-Centered Model: Emphasize principles of humanization and normalization in correctional programs and policies to improve trust, culture, and outcomes.
Upgrade Technology Infrastructure: Invest in internet access and educational technology to enable remote work and learning opportunities for incarcerated individuals.
Create Structured Policies for Participation:
- Draft a remote work or work-based learning policy before testing or implementing EiA.
- Evaluate eligibility on a case-by-case basis, considering conduct, disciplinary history, and future goals.
- Develop and enforce clear agreements for computer and internet use to ensure security and compliance.
Pilot and Scale:
- Start with smaller-scale projects to test approaches and gather insights.
- Look to existing facility needs for potential work-based learning positions
- Connect with potential employers who may already have a relationship with facilities, such as service providers and vocational programming partners
Encourage Collaboration: Foster a collaborative relationship between participants and facility leadership to address challenges and ensure smooth implementation.
Integrate Peer Mentorship and Support: Use existing structures or create new ways for EiA participants to connect with external peer mentors and to develop internal peer mentorship for future EiA participants.
Maintain Staff Buy-In: Showcase how EiA programs improve facility conditions, enhance cultural dynamics, and support residents’ successful reentry to build staff support.‍
Monitor and Adjust Programs: Task an individual or team to evaluate EiA initiative impact and refine facility policies to maintain balance of risks of continued implementation or expansion with the considerable rewards and benefits to all stakeholders.