We support a vision of Penobscot County that funds health, healing and housing — not a bigger jail.
Fighting an unnecessary, harmful and expensive jail expansion.
The expansion of the Penobscot County Jail (PCJ) is unnecessary and counterintuitive to solving the crises in Penobscot County, including poverty, mental health, homelessness, and drug overdose deaths. Our taxpayer funds should go to strengthening the economy, improving hospitals, schools, and helping vulnerable communities- not to build or expand jails, which cause documented harm.
To learn more about Penobscot County Jail and the struggle to stop the expansion, check out our Fact Sheet.
New report details medical neglect, mistreatment and lack of reintegration resources at Penobscot County Jail
Report on Surveys of Individuals Incarcerated in Penobscot County Jail, 2023
This report draws on a 2023 survey conducted by No Penobscot County Jail Expansion, which collected firsthand accounts from 19 individuals currently incarcerated in the Penobscot County Jail.
The survey aimed to assess living conditions, access to services, and the jail’s capacity to support rehabilitation. The findings raise significant concerns about whether expanding the current facility would address underlying systemic issues or simply reproduce them on a larger scale.
Why oppose jail expansion? Our top 10 reasons
Jail expansion will waste our tax dollars without making us safer.
Conditions inside the jail
Learn what it's really like to be incarcerated in what is often called “the worst jail in the state of Maine.”
How you can help
Access our Action List and see what you can do to help.
