Maine Sheriff Asks Local Police to Cut Back on Arrests

A Maine sheriff is asking local police to cut back on arresting non-violent offenders in order to ease overcrowding at the Kennebec County Correctional Facility.

Kennebec County Sheriff Randy Liberty says his county jail in Augusta is chronically overcrowded and inmates often have to sleep on the floor due to lack of beds.

The Portland Press Herald reports that Liberty's efforts to curb the arrests of non-violent offenders has paid off and drawn praise from defense lawyers and prosecutors alike.

He says the jail's 147-inmate capacity is strained by suspects charged with minor offenses who can't afford to post bail.

Augusta defense lawyer Walter McKee says jails are full of pretrial defendants who would not be incarcerated after they're convicted.