AUGUSTA, Maine -- Two years ago, corrections officials were planning the construction of a women's prison in Windham that was supposed to meet the state's needs through 2010. When the facility opened its doors last summer, all 70 beds were filled by the end of the first day. The dramatic increase in the number of prisoners has confounded Maine officials, who say that while the crimes rate has dropped, the inmate population has nearly doubled in the past two years. ''We have found these statistics to be very perplexing,'' said Denise Lord, associate commissioner of the Department of Corrections. ''We think there are a number of anecdotal explanations for these figures, but we have not yet been able to identify a single determining factor.'' [continues 380 words]
AUGUSTA - A new statewide poll released Wednesday concluded the outcome of a proposed ban on late-term abortions in next week's referendum is simply too close to call. Meanwhile the medicinal marijuana initiative continues to retain strong support with three out of five voters surveyed supporting the measure. Conducted by Survey USA for the Bangor Daily News, WCSH 6 and WLBZ 2 television stations, the Newscenter Bullet Poll questioned 500 likely voters Monday and Tuesday evening on the top two ballot questions. [continues 1046 words]
PORTLAND, Maine - For the last five years, the debate over the medicinal use of marijuana has rocked the country from coast to coast. Who should be entitled to the drug's reputed benefits or whether marijuana even has any therapeutic value are questions that have pitted state legislatures against governors and produced competing verdicts in the nation's courts. This year, Maine is the only state where the medicinal use of marijuana will be decided by voters in a statewide referendum. And while the issue has generated dueling campaigns in other states, Maine's lack of public debate on the controversial issue has left many election watchers perplexed. [continues 1036 words]
