Gov. Mills vetoes bill that would have closed Long Creek Youth Development Center
“Closing Long Creek is a bittersweet feeling. I hope that a memorial plaque is put up in the area as a symbol for those who did go through it and those who lost their life there. I hope the resources go into the community and kids get what they should have had the entire time. I hope future generations get everything that I didn’t get. I hope we patch up the cracks in our communities and nobody gets forgotten about or lost anymore. This is important for our youth and it’s important for all of the young adults I know who went to Long Creek and ended up in the adult system. This is important for the well being of our entire community.”
This month, the Maine House and Senate passed LD 1668, a bill that directs the Maine Department of Corrections to:
create a plan to close Long Creek Youth Development Center by June 2023;
repurpose the facility as a community center and supportive housing;
invest $18.6 million dollars into a Youth Justice Fund for community programs;
and work with the Department of Labor to create a just transition for correctional workers into different employment.
This is an incredible victory organized by Maine Youth Justice and young people, families, and community organizations dedicated to the vision and well being of Maine youth. This organizing has made us stronger, broader, and more deeply connected to each other, our collective power and our humanity.
On Wednesday, Governor Janet Mills vetoed LD 1668.
Nevertheless, the future is bright - states across New England and the country are closing juvenile facilities and here in Maine we are building networks of young people, families, and organizations committed to proven strategies for healthy and safe communities that do not rely on incarceration. Thank you to everyone who has dreamed, struggled, organized and worked for true justice and support in our communities.
Art transforms what we collectively believe is possible. When Maine Inside Out started theater workshops inside Long Creek in 2008, there were approximately 280 youth incarcerated in Maine and closing Long Creek was not considered a possibility. Courageous young people inside Long Creek took a simple opportunity – creating a play based on their lived experiences – and built a movement. Closing Long Creek means stepping beyond our imagination into a culture of interdependence, care and accountability. Join and follow Maine Youth Justice for next steps in the fight the close Long Creek.
Together we will continue to invest in relationships and build community spaces that give all of us what we need to succeed.