I am planning a meeting with staff from our State Corrections Department to go over some of their retention schedules.  All of these were put in place before I took this position and I am trying to make the case that it's time for a change.  Currently I can't find any justification in the files for such lengthy retentions.  I looked at some other states to make comparisons.  I am particularly interested in the following:  1) inmate case files 2) juvenile records 3) probation & parole.

What Maine has:
1) We have 3 correctional facilities - the schedules are 7 yrs in agency and 50 yrs in Records Center (destroy); Maine State Prison - 7 years in agency and 63 years in Records Center (destroy)
2) We have 3 juvenile facilities - the case file schedules vary: 7 yrs in agency/18 yrs in RC (archival); 100 yrs in agency (destroy); 0 yrs in agency/25 yrs in RC (archival)
3) Pardon Books/Case Folders for Parole/Pardon - 5 yrs in agency/25 yrs in RC (destroy)

Perhaps the agencies themselves have some justification why records have to be retained for this length of time.  However, there are obvious inconsistencies and I don't believe any of our juvenile facilities are considered to have "historical" value to the state making their records archival.  Many of these schedules were put in place 30 years ago and have not been revisited.

I would like to have as much information and support for the Corrections meeting as possible.  Any feedback, information or schedules that might back-up shorter retention periods would be helpful.

Thank you,
Felicia


Felicia Kennedy
Maine State Archives
84 State House Station
Augusta, ME  04333-0084
207-287-5790
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