York County Jail earns 100 percent rating in state inspection
- Tammy L Wells
- 1 hour ago
- 2 min read
ALFRED, Maine – York County Jail has earned a 100 percent score on their recent biennial state inspection.
That means the 294-bed facility aced all 145 mandatory standards, and all 95 essential standards for 2024 and 2025.
The 100 percent rating is a first for York County Jail.
“We’ve been close, gotten scores into the 90s, but never 100 percent,” said York County Jail Administrator Major Lori Marks.
York County Sheriff William L King Jr. said Maine Department of Corrections officials emphasized how rare it is for a facility to achieve a 100 percent compliance rating.
"They were very complimentary on how well York County Jail is operated,” said King. “I am very proud of this rating. Lori and her team are dedicated professionals, and they do a remarkable job.”
The standards encompass every facet of the jail operation, from specifying clothing items issued to inmates to control center operations, documentation of inmate counts, facility searches for contraband, medical care, use of force, food service requirements, programs, and a host of others.
“A perfect score in two years is very commendable,” said Steven French, Manager of Correctional Operations and Compliance for the Maine Department of Corrections.
The inspection program requires documentation of how each standard is achieved, followed by an intensive two-day in-person facility inspection by Maine DOC.
“The inspection encompasses every corner of the jail, from maintenance to community programs – everything in the jail,” said French. “They did very well.”
Marks, who was named interim jail administrator in May 2024 and administrator in November that year, said the process continues.
“My philosophy was to start early with the inspections,” Marks said, noting she has already begun handing out assignments to staff leaders for the next inspection in 2027. “I personally prefer to do it ongoing, to make sure we are consistently meeting the standards throughout the year.”
Marks said she had set goals for what she wanted to accomplish in her first year. There was the biennial state inspection to prepare for, and an earlier, separate qualification for PREA compliance – a US Department of Justice program that assures a facility is doing everything possible to prevent sexual assault in jails – a standard York County Jail achieved during Marks’ time as interim administrator.
A Springvale native and Alfred resident, Marks was named national Corrections Officer of the Year by the American Jail Association in 2022. She is certified as a Jail Manager through the American Jail Association. She began her career at York County Jail in 2007.
"I appreciate the work of the team that examined each of the standards and provided the documentation to show we met them,” Marks said. “Their efforts - and those of all the men and women who work here every day, is appreciated."
