Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center

The Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center (SMRC) is a minimum-security facility for adult female inmates who are at the end of their sentence with the Maine Department of Corrections. This facility is located in Windham, Maine, and can house a maximum of 100 women.

Inmates are placed at this facility after they serve their time at one of the state's correctional facilities. The center is designed to give residents the skills and experience they need to successfully live as positive citizens and employees as they transition into their home communities. 

Emphasis is placed on positive outcomes, while reducing risks of re-offending. The Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center uses gender-responsive principles for all of their programming and operations.

Positive outcomes are described as:

• Being employed in high growth/high demand careers
• Reuniting with family
• Using effective parenting skills
• Having stable post release housing
• Remaining drug and alcohol free
• Having prosocial friends and activities
• Being active citizens
• Making healthy choices

To be eligible for the SMRC, an adult female inmate must have served at least 120 days of her sentence and have approximately one year left to serve. While housed at the Women's Center, the inmate must demonstrate her commitment to a positive, crime-free life.

Prison Insights

Visiting Hours and Rules

Visiting hours at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center are on Saturdays and Sundays. The morning session is between 9:30 and 11:00 am. The afternoon session is from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. 

Visits must be scheduled two business days in advance.  Visit requests completed after 4:00 pm will be considered as the next business day.

General Visiting Rules

To request a visit with an inmate at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center, you must fill out this form. 

Non-contact visits are limited to two visitors for all resident housing areas. Contact visits are limited to three COVID-19 vaccinated visitors for all resident housing areas. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination must be submitted to the Visit Office prior to requesting a contact visit.

Starting on Saturday, July 31, 2021, one and a half hour contact visits for COVID-19 vaccinated MDOC residents and approved COVID-19 vaccinated visitors will be allowed. These are in addition to the one and a half hour non-contact visits and Zoom Video Visits, as they currently run. 

Visits must be scheduled by completing a request online. Visitors need to know the housing area for the resident they are approved to visit. Please be sure to specify if you are scheduling a Contact, NonContact, or Zoom visit. Non-Contact visits are limited to two visitors due to space constraints. 

Contact visits are limited to three COVID-19 vaccinated visitors at a time. Residents at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center and their visitors must be vaccinated against COVID-19 to be eligible for Contact visits. 

All visits must be requested by 4:00 pm two business days in advance. If you have questions regarding visits, you may call the Visit Office at (207) 893-7109 or email the Visit Office at [email protected]. 

Food Rules Allowable Food Items during a visit at SMRC:

• Homemade meals
• Store bought meals
• Fast food

Beverages must be sealed in plastic bottles – no glass or metal cans. Prohibited Food Items:

• Energy drinks of any kind.
• Coffee from Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, or other brands.
• Fountain drinks (with removable lids and straws).
• Individual packets:  cocoa, coffee, sugar, creamer, or Crystal Lite.
• Alcoholic beverages of any kind.

Leftover food must be taken back with the visitors or thrown away in the trash cans. Visitors must bring all paper goods, plastic utensils, napkins, plates, bowls, cups, etc. needed for meals (no glass, metal, or ceramic is allowed).

Dress Code

These clothing Items are allowed at visits:

• Dress slacks, and Khaki pants or jeans
• Skirts and dresses knee length or longer
• Tops and shirts that are loose fitting and completely cover the upper torso, that do not expose any level of cleavage or breast area below the collar bone
• Cardigan style sweaters and over shirts (i.e.: button downs), with no pockets or zippers, and must be worn with an undershirt. Button down shirts must not be unbuttoned any lower than the top two buttons
• Closed toe shoes such as sneakers, boots, or dress shoes.

All visitors must wear undergarments

All incoming resident mail must have a verifiable name and return address. All incoming general correspondence (letters, notes, or similar written communication) for adult residents must be on 8 ½” x 11” white paper, and written or printed in black or dark blue ink. 

You can't mail cash to any resident at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center.

How to Call an Inmate

You can't call a resident at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center, but they do have access to phones during certain hours and are allowed to make outgoing calls.

How to Send Money

You can send money to a resident at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center through the state of Maine's official web portal. 

To use this service, you will need:

• The MDOC number and date of birth of the individual you wish to make a deposit for.
• A valid credit or debit card with a Visa or MasterCard logo. Prepaid Cards will not be accepted.
• A United States billing address. This service uses an Address Verification Service which requires a US credit card.

Programs For Inmates

Women who are housed at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center spend their days in educational and/or cognitive-behavioral classes that prepare them for a successful transition into the community.

Programming includes:

• Self-awareness sessions (Decision-making,examining individual reoffending risks and triggers)
• Substance abuse treatment
• Behavioral treatment
• Financial management
• Other opportunities for self improvement
• GED classes
• Community college classes
• Learning a trade
• Community Service Projects (training therapy dogs, grounds maintenance, volunteering)

Residents have work assignments, which are initially in the facility. During the last six months of their sentence, they might have the opportunity to work in the community.

SMRC works closely with the Maine Department of Labor Career Center to place inmates in jobs that are in high growth/high demand career fields where employers have a need for good employees. Residents are able to keep these jobs after their release.

Pictures of Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center

Careers at Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center

If you are interested in a career with the Maine Department of Corrections and would like more information about the job openings at the Southern Maine Women's Reentry Center, click here.