Corrections is the largest division of the Sheriff’s Office, employing two-thirds of the work force of the agency. The rated capacity of the Penobscot County Jail is 136 inmates, and since 2000, the facility has been within contingency status due to overcrowding. Inmates are being housed at various other county jails from York County to Aroostook County . The jail houses both male and female adult prisoners. Juveniles are booked at the our facility but are either released conditionally to a parent under authority of Probation and Parole, or are taken to Mountain View Juvenile Correctional Facility in Charleston . Each  county is responsible for housing pretrial detainees and sentenced inmates who have a felony sentence of nine months or less or misdemeanor convictions of 364 days or less. State prisons house sentenced inmates with a sentence greater that the above. The Penobscot County Jail books approximately 5000 inmates a year. Below are a summary of frequently asked questions.  

    For additional information visit our voice mailbox at 947-4585 and ask for voice mail 600, or after hours, dial 600 when it asks which extension you would like.

    Inmate mail: All mail is screened for contraband. Mail from inmates at other facilities is not allowed and inmates cannot write to other inmates. Indigent inmates will receive three (3) free stamps per week. Letters can be sent in care of the inmate at Penobscot County Jail, 85 Hammond Street , Bangor , Maine, 04401 .

    Telephone:  All calls into and outside of the facility are recorded. Inmates without disciplinary problems have access to pay phones and can call out collect to the outside parties until 11 p.m. daily. If a citizen is having problems with receiving unwanted calls, your number can be blocked from the system so it cannot be dialed. Such requests are made by calling for Lt. Golden at (207)947-4585 during week days.

    *Visitation - For visit information please click here.*

    Visitation hours: Contact visits- Inmates with the last name initial A-L have visits Tuesday and Saturday evenings at 6:30 and 7:30 , and 8:30 if needed. Inmates with the last initial M-Z will have visits Thursday and Sunday evenings 6:30 and 7:30 , and 8:30 if needed. Visitors are requested to arrive one-half hour prior to the visit.

    Medications:  Inmates are encouraged to bring prescribed medications with them during their stay. Jail medical staff will evaluate the meds for appropriateness and distribute if approved. There is a $5.00 co-pay for doctor appointment or jail-purchased medication.

    Money:  Inmates must make an initial court appearance or be sentenced to more than 48 hours to be eligible for commissary/checks. Inmate money will be placed in their account and will be made available through voucher to purchase items at commissary. Money orders will be deposited directly into the account. Personal checks will be placed in the inmates’ property box to pick up upon release.

    Personal Property: Inmates will not be allowed access to their personal property that has been retained by the Penobscot County Jail. Only the following items from an inmate’s personal property will be released to a third party upon a written authorization:

  ·        Keys for car, apartment, house;
  ·        Credit cards, checks, cash;
  ·       Identification, license, birth certificate, passport;
  ·        Vehicle registration;
  ·        Pagers or cell phone.