Kennebec County Sheriff Looks to Local Police to Cut Back on Arresting Non-Violent Offenders

Kennebec County Sheriff Randy Liberty is asking local police departments to ease up on arresting non-violent offenders. The reason? Kennebec County Jail is overcrowded.

Liberty says the county jail in Augusta is so overcrowded that inmates often have to sleep on the floor due to lack of beds. The sheriff also explains that the jail's 147-inmate capacity is strained by suspects charged with minor offenses who can't afford to post bail.

According to WGME, Liberty says efforts to curb the arrests of non-violent offenders has paid off. It has also drawn praise from defense lawyers and prosecutors.