Liberty’s Prison

Combination memoir and call to justice, this book follows Randy Liberty's journey from maximum-security prison Warden to Maine's Commissioner of Corrections, where he was responsible for a radical shift in the approach to incarceration-one that focuses on rehabilitation, redemption, and humanization. When Randy Liberty was seven years old, he traveled to the Maine State Prison to visit his incarcerated father. Forty years later, he returned to the maximum-security prison as its Warden. A trailblazer in the field of corrections, Randy introduced innovative programs for inmates and dramatically reduced the use of solitary confinement during his tenure as warden. In 2019, Randy was appointed commissioner of corrections for the state of Maine. Under Randy's leadership, Maine's Department of Corrections adopted an operating philosophy known as the Maine Model of Corrections. Representing a radical shift from traditional models of incarceration, it focuses on rehabilitation, redemption, de-stigmatization, and humanization. Statewide recidivism rates since dropped to twenty-three percent, well below the national average of sixty-five percent. This book tells Randy's story, how he was able to break free from generational incarceration and poverty to achieve redemption and a life filled with purpose.