Ryan Andersen has been appointed superintendent of Long Creek Youth Development Center in South Portland, the state’s youth prison.
Andersen, who had been acting superintendent since March, was appointed following an extensive national search, according to the Maine Department of Corrections.
He replaces Lynne Allen, who served as Long Creek’s superintendent from January 2022 until March 22 of this year, when she stepped down for personal reasons, according to the department.
Andersen began his career with the department more than 17 years ago as a juvenile program worker at Long Creek, where he was promoted to manager of correctional operations, and deputy director of operations. In late 2022, he was appointed deputy superintendent.
“Ryan’s unique leadership style has had a continual positive impact at Long Creek,” Corrections Commissioner Randall Liberty said in a news release. “His calm and decisive approach paired with an ability for creative problem solving make him uniquely well fit to fulfill the needs of both facility staff and residents. It is clear that Ryan shares the department’s rehabilitative vision of providing an environment that is safe, supportive, secure and focused on helping youths reenter society in a productive way.”
In recent months, conditions at Long Creek have been volatile, according to an examination co-published Feb. 1 by The New York Times and Bangor Daily News. At least three major incidents occurred, injuring one staff member. One involved a group of teenagers wielding broomsticks who got into an unauthorized part of the facility after stealing an employee’s key, said Mark Brunton, president of a union representing prison workers.
Understaffing has contributed to problems at Long Creek for years, including eruptions of violence. Since the pandemic, teens there have at times been restricted to their living units or cells because of a lack of employees to supervise them, limiting their access to programs and school.
BDN writer Erin Rhoda contributed to this story.
