Northern Mariana Islands DOC urges staffing, medical and infrastructure funding as utility and inmate costs rise

The Department of Corrections told the House Ways and Means Committee on July 3, 2025, that it needs additional staffing, medical support and capital funding to reduce long-term costs and safety risks at the agency's facilities across the commonwealth.

Commissioner Ancezus Mosse, head of the Northern Mariana Islands Department of Corrections, told the committee the department currently has 159 budgeted positions but only 105 employees on the payroll, with 54 vacancies. "We have full intentions to fill these vacant positions because we need them," Mosse said. He said staffing shortfalls force chronic overtime, strain officers and create liability risks.

The department framed the request around three immediate pressures: high utility bills, rising medical expenses and security/personnel shortfalls that could trigger legal consequences under a "consent decree" discussed in the hearing. "It costs about $139,000 a month in utilities," Mosse said, and the DOC has been pursuing solar installations to reduce that amount.

Why it matters

Committee members and DOC leaders said the shortfalls affect public safety, staff morale and the government's budget. Filling frontline correctional posts would reduce overtime, improve supervision ratios inside housing pods and allow the department to house more federal inmates under interjurisdictional agreements that could generate revenue.

What the department asked for

- Increased personnel funding to reduce vacancies across security, medical and administrative roles. The department reported 105 filled positions (91…