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 sworn) of 159 funded positions and stressed the need for another recruitment academy.

- Continued investment in the residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) program and other grants. DOC staff said RSAT launched in May 2025 and has generated early results, including certifications for participants and preliminary low recidivism among program graduates.

- Capital and infrastructure funding: DOC said it has about $1.4 million in solar funding in combined awards and pending allocations (roughly $1,000,000 pending and about $443,000 awarded), is pursuing a jail-management system (noted at about $300,000 allocated), and is awaiting NEPA review for a kitchen renovation intended to move food production in-house.

- Medical-unit support including more trained medical staff, an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) and a Pyxis dispensing cabinet to reduce medication errors. Nurse Luselva Blue, the department's nursing director, said the facility's medical unit has relied on paper charts and needs an improved medical administration system: "Prison can be a place of healing, recovery, and forgiveness," Blue said, describing the unit's work and training for officers to perform basic clinical tasks.

Staffing, supervision and safety

DOC officials detailed how frontline staffing breaks down by shift and housing pod. Capt. Marvin Semaan and other shift leaders described instances where a single officer is assigned to a pod section with dozens of inmates; DOC said one pod assignment had two officers for 21 inmates. Officials warned those ratios increase risk and cited requirements for "direct supervision" and existing post orders that require at least one officer per section.

"We're showing you the breakdown of our personnel and how we maximize," the commissioner said. Lieutenant Kitagua, who leads the outreach program, described that program's dual role in community work and prisoner rehabilitation: "We're only 18 manpower, but we move like a full dump truck," he said, noting outreach's revenue-generating work and community projects.

Grants and IT modernization

DOC described a new grants office and several active federal grant efforts: RSAT (federal substance-abuse funding administered through CJPA), JAG (training and retention efforts), Bureau of Justice Assistance technical assistance, and USDA/Office of Insular Affairs money earmarked for solar work. Victoria De Leon Guerrero, chief of staff, said the department had applied for seven grants and that three federally funded positions had been created through those awards.

The department said it does not yet have an operational jail management system and is upgrading server capacity to support one. DOC said JAG and related grants would fund training to make in-house trainers available and reduce reliance on off-island or contract training.

Medical costs and referrals

DOC reported that 170 inmates are currently in custody; about 90 of them require daily medications. Nurse Blue said pharmacy bills have risen since the department began being billed for medications; the department reported paying roughly $85,527 for pharmacy items in January–May alone. DOC described strategies under consideration to reduce off-island medical spending, including stronger agreements with regional hospitals, in-house phlebotomy to avoid transfers, telehealth psychiatry and negotiating partnerships with private clinics.

Revenue opportunities and the compact

Mosse and staff discussed an interjurisdictional compact with other jurisdictions (for example, Guam) to house inmates and generate revenue. The department estimated one inmate costs roughly $43,000 per year to house; Mosse said that if the CNMI accepted an additional 100 inmates through a compact it could generate about $4.3 million in revenue — but only if DOC has adequate staffing to manage the additional population.

Committee questions and next steps

Representatives pressed DOC on timelines for NEPA review (kitchen), the status of solar awards, and the negotiation portal (LEAP) needed to adjust per-diem rates for federal detainees. DOC said some awards are pending and some funds are already allocated; the department asked the committee for continued legislative support while grant awards complete their review and release. The committee scheduled further budget deliberations the following week.

Ending

Committee Chair Rep. JP Sablan thanked the DOC team and said members would consider the request during upcoming budget deliberations. Mosse closed by emphasizing the department's focus on rehabilitation, staff safety and long-term savings: "Let us all make history by investing in a system that reflects the values and strengths of our vibrant community," he said.