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Corrections secretary defends equipment purchases and staffing as senators press on fentanyl deaths and delayed reports
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Summary
The Department of Correction and Rehabilitation told transition lawmakers it has invested in X‑ray and other detection equipment (about $8.4M), hired hundreds of staff and reduced overtime; senators pressed for updated statistics on contraband seizures, in‑custody fentanyl deaths, and sustainability of pay increases funded with one‑time federal dollars.
The secretary of Puerto Rico’s Department of Correction and Rehabilitation reviewed staffing, budget and recent technology investments at a Transition 2024–2025 hearing, and faced persistent questions from senators about contraband, fentanyl‑related deaths and the use of one‑time federal funds for recurring pay increases.
Secretary Annie Escobar said the department oversees roughly 14,897 people under supervision and about 7,315 confined, and that the FY2025 approved budget is approximately $413.9 million. She listed hires made during the current administration and said the agency had purchased detection equipment — including X‑ray and parcel‑inspection systems — at a cost of about $8.4 million to detect contraband and reduce opioid‑related harm. “...adquirimos unas máquinas ... a un costo de ocho punto cuatro millones,” she told the committee.
Committee members pressed for data that would substantiate improvements: they cited long lags in published internal reports (the department’s publicly posted adult profile was last updated in 2019, committee members said) and asked for counts of contraband seizures, overdose deaths, disciplinary outcomes and the status of investigations tied to high‑profile cases.
On fentanyl and contraband, the secretary reported 69 total inmate deaths year‑to‑date and 17 opioid‑related deaths in the calendar year (not all exclusively fentanyl), and reiterated cooperative investigations with federal partners including the DEA and the FBI. The department said new equipment was installed in November and that a regulatory framework for use had just been approved.
On contracts and performance: senators probed the status of a major healthcare contractor (Physisions/Physitions Correctional), the Hermes/Elmes Ayala case and whether any company contracts had been canceled; the secretary said an audit and corrective‑action plan are underway and that some medical providers were referred to licensing bodies pending review.
On sustainability and federal funds: lawmakers asked whether pay increases (for custody officers, e.g., $500 monthly supplements) and overtime were being funded with one‑off ARPA or FEMA reimbursements. The department confirmed ARPA funds have covered the officer supplement and FEMA reimbursed prior overtime payments; officials said they are coordinating with central budget offices to seek absorption of recurring costs into the general fund but acknowledged the risk when one‑time funds lapse.
Next steps: The secretary committed to provide the committee with outstanding statistical reports, contract lists and updates on disciplinary outcomes and investigations, and encouraged continuity of anti‑contraband investments and monitoring capabilities as a priority for the incoming administration.
Sources: Department testimony and Q&A at the Transition 2024–2025 committee hearing; direct quotes drawn from secretary testimony.
