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DOC says staffing and retention are top priorities as vacancies persist
Summary
Deputy Commissioner Kristen Calvert told the Appropriations panel the Department of Corrections has 1,121 authorized positions, hired 214 in 2025 and is focusing on retention programs after seeing vacancy rates of about 12.7% overall (15.7% in facilities).
Deputy Commissioner Kristen Calvert told the Appropriations Committee that staffing and retention remain the department’s top priorities as it prepares its FY27 budget. "Current staff is 1,121 positions," Calvert said, and she noted the department hired 214 people in 2025 but still reports elevated vacancy rates: "Overall staff vacancy rate for the year was 12.7, facilities... 15.7, and the field was 8.7."
Calvert and finance staff described turnover as a continuing challenge. Calvert said attrition was “22 and a half percent the last I checked,” and committee members pressed for clarity on hires versus separations. Committee members asked whether the department was losing as many workers as it hired; Calvert said new‑hire numbers were higher than separations but "not as many as you would like," and emphasized retention over recruitment.
To address retention, Calvert outlined steps her agency has implemented: supervisor training to help line supervisors transition to managing staff, and creation of a "staff experience supervisor" position to mentor new employees during their first six to 12 months. She said those steps have produced measurable improvement in stay rates at entry, and that the vacancy trend has shifted down from highs near 30% during the COVID period to a more sustainable mid‑teens range.
Committee members raised forced overtime and shift burdens as drivers of turnover. Calvert said mandatory overtime has decreased as vacancies fall and that the department seeks to reach a range where overtime becomes more voluntary. The department agreed to follow up with a caseload‑per‑officer ratio for parole and probation officers that was not available during the hearing.
The department characterized staff retention as a multi‑pronged effort tied to workplace practices and scheduling, not solely pay adjustments. Calvert also noted wellness and DEI initiatives intended to improve working conditions and staff progression over time. The Appropriations panel did not take formal action; members indicated they would review follow‑up data during subsequent budget deliberations.
