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Correctional officers describe staffing emergency and on‑the‑job violence, urge urgent budget fixes
Summary
Correctional staff and family advocates told the Appropriations Committee of a staffing crisis at state prisons—vacancy rates above 35–40%, officers mandated to work weeks without days off, multiple recent stabbings—and urged the legislature to fund hiring, retention incentives and pin increases.
Several correctional officers, union leaders and family members told the Appropriations Committee the state’s correctional system is in crisis and urged immediate budget action to address vacancies, overtime and safety.
Tony Signs, president of Ask Me Local 898, said some supermax facilities have vacancy rates above 35% and personnel are being mandated “seven or eight weeks straight without a day off,” with officers regularly forced into multiple double…
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