Penn. Officers at Prison Worried for Their Safety

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By Shamokin News Item

Published: 10/21/2002

Less than a week after corrections officers at a Schuylkill County, Pa., state prison raised concerns about theirs and the public's safety due to what they claim is a lack of manpower at important security positions, workers' unions have cited the same problem at the facility here.
On October 7, the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association (PSCOA), which represents corrections officers at state prisons in Coal Township, Mahanoy, Frackville and Elizabethtown, contended that officers at the Coal Township prison are at risk of harm due to cuts in staffing.
The PSCOA pointed to a survey conducted by the Commonwealth for the State Correctional Institute at Coal Township that was released two years ago. That survey, according to the PSCOA, reported that inmate population at the medium-security prison was on the rise, yet, the union claims, high-security positions at the facility are being 'collapsed.' that the inmate population at the facility was on the rise and the Commonwealth has forgotten about the results.
The 'collapsing of posts,' according to the PSCOA, is when essential positions are eliminated from the daily schedule.
The union goes on to contend that management at SCI-Coal Township is not filling positions that are vacated when an corrections officers takes a leave of absence.
The PSCOA also claims that the concerns of the officers are not being addressed, and are, instead, being 'swept under the rug' by management.
However, an administrator at the prison says that, while the inmate population has increased, so has the staff compliment.

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