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| AZDOC facing 11% staff cuts |
| By The Arizona Capital |
| Published: 02/13/2009 |
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ARIZONA - The Appropriations chairmen’s list of options to bridge next year’s budget gap includes a $130-million hit to the Department of Corrections, one of the state’s largest agencies. And among the options being considered is increasing the inmate-to-officer ratio, a savings of about $25 million to the state. But that would mean the department would have to shed more than 600 correctional officers out of its 5,694 positions, a nearly 11-percent reduction in the correctional officer workforce. All but 21 of the correctional officer positions are filled. The state’s inmate population is nearly 40,000. Most of the inmates are in state prisons, while 4,300 are in private prisons in Arizona and another 4,200 are in out-of-state prisons. “I can’t overemphasize the issue of public safety and staff safety and inmate safety,” DOC interim Director Charles Ryan told senators during a hearing on Feb. 9. Ryan appealed to lawmakers to “look at how we actually have to staff and manage these facilities.” Read more. If link has expired, check the website of the article's original news source. |
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ARE YOU KIDDING ME???????????? THESE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO MAKE BUDGET CUTS JUST TO SAVE MONEY ARE UNBELIEVEABLE. I MEAN REALLY, HAVE THEY EVER WORKED IN A CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION THEMSELVES. I PERSUME NOT OR THEY WOULD FIGHT TO KEEP THEIR OFFICERS THE BEST WAY THEY CAN. I HAVE BEEN A CORRECTIONAL OFFICER FOR 10 YEARS AND RECENTLY WALKED AWAY FROM THIS TYPE OF WORK BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF OFFICERS THAT WAS ON DUTY DAY IN AND DAY OUT.. TELL THESE STATE OFFICIALS TO TRY SITTING IN A CHOW HALL WITH 300 PLUS INMATES IN THERE AT ONE TIME WITH ONLY YOURSELF AND MAYBE ONE OTHER OFFICER, OR WALK AROUND DURING REC HOUR WITH OVER 400 INMATES EASILY ON THE YARD WITH 3 OR 4 OFFICERS!!! I CAN GUARANTEE NOT ONE OF THESE STATE OFFICILAS HAVE EVER DONE THAT. BUT THEY WANT TO TAKE MORE OFFICERS AWAY JUST TO SAVE MONEY. DO YOU GUYS NOT REALIZE BY DOING THAT IT PUTS OTHER OFFICERS LIVES IN MORE DANGER.. I GUESS THAT DOES NOT MATTER TO THE STATE MUCH AS LONG AS NOTHING HAPPENS IN YOUR AGENCY I GUESS.. WELL IF YOU READ ABOUT OTHER EVENTS IN THE COUNTRY REGARDING CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS YOU CAN SEE A LOT OF INCIDENTS OCCURING DUE TO LACK OF STAFF. I THINK YOU GUYS NEED TO TRY TO SAVE THESE OFFICERS POSITIONS FOR THE SAKE OF THE STAFF THAT WILL STILL BE THERE.. I CANT BELIEVE MONEY IS TAKING PRIORITY OVER OFFICERS LIVES!!!!!!!! THEY SAY MONEY IS THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL