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| Groups divided over increasing prison staff |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 06/14/2004 |
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The Pa. Department of Corrections and the prison employees' union disagree over whether lawmakers should support a bill intended to boost state prison staffing. Both sides presented testimony last Monday before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Vice President Roy Pinto of the Pennsylvania State Corrections Officers Association said the union supports the measure. It would establish minimum staffing levels to ensure that prisons have sufficient officers and food service instructors, who supervise inmates assigned to cafeteria duty. Pinto said prison officers need more than just surveillance cameras to help them on the job. But State Corrections Secretary Jeffrey Beard said the department opposes the bill for several reasons. Beard said the prisons are adequately staffed now after being "severely understaffed" through much of the 1980s and 1990s. Among other things, the legislation would require prison officer vacancies to be filled within 30 days. Beard says that's impossible to do because of medical, physical and psychological tests that applicants must complete during the screening process. |
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