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| Overtime at State Prisons Costly |
| By Lincoln County News |
| Published: 08/01/2005 |
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The Maine Department of Corrections spent more than $4 million in overtime in the fiscal year that just ended and predicts things will get worse due to overcrowding. Earlier this summer the system hit an all-time record number of inmates, with 20 forced to sleep on mattresses on the floor. "It's going to get worse before it gets better," said DOC Commis-sioner Martin Magnusson. As of last week there were 2045 adult inmates in the system, which is set up to house 1850. At the peak three weeks ago there were 2060. His department is budgeted to spend $940,000 a year in overtime, but is allowed to transfer funds within the department to fund additional hours. In the fiscal year that ended on June 30, the depart-ment clocked 185,353 hours of overtime, with almost half of it earned at the Maine State Prison. And, that's in a state with the smallest prison population and lowest incarceration rate in the country. Some officers, who are volunteer-ing to work extra shifts, are averaging 60 to 70 hour work weeks, Magnusson said. "We've got to try to spread it around because it becomes dangerous for them to work." Union agreements dictate how the overtime system operates in the department, with extra shifts given to those who volunteer based on seniority. "There are other people who really don't want the overtime," he said, estimating the average work week for most officers is around 50 hours. If there are no volunteers, the department mandates overtime shifts. Average salaries for correctional officers range from $540 to $580 per week or just about $30,000 annually. The highest paid corrections officer in the Maine State Prison in 2003 earned more than $65,000 with his overtime, based on data compiled by the department last September. The Maine State Prison, which houses maximum security inmates, has the worst problem, because "it tends to have a high vacancy rate...it's a tough place to work," Magnusson said. Last fiscal year it accounted for 47 percent of the overtime dollars spent. |
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