Cooks and nurses pulled in to make up guard deficit.
The Justice Department’s budget allotted for the hiring of 20,446 correctional officers by the end of 2020, but today, only 13,762 officers are employed at federal prisons across the country. Those employed at correctional facilities are feeling the strain, with counselors, nurses, and cooks being formally augmented to fill the hazardous patrolling jobs currently unfilled.
Weekly individual overtime can reach 60 hours consistently, and the Bureau of Prisons’ budget is feeling the strain. The bureau released a statement in the wake of public complaints from their employees, justifying its reliance on overtime, stating, “It is important to note that staff assigned to our institutions are professional law enforcement officers first, regardless of their occupation.”
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For the officials of the Bureau of Prisons as they look for ways to balance the agency’s budget.
- That the Justice Department would be discerning in using resources to care for both prisoners and prison staff.
- For the president and his administration as they consider solutions for domestic issues.
Sources: AP, NPR
