As position cuts hit federal prisons, teachers and nurses are tapped to act as guards
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Position cuts and a temporary hiring freeze implemented by the Trump administration are contributing to a shortage of correctional officers at federal prisons.
To make up for the deficit, some prisons are regularly tapping teachers, nurses, secretaries, clerks and other support staff to act as guards, the New York Times reports. Its story is based on interviews with dozens of prison workers nationwide and internal documents from the Bureau of Prisons.
Typically, support staffers receive only a few weeks of training before serving as guards. “Many prisons have been operating in a perpetual state of staffing turmoil, leaving some workers feeling ill-equipped and unsafe,” the Times reports.
The Obama administration had also required support staff to works as guards, but the practice appears to be increasing as staff shortages become chronic, the Times says.
Prison workers are worried that the shortage of guards will lead to increased prisoner assaults on staff members and an uptick in cellphones and other contraband reaching inmates. The Times cites Bureau of Prisons statistics that show assaults on prison staffers rising more than 8 percent over the prior year.
The shortage began with a government hiring freeze implemented days after President Donald Trump took office. The freeze was generally lifted in April 2017, but it lasted longer for prisons. In addition, about 5,000 unfilled jobs have been eliminated at the Bureau of Prisons, including about 1,500 correctional positions.
At the same time, the prison population is expected to grow because of Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ toughened stance regarding charging decisions that affect mandatory minimums. The temporary transfer of at least 1,600 immigration detainees to prisons will also have an impact.
