Federal prisons face numerous challenges that make it difficult to demonstrate thought leadership. Employee recruitment and training, budget cuts, general civil unrest, employee retention rates, and changes in agency protocols and operation procedures are just a few of federal prison leaders' struggles. Additionally, issues in law enforcement like increasing attrition, expanding responsibilities, and consistent decreases in resources make creating a workforce that’s more representative of their communities an increasingly arduous task.

A recent study found that prison and jail staff are at significantly increased risk of contracting COVID-19 compared to the general public. With all the time prison staff spend around prisoners and members of the public who come in for visitation, this number is not surprising. However, it’s had a major impact on the availability of staff for prisons and the recruitment of new team members. Because of this, correctional officers are overworked, which poses a threat to public safety. In this blog, we explore ways correctional leaders can increase staffing and relieve the burden on their officers.

As organizations nationwide adapt to life during the COVID-19 pandemic, public safety agencies are among those facing additional challenges. This includes jails and prisons, which must implement protocols to keep inmates safe from the life threatening virus. Reducing the spread may be difficult, but there are several ways to prepare and prevent against the illness for the incarcerated and workforce staff within these facilities. 

Managing today's correctional facilities is demanding, difficult and sometimes dangerous. When you house hundreds of convicted criminals in one building, effective management is critical to the safety of inmates, workers, and the surrounding community. 

Corrections workforces must be united in both the way they present themselves and their internal dynamics. Breakdowns in communication or teamwork can put officers at risk. Supervisors must create a highly accountable workplace culture and address any problems as soon as they arise.

Staff shortages and recruiting difficulties are constant facts of life in correctional facilities. When too few officers are available, the result can put both inmates and staff in potential danger.

To keep their staffing situation under control, correctional leaders must practice effective scheduling and offer long-term retention programs. Workforce management software designed for public safety is an effective means to this end.

Everywhere around the country, officials must ensure there are enough officers on staff at correctional facilities, and make certain they are all properly trained to keep themselves and inmates safe. When hiring becomes a challenge, it's time to step up hiring efforts.

The Alabama prison system is currently facing a lack of staffing, and the Department of Corrections plans to make a renewed push for recruits by increasing benefits and ensuring there are opportunities for advancement.

City and county jails hold thousands of inmates and occupy an important role in the criminal justice system. But while policymakers focus on improving the management of state prisons, recent audits suggest that jails suffer from serious problems that are not being addressed.

In Florida, the nation's third-largest prison system is dangerously understaffed, leading to serious security issues.

That's the conclusion of a recent report conducted by independent consulting firm CGL, which found that many mandatory positions have been left unmanned for thousands of hours. As a result, fewer inmates are being searched, and use of force is increasing as guards struggle to maintain control.

State officials must always balance the need to stay on budget while avoiding burnout for their prison staffs.

A recent study from the Vermont Department of Corrections is once again bringing this dilemma into focus. Over the last six months, correctional officers at the state's seven prisons have worked an average of 11.6 hours of overtime for each two week pay period.