US prisons face staffing shortages as corrections officers quit in droves amid COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought severe staffing shortages to U.S. prisons as corrections officers, burnt out with the low pay and grueling nature of the work, have quit in droves.

The situation is becoming dire as prison populations, which dropped during the pandemic, are once again on the rise. Having fewer guards means more dangerous conditions and for the officers left behind, worsening shortages have made an already difficult job unbearable, many say.

In Georgia, some prisons report up to 70% vacancy rates. In Nebraska, overtime hours have quadrupled since 2010, as fewer officers are forced to work longer hours. Florida has temporarily closed three prisons out of more than 140 facilities because of understaffing, and vacancy rates have nearly doubled there in the last year.

In Kansas, state Department of Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda testified before the legislature that the problems now are unlike any he’s seen in his career. Kansas has more than 400 unfilled jobs for uniformed officers, a number he expects to grow in the coming months as workers are lured by other employers that pay better.

Many corrections officers said they were forced to work more overtime as fewer people showed up for shifts. In Texas, guards have worked as much as 16-hour days. – READ MORE