CBS News is reporting that the Hennepin County Jail now has until December 5th to reduce the jail population from 839 to 600.
The main problem is low staffing to inmate ratios.
There are many factors all of which leads to a snowball effect. These conditions exist in almost every Jail and Prison in the State.
CO's were forced to work massive overtime during the pandemic and were ordered to take the 'jab' or be fired. Many chose to leave. Those who stayed, even though labeled frontline workers, did not receive the frontline worker pay because (drumroll) they made too much money due to the excessive OT to qualify. A large number of them contracted Covid due to close proximity to inmates in jails.
The fewer the staff the more the forced overtime, the more forced OT the more burnout and sick calls which leads to even more OT.
At the State level HR 1234 changed the way disability is applied. Billed as a Police and Fire Bill it also affected CO disability in a negative way.
Correctional Officers/Detention Deputies are constantly compared to less dangerous jobs like dispatch and probation. Evident from repeated efforts to add those job classes to the PERA Correctional pension intended for a high risk job supervising inmates. See the MNCORA Blog for numerous examples.
CO's are assaulted and even murdered with little consequence at times. Let's take Joseph Gomm the Stillwater Prison CO murdered by an inmate with a hammer in 2018. The legislature denied the family's claim for compensation and only awarded them a $60,000 workers comp claim!
As in all Public Safety jobs CO's are viewed in a negative light these days. It's not a glamorous job, but it is necessary.
There is no simple solution but their pay did not keep up with inflation. As the saying goes, "money talks and bullshit walks." A hefty raise would help attract and retain CO's. Certainly a better option than letting criminals walk free to reoffend.
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