Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes ofwebsite accessibility
Weather Alert
Increasing chance of rain this evening
Show Less
Close Alert

NBC 10 I-Team: Rhode Island prisons grappling with correctional officer shortages


Prison cells in the medium security unit of the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. (WJAR File Photo)
Prison cells in the medium security unit of the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston. (WJAR File Photo)
Facebook Share IconTwitter Share IconEmail Share Icon

Behind the barbed wire gates of Rhode Island's prison system lies a growing problem: a massive shortage of correctional officers.

The Rhode Island Department of Corrections is currently down 60 to 70 correctional officers, including actual vacancies, employees out on workers' compensation, and officers on disability leave.

Wayne Salisbury, the interim corrections director and a former correctional officer, said the department is also dealing with recruiting issues, which stems from a lawsuit that unfolded several years ago.

“There was a Department of Justice lawsuit, which held up hiring for a number of years,” he said. “The lawsuit cleared up in about 2016 and I was the first class that had taken place in 45 years, so it was a catch-up period of trying to fill those vacancies caused by the lack of hiring during that time.

Years later, the recruitment problem still exists, partially spurred by competition among all law enforcement agencies, which is grappling with shortages industry wide.

“The competition is out there in the law enforcement community,” Salisbury said. “We have 39 cities and towns that are battling for what I refer to as the pool of candidates in this little pond of our state.”

While day to day operations typically aren’t affected at RIDOC, shortages have forced the state to shut down certain prison facilities in some cases.

“We’ve had to shut down what we refer to us posts, where we don’t have enough correctional officers to assign to some programming areas, but nothing that has affected the safety and security of the operations in any of our facilities,” Salisbury said.

The shortage in correctional officers isn’t just affecting how our prisons operate, it’s also affecting the number of hours correctional officers must work.

Overtime Costs

A detailed analysis on overtime costs by the NBC 10 I-Team uncovered the Department of Corrections clocked more overtime than any other state agency in 2022 at over $31.4 million.

Twenty-four of the top 27 overtime earners in the agency were correctional officers, one of whom made over $90,000 in overtime, nearly doubling his $92,000 salary

We brought that number to Salisbury.

“I would say that’s an officer that’s dedicated to public service and ensuring the safety and security of the institution,” he said. “That person who worked that $90,000 in overtime was here working and earning that money. They’re not just sitting and watching a building and checking doors. They’re dealing with people every day. They’re doing their job every day.”

When asked whether working all those extra hours is dangerous, Salisbury responded, “No, it’s not dangerous at all.”

Salisbury says some officers volunteer to work overtime for the extra cash, but we learned that’s not always the case.

Since prisons must be staffed 24/7, industry standards allow for mandatory overtime, which can turn an 8-hour shift to a 16-hour shift.

“You could work the 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift, and then if I’m short-staffed for the 3 p.m. to 11 p.m. shift because somebody called out sick, I could say I need you to stay over tonight,” Salisbury said. “We do it by reverse seniority when it comes to forced overtime, so if it’s your turn on the list, you’re going to have to stay.”

While it may sound like a lot for a physically and mentally tolling job, Salisbury says it’s the only way to guarantee the prison facilities will be staffed.

“It would be great to say, 'Hey, let’s just lock everything down, turn off the lights and we’ll come back tomorrow morning,' but unfortunately, we are dealing with real people and real needs, and we have to provide services to them,” he said.

Once that 16-hour double shift is up, the department can’t keep correctional officers who don’t volunteer to work longer.

While the job of a correctional officer can be dangerous for many reasons, Salisbury says long hours isn’t a part of that.

“We work in a very dangerous environment and there are times when much like a fire department, they’re sitting around, waiting for an alarm bell to go off to respond to that fire. It’s pretty much the same in the Department of Corrections,” he said. “We have a lot of duties that we do that seem very mundane and day-to-day and routine and nature, and when that alarm goes off or somebody calls for assistance, that’s when that danger piece kicks.”

Nationwide Shortages

Rhode Island isn't alone.

Data show states across the country are dealing with a shortage of correctional officers.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the number of correctional officers is projected to decline by over 10% by 2031.

That has prompted many states to take action by raising wages and offering hefty sign-on bonuses.

Incoming correctional officers in Rhode Island make about $54,000 to start, which is competitive in comparison to other states. South Carolina, for example, just raised starting wages to $50,000 from $32,000.

While RIDOC doesn’t offer sign-on bonuses, it has recently sweetened the deal for incoming officers by offering a stipend at the academy.

“During this last academy that we held, we raised that stipend to kind of attract some more people, and we are looking at other things that would raise that stipend during the Academy that would further attract more qualified candidates as well,” Salisbury said.

The approach may be working.

While the DOC has consistently clocked more overtime than other state agencies, its numbers have dropped slightly since the pandemic.

Costs decreased by about $1 million since 2020.

“We are always looking for ways to save money, but first and foremost is the safety and security of our facilities, so we have to properly staff that so we don’t put anybody at risk,” Salisbury said.

Workers’ compensation claims have also been on the decline, aiding in correctional officer shortages.

About 35 of every 1,000 correctional officers in Rhode Island are on workers' comp, which compares to 70 of every 1,000 officers in 2020.


Loading ...