DETROIT – The union representing some 5200 corrections officers in Michigan continues to sound the alarm on dangerously low staffing levels. “This is a very unusual time where the corrections officer union and prison advocacy groups are aligned,” said Byron Osborn, President of The Michigan Corrections Organization.
Of the state’s 26 prisons, half of them have a vacancy rate of 18% or more. Having so few people on staff is not just impacting the quality of life for officers who routinely work 16-hour shifts of mandatory overtime. Osborn says impacting inmates too. Yard time is being canceled or reduced, so are phone calls and other activities inmates would usually have.
State Senator Ed McBroom represents the Upper Peninsula’s 38th district. Recent unrest at the Baraga prison, one of five in the UP resulted in damage to that facility. He says some inmates flooded and damaged their cells in protest of conditions.
“Due to the shortages, they get less yard time, less privileges because there are too few people, people are missing out on their education training situations which is critical to parole,” McBroom said.
McBroom joins fellow Republican lawmakers, Reps. Dave Prestin and Greg Markkanen in calling for urgent attention and action to the issue. In 2021 and 2022, Senator McBroom lead an Oversight Committee. He said many officers are working 80 hours a week and 32 hours a day.
He also reports unrest at all five UP prisons is on the rise.
The Department of Corrections has been soliciting volunteers from other prisons to help those experiencing critical staffing as it works to recruit and train new corrections officers. Even then, Osborn says, the problem is going to require other strategies since the 700-800 new hires would only replace the corrections officers who typically retire or move on in a year.
Earlier this month, Osborn asked the governor to activate the National Guard to help with the immediate staffing shortages, but he says he hasn’t heard back. Senator McBroom wants to see efforts be made to entice new retirees or corrections officers who transferred to other states for better pay to come back. Long-term, he says he’ll push for pensions, better pay and benefits so that Michigan can retain its corrections officers after training them.
The Michigan Department of Corrections released the following statement:
The Michigan Department of Corrections appreciates the hard work of our staff at facilities around the state, as well as the efforts of those who are actively recruiting in their communities. The department has established itself as a national leader in effective programming, education, and supervision for those in the criminal justice system. The department’s results are clear, as Michigan achieved the second lowest recidivism rate in our state’s history.
The Department of Corrections continues to focus on long-term solutions to its staffing challenges, including increasing maximum pay by over $12,000 per year for corrections officers since 2019, roughly $55M in recruitment and retention bonuses over the last 3 years, and a year-round recruiting campaign for new officers. A Corrections Officer Academy recently started, with 187 new officer recruits and the MDOC is actively recruiting for the next academy, which is scheduled to begin in October
Michigan Department of Corrections