BALTIMORE (AP) — A severe staffing shortage in Maryland prisons and jails is creating dangerous conditions for both prisoners and guards, according to a report released Thursday by the union representing state correctional officers.
The report — which includes a detailed analysis of current staffing levels and assignments in Maryland’s 19 state-run facilities — calls on the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services to hire over 3,400 more correctional officers, saying the agency is operating “at an all-time low.”
The problem isn’t unique to Maryland. Corrections systems and law enforcement agencies across the country have struggled to recruit and retain officers in recent years.
During a Thursday morning news conference, union leaders said they’re hopeful Maryland’s newly elected Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, will take steps to address the problem after what they called a lack of action under his predecessor, Republican Larry Hogan.