Prison watchdog: Understaffing impacting mental health of inmates, staffers

[October 26, 2024]  By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributor

(The Center Square) – A new John Howard Association report is calling attention to an ongoing staffing crisis throughout the Illinois prison system that experts contend is now having an adverse effect on inmates and staff members alike.

In the recently released report, researchers show the growing shortage in manpower has led to more lockdowns that have impacted the overall health, safety and well-being of all those involved inmates.

“Among the big takeaways, what we know is that across the system [the Illinois Department of Corrections] has been experiencing about a 29% staffing vacancy rate and the majority of those positions are security positions,” Vollen-Katz told The Center Square. “What that means is it’s very difficult for people who work in IDOC to move people who are incarcerated, which impacts access to phones and showers and things that are really meaningful.”

As of Sept. 1, there was a 28% deficit for security staff and 23% overall deficit from authorized facility-based staffing. Researchers add over the last five years, there’s been a steady decline in security staffing, prompting three out of every five staffers taking part in the John Howard Association survey to agree the lack of adequate staffing shortages frequently prevent their facility from operating at their optimal level. JHA data shows from fiscal year 2022 to fiscal year 2023, total lockdowns increased 279%.

“While we acknowledge an increase in total lockdowns, IDOC is actively taking steps to address the underlying challenges,” a spokesperson for IDOC told the Center Square Friday. “These efforts aim to improve staffing levels, increase staff wellness, and promote facility safety.”

In fiscal year 2022 alone, overtime hours among staffers totaled 1.9 million, resulting in nearly three out of every four organizational staffers taking part in a recent survey to agree that having to work double shifts because of staff shortages causes resentment.

“We've made a difficult job far more difficult and we are making living, working worse for everybody who lives and works in our facilities,” Vollen-Katz said. “Far more needs to be done and it needs to be done quickly because the circumstances this puts people in are incredibly stressful.”

IDOC said the staffing issues reflect a nationwide trend and the agency is taking “proactive measures to mitigate the impact of these shortages, including ramping up recruitment efforts statewide and expanding staff wellness initiatives.”

“Despite challenges, our staff continues to demonstrate remarkable resilience while facing the unique demands of correctional environments,” IDOC said.

Vollen-Katz said she’s happy to see IDOC’s efforts, but said more needs to be done.

“The organization also needs to conduct an independent analysis of the agency’s staffing needs as well as make more data on staffing needs public so the issues can be fully understood and pondered by more of the public,” she said.

The John Howard Association report recommends more transparency, the closure and consolidation of prisons where possible, improved living and working conditions and expanded recruitment, among other changes.

IDOC said they now have staff wellness/decompression rooms in every facility and are filling full-time regional staff wellness coordinator positiions. Hiring efforts include weekend screening sessions and looking at ways to reduce academy training time for certified officers. Those interested in applying can visit websites for prison work or those interested in non-security roles.

Greg Bishop contributed to this report.