Sticking up for the little guy, inside and outside of prison cells

Here’s a problem that few people know about: Approximately 6% of the Michigan Department of Corrections budget is spent on overtime pay! Because of staff shortages corrections officers are working long hours. So many overtime hours, in fact, that it’s costing the state more than $112 million per year! 

The problem is easily explained. Approximately half of Michigan's prisons are understaffed, with a shortage of around 900 officers statewide! 

An in-depth report written by MLive reporter Nathan Clark tells the story well. And, it has clout because it reaches Michigan readers of 9 different newspapers. 

On the other hand, instead of making that kind of impact along comes Doug Tjapkes, a little guy, a small market journalist whose radio station had 500 watts, who’s living in a city of 3,000 people, and who has no clout whatsoever. My mantra, in all my careers, has been to speak up for the little guy. So, regardless of impact or clout, I’d like to turn the focus from Michigan’s dollar woes to a more serious problem…that of the little guy. I’m specifically referring to two groups of people in Michigan’s 31 prisons: corrections officers and incarcerated men and women. 

First, starting with the prison guards. 

Imagine having to work an 8-hour shift, only to receive orders that you must remain on the job for another 8 hours…a 16-hour stint! You can hardly stay awake as you drive home. But, in just 8 hours you must return! The average vacancy rate for correctional officers across the state is around 17%. 

In addition to personal and family problems, the serious staff shortages also affect their jobs. Besides being forced to work long overtime hours, they face increasingly dangerous and unpleasant working conditions. COs are the first to admit that this leads to burnout, low morale, and increased turnover rates. Is it any wonder why it’s difficult to find qualified people willing to work under these conditions for $50,000 a year? 

The state must not ignore this problem any longer, although I’m not at all sure our  legislature even gives a tinker’s damn. A bill just to ensure that these officers receive a pension somehow never gets forwarded to the governor for signature. 

Now let’s talk about the little guy behind bars. With fewer officers on duty there’s less supervision, and you know what happens when the cat’s away. The shortage leads to increased violence, increased tension among inmates, increased possession of contraband and weapons, and even a reduction in available courses and programs for rehab. Is it any wonder that the staff shortage leads to frustration and anger, as well as loss of hope and motivation among the 32,000 people residing in our prisons? 

I’ve been very brief. I urge you to read Clark’s full report on this shameful situation. 

Hopefully that will prompt you and me to have a conversation with our elected officials. 

So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

James 4:17

 

 

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