Shortages epidemic at state prisons

By Alysa Phillips, assistant editor
Published on Wednesday, September 28, 2005 3:09 PM MST

Prisons across the state are experiencing a shortage of staff, and Safford's facilities face a 25-percent lack - a deficit Bob Huhn, public information officer for the Arizona Department of Corrections, said is a statewide problem.

"Statewide, we're at a 25-percent vacancy rate," Huhn said. "It's the worst it's ever been."

The Arizona State Prison Complex - Safford consists of three units - Graham, Tonto and Fort Grant. Warden Dorothy Vigil said she has 242 correctional officers on duty and 74 vacant positions.

Huhn said statewide, there are 1,310 vacancies.

Vigil cited the prison's minimal pay as the reason for the local staff shortage. She called low pay a detriment, and she said the prison competes with border patrol, the railroad, Phelps Dodge and the county jail to recruit staff. Also, the federal prison pulls officers from her pool, she said.

Vigil said she expects the addition of Home Depot and the Wal-Mart Super Center stores to take away from prison staff. The Safford complex also loses staff to military and personal leave.

Starting salary for correctional officers is close to $26,000, Vigil said.

"I don't believe we're losing our officers due to safety issues but to money issues," she said. "As they find out what other areas pay, they leave. I really feel the long-term solution is improving pay."

Even with the deficit, Vigil said she is optimistic about the facilities' safety.

"Despite the terrific responsibilities that staff face, our prisons are running better and safer than before," she said. "We still have some ups and downs, but the response of our staff continues to be professional."

Vigil said as warden she tries to emphasize the positive - a practice that can be difficult in the prison environment. Vigil visits all three units at least once a week during various shifts, she said, to help boost morale.

"When I go into those units, I am awed by the work those employees continue to do," she said. "We have to be positive and enjoy work in order to keep the inmates busy and safe and to keep the community safe."

Besides its effect on recruiting and maintaining staff, state budget cuts have forced the prison to scale back on basic supplies. Vigil said staff and inmates have to be frugal with their use of such items as cleaning supplies, hygiene items and toilet paper to make sure there's enough to go around.

Even if salaries were to climb, Vigil said correctional officers worry about benefits and taking care of their families.

"I think we really have to work with our legislators to make our salaries competitive with other counties," Vigil said. "Correctional officers tell me they like what they do; they like wearing their uniforms, but they have to think about their families. We may not be able to compete with Phelps Dodge, but maybe we can offer better benefit packages."

While they wait on legislation that would increase funding to state prisons, correctional officers focus on a strategic plan. The staff shortage will continue, Vigil said, and inmates will continue to arrive, but staff can facilitate meaningful activities that keep inmates busy and safe. When inmates are safe, the community is safe, Vigil said.

Part of the plan is to hold meetings within the prison communities and to gather input from inmates, supervisors, caseworkers, medical advisers and anyone else who has an impact on the activities of an inmate, Vigil said.

"The goal is to open a better outlet of communication," Vigil said. "We have fewer confrontations between inmates and between staff and inmates."

Other components of the strategic plan include:

� Work on increasing salary.

� Educate the community about the duties of correction officers.

� Improve recruitment efforts.

� Focus on safety inside and outside the prison.

� Conduct job fairs all over the state.

Contact Alysa Phillips at 428-2560 (ext. 234) or e-mail her at alysa@eacourier.com.

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Comments

14 comment(s)

Genevieve wrote on Oct 22, 2009 7:59 PM:

" I visited this spot in 2001 and had a wonderful time, in the two weeks I was there I greatly enjoyed the spring, the people and hiking in the surrounding area. The time I spent here was the highlight of my winter adventure. I played dominoes, drank tequila and picked up pretty rocks (and soaked in the spring of course!) It sounds like some terrible things have happened since and it's a shame that it's now closed. I would have loved to have seen it again. "

Tricia Wenzl wrote on Sep 20, 2008 4:32 PM:

" Re: Eve Batchelder murder-2006. I personally knew Eve as did many of my other co-workers and we were appalled that her confessed murderer was allowed to plead to a lesser charge (obviously) to escape the death penalty. This was a pre-meditated murder and kidnapping, resulting in the death of a wonderful, gentle soul not to mention leaving her two children without their mother! Jason Martinez does not deserve to live at the expense of the taxpayers with the chance that he could be paroled! Society cannot afford to be "soft" for the fear of peer pressure. "

ciara wrote on Jul 17, 2008 9:06 PM:

" hi i would like to know what time the pool opens "

Warnar Moll Amsterdam The Netherlands wrote on Jul 14, 2008 11:20 AM:

" I agree with Rustom Kevala.
In literature there are many scientific indications that the preparation of the sacred liquid (Haoma),could not contain a Hallucinogen-Entheogen drug (cf publications of Harry Falk, Jan Houben, Frits Staal and the late Mary Boyce).
As a plant-physiologist and toxicologian, I did some study about the preparation of Parahom (as described in Avesta). From the scientic point of view it is impossible that the sacred drink is hallucinogen.
I do not understand the arguments of the Pima's Church of Cognizance.
It is as stupid as the assert: Jesus used Marihuana. "

tom wrote on Apr 19, 2008 3:15 PM:

" if having someone go through something like especially a child is not an invasion of privacy then nothing is but then thats the 9th circus for you "

F THE SYSTEM!!! wrote on Feb 14, 2008 9:15 AM:

" Who cares about ibuprofen anyways! its just a pill that peopel take for headaches and aches who cares about what the school system. If someone suffers from chronic headaches and stuff like that they should be allowed to carry it around. IT was a bad thing to distribute it around to others, but they should be able to keep it anyway. Its not like teachers are all that willing to let students out of the classroom just because of a headache!!! SMS should be sued. Strip searching a student like that should NOT BE ALLOWED!!!! "

LaVae McClellan wrote on Feb 5, 2008 1:51 PM:

" Eric and Kevin Yazzie are my brothers, they always will be. Yeah its true they had a history of fighting, but thats all u see. The Eric and Kevin i know are happy and fun loving, make everybody laugh. I miss kevin, but theres nothing we can do for him now. As for Eric they need to let my brother go already "

joe tapia wrote on Dec 9, 2007 8:05 PM:

" I have spent half of my life in this canyon along with my cusion juan luepke and I would like to know what threats to the public that our gate is causing. there is another way into the canyon then through our property. Just before you get to the cobra guest ranch on klondyke rd take the tully springs\old aravaipa town turn follow for about 4 miles there is a side road just after the second cattle guard the road turns east you have to open a few gates but there not locked. "

JOE TAPIA wrote on Dec 9, 2007 12:11 AM:

" THE ROAD THAT EVERY ONE HAS USED FOR THE LAST 20-30 YEARS, Is owned by my family. as I have been told to me by my father that the b.l.m and nature conseverency asked to use our road because their easement down by the river kept getting washed out by floods.So when norma put the gate up the b.l.m asked the conservency to redo the road by the river again conservency said no way. By,joe tapia "

Katelynn Nichols wrote on Dec 7, 2007 5:34 PM:

" Clifford Bea Fowler is My uncle ans my cousin Kelci's dad he may be a white supremeist but he still loves his daughter.But he should be held responsible for his actions. "

Stephen wrote on Nov 30, 2007 8:57 AM:

" My thoughts and prayer's go out to the late Bobby Bell's family. "

SMSmom wrote on Nov 9, 2007 12:11 PM:

" I will be notified if my child is in so much trouble that he may need to be stripped searched. "Depending on circumstances"--NO I WILL BE NOTIFIED!!! TRY ME!!! "

Keisha wrote on Oct 27, 2007 8:03 PM:

" I'm sure if these guys were a threat to society action would of been taken. I'm not condoning such behavior but Linda sounds like she's up to no good. "

linda wrote on Oct 26, 2007 11:59 AM:

" Is there any way to post the photos of these molesters "in" the schools so that the children and school staff may detect any possible molesters? After all they are the ones who would most likely see them. "

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