CHARLESTON, W.Va. Staffing challenges in jails across West Virginia are at a crisis point, and Joey Garcia (D-Marion, 76) came to MetroNews “Talkline” to describe the urgency of the matter.
On some shifts that require 15 people, only two people report for duty. According to Garcia, jail staff then have to ask those who have already worked a shift if they will stay, and if they decline, employees are ordered to work the additional shift.
“That is a situation that is preparing us for a situation that is not going to be good for both the correctional officers and the offenders in the regional jails,” Garcia said.
House Bill 2879 allows a $6,000 hiring and retention bonus. Current employees would also be paid the $6,000 bonus. Newly hired officers will get $3,000 immediately and another $3,000 after three years of service.
Also, the bill includes a $10,000 pay raise for officers. That would be paid $5,000 July 1, 2023 and a $2500 raise in 2024 and anther $2500 raise in 2025. Lawmakers want to increase the starting salary for corrections officers from $33,000 to $43,000 in three years.
“Hopefully we’ll be able to make this a profession, not just a place where people go to get a short-term job,” Garcia said. “Also, when we bring someone in, a correctional officer won’t start in West Virginia jails and be poached by another organization.”
The problem has been around for the last few decades but has recently become a major issue. Since the governor’s emergency order late last year, more than 300 members of the West Virginia National Guard have been performing administrative functions for the department to free up more to serve as correctional officers.
Garcia hopes the increase in compensation will help the state recruit and maintain a dedicated workforce.
“This is a difficult job, and they deal with difficult situations and people,” Garcia said. “So, having longevity should also make it a safer environment.”
Now, he said, it is the responsibility of lawmakers to recognize the severity of the problem and take swift action.
“Each one of us needs to be an advocate for this, getting it to the Finance Committee and getting it to the floor, and we have the money,” Garcia said. “There is no one that can say with our almost $2 billion in surplus this year that we don’t have the money to do something about it, and one person’s life is worth that.”
House Bill 2879 will next be considered by the House Finance Committee.