by Bob Walsh
Two members of the legislature of North Caroline have proposed that the governor send National Guard troops to staff the state's prisons, which are woefully and perhaps critically understaffed. There were five staff murdered in N. C. prisons last year. Much of this violence is being blamed on chronic short-staffing.
In April last year Sgt. Meggan Callahan was murdered in the Bertie Correctional Institution. They were running 20% staff vacancies at the time.
Four staff were murdered at the Pasquotank Correctional Institution during an abortive escape attempt. At the time of the murders the facility was 28% short-staffed.
West Virginia had similar short staffing problems and Governor Jim Justice declared a state of emergency. He sent in 80 members of the National Guard to provide perimeter security at jails and prisons, freeing up correctional staff for inside duties.
Ruben Young is the head of the N. C. prison system. He has acknowledged the serious staffing issues, but has said he is unsure the National Guard is the answer, citing concern over their lack of training and background in this particular field. Some N. C. prisons are currently 30 % understaffed.
EDITOR'S NOTE: National Guard troops doing the perimeter security duties and even manning the prison guard towers sounds like an idea whose time has come.
3 comments:
Why don't all states with staffing problems utilize The National Guard? They did it in Iraq and look what an good job they did. Remember the pictures of the tortured naked prisoners?
States need to step up and adequately fund their prisons.
Trey, thia is different than Iraq. The National Guard troops would have no direct contact with prison inmates. They would man the guard towers and patrol the prison perimeter outside the fence.
That's what the nurses and teachers were told too. States hate to spend money on prisons. The first time there is a shortage the National Guard will be on A Block.
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