Home -> Law Blog Directory -> Criminal Law Blogs -> Grits for Breakfast

Criminal Law

: Grits for Breakfast

TDCJ unit in Fort Stockton only 59% staffed

Imagine you're a female prison guard with 13 years on the job. You're supposed to have two other Correctional Officers (COs) with you to guard between 80 and 100 adult male prisoners. But you're alone. And scared to the point that your knees shake. How much would you need to get paid to take that job?That's the scenario described in the lede to a Houston Chronicle story yesterday ("State prison guard shortage 'critical,'" April 21) on Texas' chronic shortage of prison staff.The Neal prison in Amarillo has so few guards working these days that Dorothy Barfoot, a correctional officer, often finds herself working alone in a dorm with 80 to 100 male felons. Sometimes she gets so scared her knees shake. "Usually there should be two (correctional officers with me), at least," said the 13-year veteran...continue to full post

Full post as published by Grits for Breakfast on April 21, 2008 (boomark / email).