Texas correctional facilities are grappling with a significant staffing crisis that has strained operations, increased costs, and raised concerns about safety and efficiency across the state’s prison system.
In 2023, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) spent nearly $14 million on travel expenses to reassign correctional officers to understaffed prisons, doubling the previous year’s expenditure. This approach involved shuttling officers to distant facilities where local staffing was insufficient, highlighting the depth of the staffing shortages.
The staffing shortfall has led to increased workloads for existing staff, with reports of officers working beyond the agency’s policy limits. Violations of the 16-hour workday rule increased more than tenfold to 9,000 violations per month on average since fiscal year 2019. Such conditions contribute to staff burnout and turnover, exacerbating the staffing crisis.
As of late 2023, nearly 30% of correctional officer positions remained unfilled, with some facilities operating with up to 70% vacancy rates. Over the past decade, TDCJ hired 74,000 correctional officers but lost 72,000, indicating a nearly complete turnover. This high attrition rate underscores the challenges in retaining staff within the prison system.
The staffing shortages have also impacted inmates, leading to delays in medical appointments, extended wait times for family visits, and concerns about safety due to insufficient supervision. In some cases, inmates have reported waiting up to 45 minutes for assistance, raising serious concerns about their well-being.
Efforts are underway to address these issues. TDCJ has implemented pay raises of approximately 30% over the past couple of years, and the Legislature has funded these increases. Additionally, the department is requesting more funds to build dormitories at facilities to house correctional officers, aiming to reduce the need for travel and improve working conditions.
Despite these measures, the department acknowledges that resolving the staffing crisis will require sustained attention and resources. The ongoing challenges highlight the need for comprehensive strategies to recruit and retain correctional officers, ensure the safety of inmates and staff, and maintain the efficiency of Texas’s prison system.
