ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- Right now, the unemployment rate across New York is four percent, down just a little compared to last year. While that number may be decreasing, certain workforces are feeling the impacts of unemployment the hardest. Our Capitol Correspondent Amal Tlaige spoke with Department of Corrections and Community Supervision to see how the shortage is impacting them.
"Shortage, statewide for law-enforcement in general, approximately around 2019, 2020 is when that started the numbers have just dropped," said Chris Summers, Executive Vice President for the New York State Correctional Officer and Police Benevolent Association. He said the shortage could be directly related to criminal justice reform that limits the amount of time a person can spend in solitary confinement to a maximum of 15 days, "Our hands have been tied to the new law that the legislators have made, there is no more consequences anymore for them."
Summers said normally, 50 to 60 students graduate from academy, but that number has been dwindling, "Now we’re at low thirties, high twenties." The Academy is an eight week program held multiple times throughout the year. This will end with officers being placed at a specific facility. However, Summer says recently students have signed up for the academy and dropped out just a few days in. "They realize it’s not for them, I think it’s a generational thing. In prison, you can’t have your cell phone, you're cut away from society once you go behind the gates or the fence. That's it, you don’t have communication with the outside world for eight to 16 hours and lately it’s been 16 hours you get mandated every day," said Summers.
That’s right, due to the lack of employees, corrections officers are now being mandated to work past their scheduled shift. But the department is still taking initiative with recruitment - going to malls and other venues letting people know what the job is all about. Summers said some of the pros are retirement, benefits and good pay, but he said, the pay could be better, "There’s been plenty of talks with not only the legislators, but with the departments, the governor's office, and trying to work on how to make that better." You can check out CS.NY.GOV to learn more about working as a corrections officer.
