Somewhere out there in Michigan’s vast, $2 billion-a-year prison system, there is a guard who last year worked 2,390 hours of overtime and more than likely made more than $130,000 for the year.
That’s 46 hours of overtime per week!!!
Another 120 guards averaged 20 hours of overtime per week.
Altogether, the Department of Corrections could save millions of dollars each year by effectively managing overtime costs, according to a state audit released last week.
Other savings could come from eliminating unusual prison guard perks like a $575 allowance for dry cleaning.
That’s the level of detail it’s getting to as a growing coalition of interest groups demand an end to the ever-growing prison budget trend in Michigan.
As we told you last week, prison overtime costs have doubled in the past five years.
In response to the new audit, the Corrections Department said its really doesn’t control its own overtime decisions because those are governed by labor contracts negotiated and approved by the governor’s administration.
“DOC informed us that its facilities monitor the amount of overtime worked by individual custody officers, but under current contract language, DOC cannot prohibit employees from working any given number of overtime hours, consecutive days, or double shifts unless they are determined medically unfit to do so,” auditors wrote. “DOC informed us it will continue to recommend changes to the collective bargaining agreement between the Michigan Corrections Organization and the State of Michigan to provide DOC with greater control and flexibility in the scheduling of overtime and staffing of assignments.”
9 Comments
I think the Michigan prison system has taken a page from the auto workers play book. Unfortunately for Michiganders paying for the prisons, we don’t have a choice where to send our prisoners, we have to take care of them within the State. At least we have a choice of autos to buy.
If the taxpayers of Michigan can save millions of dollars with privatization of the prison system, what are we waiting for?
I don’t agree with privatizing prisons as the profit motive MUST NOT be the primary driving force behind decisions that affect the safety and well being of Michigan’s citizens (including the prisoners themselves).
However, I am outraged at the exhorbitant costs here (as well as the lack of control available to the DOC over its own organization) and wonder what we as citizens can do to address this?
I agree with Adam Kaplan about the profit motive. Private prisons have their own set of pitfalls. The Department of Corrections actually has the potential to save money by using overtime to reduce costs. Training costs, leave credits, and employee benefits are minimized with a smaller work force working more hours even when some of those hours are at time and a half. The Department must be able to control overtime hours and not exceed the “break even” point.
Yes believe it or not corrections must maintain madatory staffing at each facility per shift. Let me ask you John, would you work overtime at your place of employment if it was available? And if it was would you like the general public to know all about it? Are YOU jealous? Because if you are you can come to my facility and work a month or so and lets see if working a few extra shifts of overtime is so Bad? And a word on those that work ridiculous hours of overtime – they have no lives. They often die on shift working overtime. All for money John. Get a life and don’t worry about whose making the money. Why don’t you instead go door to door in all the bad neighborhoods and ask people to stop committing crimes? Tell them prison is not the place to be and to find work in another state because there are no jobs in this state. Tell them to quit buying drugs ands selling drugs for whatever reasons $$$ because the thrill of it was lost a generation ago. Tell everybody to “just get along” and we’ll be fine. But really, get a job in corrections because at times working overtime is nice and then not so nice. Get a life John.
FROM ADAM KAPLAN: I don’t agree with privatizing prisons as the profit motive MUST NOT be the primary driving force behind decisions that affect the safety and well being of Michigan’s citizens (including the prisoners themselves).
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The profit motive is a HUGE, GIGANTIC driving force in most prisons. Surely you jest…..do you actually KNOW how much things cost in prison and where the money goes? Meaning, are you aware that most prisoners pay for every single thing they need such as soap, shampoo, laundry soap, washer and dryer, nurse, doctor. It’s nothing but a BIG, FAT racket and the sheriffs and gawd knows who else rake in the profits from these things. And don’t even
ASK about how much a phone call is from prison. Man, SOMEone is making big bucks by ripping people off on this stuff.
Michigan could generate more revenue by releasing harmless marijuana smokers and using the freed up cell space for growing medical marijuana. Probably there would be plenty of plant growing expertise right in the prison population.
Raftshol for Governor 2010
Would you work somewhere you could get murdered every day you go to work, Would you go to a place where murderers, rapists and child molesters walk around freely in your midst. The same ones who have HIV, hep C and other deadly illnesses and would love to spead it to you by way of throwing thir blood , urine or feces at you preferbly directly in your face. Would you do it when you are fifty years old and many of the prisoners you are resonsible for are less then half your age. I do every day, What you read in the headlines I deal with every day- long after you have forgotten the detals- Do you think I deserve to earn a fair wage- understand it not a pretty place and statistics say I will only live to be 58 years old and will not enjoy my retirement for more then two years- WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRADE JOBS WITH ME ? I work in a living hell- so you don’t have to!
Richard.
You may be 50 years old; and you may be a prison guard. But these prisoners are people too. Yes some are violent offenders, and act like caged animals. And yet they seem to ebb and flow with the interaction of other inmates. The one thing I do know, is that sometimes the guards ask for it. They constantly look down, and treat the criminals like dogs, and do not respect them. Just like any dog, if you don’t respect it, IT WILL BITE YOU. So I do not think you should get more every year. I do not think that overtime should be allowed. I do not think that privatizing prisons should be considered. Because by going to a private prison, the prisoners would be mistreated even worse, and since it isn’t state enforced, a lot of the crap behind walls are overlooked. (Guard mistreating prisoners, underfed, bad environment) – But I guess it really depends on the Warden of the prison, but it still is a very bad idea. WE DO NOT LIVE IN THE SOUTH! I beleive in fair competitive wages based off education, seniority, experience. And Richard, I’ve seen the inside of prison, and I’ve seen how guards and prisoners are. I around it for a while, so you say you live in a living hell, I say you have more fear than a child in the dark. So no I am not going to pay you MORE because you are scared. If you are scared, than get a job pushing tar sealer around with the state Road Commission. ( I could write war and peace on this bit you just spatted but I think I got my point out. im ending this one.==)
I think most of the people who are commenting negatively about the overtime have no experience with the prison system. They have to have overtime in order to maintain the proper staffing levels needed on the shifts. If they don’t have these staffing levels then the guards are working in an unsafe in environment. Even with a fully staffed shift they are grossly outnumbered. The way I see it, it is actually costing the state far less to pay these guards overtime then to hire more guards. As they would have to pay these new guards benefits such health ins , life ins, and dental. Also everyone keeps on complaining until someone gets hurt or killed due to low staffing levels, please think about this. I appreciate all of the time and energy these guards put in to keep us safe!! Thank you!! Please stop taking more and more money from the prison system!! There has to be other ways to create more revenue!