Reps. Obernolte, Chu, Weber, and Carbajal introduce legislation to address prison understaffing
Today, Rep. Jay Obernolte (CA-23), Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), Rep. Randy Weber (TX-14), and Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) introduced the Prison Staffing Reform Act, a bipartisan bill that directs the Bureau of Prisons (BOP) to conduct a review of its staffing needs and devise a plan to fill existing vacancies. The agency faces a crisis of understaffing that endangers both staff and inmates.
“The current staffing shortage at the Bureau of Prison facilities endangers the lives of both the staff that serve there and the inmates incarcerated there,” said Rep. Obernolte. “Inmates are not provided thorough care or adequately monitored, and the current inadequate levels of staffing have put lives at risk. It’s time we solve this staffing shortage and address the lack of correctional officers that is plaguing BOP facilities like FCC Victorville in my district.”
“Understaffed prisons endanger prison workers and incarcerated people alike, and without enough on-site medical professionals, minor health problems can become medical emergencies. Further, the inability to maintain proper staff ratios also means serial abusers are kept on prison payrolls, subjecting incarcerated women in particular to sexual violence and harassment. It was abundantly clear from my visit to a women's federal prison with colleagues that Congress must step up to ensure the Bureau of Prisons fully protects everyone in their custody and to implement an accountability structure when facilities violate the constitutional rights of incarcerated people,” said Rep. Chu.
“The crisis of chronic understaffing at the federal Bureau of Prisons is a major problem that needs to be addressed immediately,” said U.S. Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX). “Doing so will lead to better and safer conditions for our correctional officers and inmates. I am proud to champion solutions to address problems that have plagued the BOP and our correctional officers, and our bipartisan bill is a step in the right direction.”
“Staffing shortages don’t just put unnecessary burdens on the public safety officers and other BOP workers, they actively put the safety of those incarcerated at BOP facilities at risk,” said Congressman Carbajal. “At the Lompoc prison on the Central Coast, chronic understaffing and inadequate resources led to one of the largest COVID-19 outbreaks at any BOP facility as well as deadly fights that killed both inmates and staff. Our legislation provides the accountability needed to protect facilities like Lompoc by ensuring there is proper staffing in place to provide the security and services that are needed.”
What They’re Saying:
"Failing to properly recruit and retain correctional staff in our federal prisons undermines public safety and inhibits the Bureau of Prison's ability to make its facilities a constructive place for people to pay their debt to society. Americans for Prosperity is thankful for the leadership of Representative Obernolte and his colleagues to reverse this staffing crisis. The Prison Staffing Reform Act will help ensure each federal facility has the necessary staff to maintain order, provide recidivism-reducing programming, and improve public safety in our communities," said Jeremiah Mosteller, Policy Director for Americans for Prosperity.
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