DeeAnn Lawrence, Northampton County's new Corrections Director, described what's happening at the jail during a very informative Courts and Corrections Committee hearing last week. Unfortunately, the meeting was coming to a close at the time of her remarks, so it was an abbreviated report. In a nutshell, her job is to provide a safe and secure environment for the inmates, corrections officers and the general public.
Larence told County Council that, in recent weeks, she sat down with staff from each of three shifts covering the jail's 24/7 operation, to identify the "concerns, the needs and wants of the facility." She claims these sitdowns led to " immediate resolution of standing staff grievances, grievances, better communication, and an uplifted morale. This approach will continue to increase the relationship between staff and supervisors, ensuring that staff are not merely workers, but human beings.
Unfortunately, these human beings are often mandated to work 16-hour shifts, which does nothing to make the facility more secure or safe. This is primarily due to a staffing shortage.
Lawrence claimed there are currently just 161 corrections officers (COs) in a jail with a census of 480, and this includes 4 who are in the training pipeline. The jail is budgeted for 180 COs and, according to Lawrence, should have 212.
They still have off every other Saturday, but with mandates, it can be grueling
37 comments:
Easily fixed. The answer is to stop incarcerating people. Soros-lite Baratta will do this.
Nobody wants that job in this county because the pay is low. Constantly mandated so no way to arrange child care.
Here we go again. Further evidence of Mr. McClure's incompetence when it comes to dealing with employees. More than 50 prison guards short. If each one received compensation (including benefits) of approximately $45,000.00 annually, we are talking another two million dollars needed to properly fund a safe and secure prison environment. Gracedale is a fiscal mess (millions needed to straighten out that mess), short funding his retiree's fiscal obligations (almost twenty million short), No COLA'S! How can Tara Zrinski reward such incompetence by giving Mr. McClure a job that pays more than $75,000.00 per year.
Take Tara’s ridiculous projection of 2 new highly paid county administrators to “oversee” Gracedale and put the $ towards corrections officers.
Less officers then that number. And every other weekend has nothing to do with it. The only reason we have the number of officers we have is because they still have that. Get rid of that and see people leave.
It comes down to the same problem that is in all county departments. Pay. It is not a glamorous job. And it is a very dangerous job. They deal with dangerous people. And the jail has to have dependable and responsible officers. And also be able to do the physical demands of the job. I wish you would do deeper story on that place.
Tara has proven she is Lamonts little puppet. He is there so he can pull the strings and she isn't getting rid of him.
Speaking of the jail..... why don't you ask Ken Kraft why he left so abruptly??? Gotta remember. No secrets in jail..
A position file evaluation is, actually if done correctly and then adopted, a position compliment that's goal is to assure positions to cover the 24/7 operations accounting also for vacations holidays and sick time with sometimes a small amount of perdiem or overtime included for when positions are open. In fact if It is done correctly the compliment of positions full time and part time will not only assure meeting needs of the prison population but more importantly will decrease overtime, increase efficiency and overall keep staff from burnout and high turnover. A challenge can be staff who want the overtime to make ends meet and pad pensions may not be happy with a good compliment as they lose those benefits. Of course increasing positions also increases benefit costs and pension obligations. The problem with county government is the position file generally is far off from actual needs to assure enough staff to cover 24/7. Add in family medical leave and generous sick and paid off time and it is perceived at too expensive thus the county refuses to change the compliment . Unions really challenged this at gracedale as employees were able to take weekends off that is very unusual in health care and difficult to cover and results in mandating staff. County administration did not want to hear the actual needs when presented with it . Their staff compliment was way off. Nothing was changed and see where it got them in the long run. Millions spent. Good staff lost...and neverending agency staff. If the prison did a good job at compiling a true need staff file then the county should listen to this request. In the end its worth it all around.
He already has. 480 inmates for a county of our size tells me there is a lot of people running around that shouldn’t be.
Try calling the Human Services. At least there is somebody answering the phone there. You wait and then a recording comes on, “sorry there is nobody to take your call” THEN THEY HANG UP ON YOU! Been trying to get through for 3 days concerning an issue with my daughter. What a joke!!!!
Where is all the money coming from to fund this?
Count on tax increases.
Id gladly par 60 to 80 dollars more a year if it was spent wisely and they had a clue what they were doing! Problem is they lack in both areas
LOL so true!! 25 years in Corrections and one thing stands the test of time, there are no secrets in jail!!
Whoops! what I meant was at least somebody is answering the phone at the jail. There is nobody answering the phone at Human Services it’s ridiculous!!! Pardon my Iphone typo.
Didn’t Kraft leave in 2022? It’s 2026. This is an old topic at this point. There are better things to discuss like plenty of others who actually left abruptly for doing stupid crap on the job.
Well you do realize crime is down according to some folks.
Co's were paid great in the 90's. Now it is a thankless job.
I would be happy to if people want to sit down and talk to me. I reserve the right to call things as I see them. Sometimes I agree with COs. Sometimes I do not. I would like to know if morale really has improved, as Lawrence stated and whether grievances were resolved.
Best way to lower crime is to not prosecute crime and/or not include your data in crime statistics. Read an article and smarten up a bit.
Their pay is absolutely horrible. FYI I make more money and excellent benefits for myself and my family working Security at a local hospital and get "asked" to work OT...NOT mandated. Pay these Officers for doing the job they do and when you do that you will attract people who want to work for the jail and county.
This County is a mess- low wages & morale. When you walk into the Courthouse, it's like walking into a funeral home.
The county has no desire to jail anyone, and when it happens, it really needs to happen. It costs money to keep people in a facility. If they have a medical issue, we're on the hook. Unless it's a really awful crime or one that carries mandatory sentences or repeat offenses, you have to really try to go to jail.
Correction officers have a tough job. Most of us would never opt for that as a career. They deal with some of the worst and most dangerous of society daily. They deserve a fair wage and even that is not enough enticement for many to take or keep the job. Meanwhile the elected officials who hold the purse strings will not fund them properly to so their constituents will vote for them to keep taxes low. There has got to be a better way.
Sounds like the shitty of Bethlehem
When he wants to make stupid comments it opens that door right back up. Don't throw stones in a glass house
An issue with your daughter. YOUR daughter.
The same person keeps saying this about Kraft I’m guessing they want you to look into something?
Why is nobody answering the phone there?? This County is broken. Thanks a lot Lamont.
I blame that dope Crowley
Wow, i don’t know about that but there is more Testosterone & Estrogen in that place than you can imagine! Talk an about a place that has Elitist & Narcissistic people! 🤣🤣🤣
Their pay is terrible and the constant mandates... Sounds like a couple of other county departments as well. Something needs to change because we are not getting quality hires who stay and do their jobs well.
Morale has NOT been improved and not a single employee issue has been resolved. She lied. Looks like shes just another Mike Pittaro
Lets also talk about the useless Mock Riot trip in West Virginia. Creates a ton more mandates on top of the travel, hotel and food costs. Dont ever want to hear Bobyak complain about this place again. Your a part of the problem dumbass not the solution. This come just months after they threatened to fire you after you opened your mouth at a coucil meeting, BRAVO!!!
Would like to sit down with you. The last officer that spoke out about issues at the jail Lamont personally tried to fire him.
Like I have said before, I would be happy to meet with any CO who would like to talk and have done so several times in the past. I really try to tell your side of the story as well. Nobody who spoke to me suffered any retaliation. Also, McClure is no longer the exec, and from what I've heard from several employees, Zrinski has been more approachable.
Like you said Tara is Lamont 1.5.
Dept of Human Services staff cell phone numbers? Money talks bullshit walks.
Post a Comment