LIMA, Ohio — An investigation is currently underway, trying to figure out how two inmates were able to escape from a prison in Lima last week.
But even before it’s complete, the union representing the prison’s guards is blaming staffing issues.
“It’s people that are working doubles back-to-back, tired, exhausted,” said Chris Mabe, Ohio Civil Service Employees Association president. “We’re still running institutions as if we’re fully staffed.”
An understaffed prison and overworked employees is what Mabe believes made it easier for inmates James Lee and Bradley Gillespie to escape from the Allen/Oakwood Correctional Institution.
According to data from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, the prison is currently short 48 correctional officers. That has forced officers to work mandatory 16-hour shifts on back-to-back days.
“We did some things during COVID to try to raise the wage scale, to try to entice more individuals to come work for the department of corrections,” he said. “It had some ancillary effects, but the retention issue still wonders.”
There’s a discrepancy between the union and the state as to just how short-staffed they are. ODRC said they are just over 1,000 officers short statewide while the union claims that number is 2,000. Regardless, both agree retention and recruitment is a state-wide issue.
“People come in, they go to the academy, and once they come to the institutions, they kind of drift off and go away because once again, they’re dealing with all the mandatory overtime and the dangerous situations,” he said.
Over the years, Mabe said prisons have made investments in technology to help prevent violence and escapes. But he said what they really need is more staff.
“Body cameras and technology and stun fences don’t stop these things from happening,” he said. “Staff on the ground, boots on the ground are things that stop these things from happening.”
ODRC releasing a statement saying it “Shares the same priorities as our union partners: the safety of our staff and the secure operation of Ohio’s facilities.”
ODRC officials also said they are working on various recruitment efforts across the state while raising the pay rate for officers and offering perks for those who work overtime. But Mabe said it’s not enough.
“We have to be more competitive,” he said. “And the only two ways to really bring people in is treat them well, give them respect and pay them fair wages.”
