Locals show support for new bill that could fix prison staffing problems
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The Eastern Shore is no stranger to the staffing problems Maryland’s facing in its prisons. That’s why locals from the shore are sharing their support for a bill that’s making its way through the House of Delegates right now.
It’s a bill local legislators and advocates believe could be a solution to the problem.
“If this was just a temporary thing it would be fine, but this has been going on for three years and this is ridiculous at this point and it’s time to make a change,” explains retired correctional officer Ronnie Dryden.
Locals from an Eastern Correctional Institution (ECI) support group rallied in Annapolis Tuesday to testify on why they believe House Bill 12 needs to pass.
It’s a bill that will give the Department of Corrections a choice when it comes to hiring potential correctional officer candidates. A choice to give them a polygraph or an extensive background check.
“This bill is telling the leadership hey you don’t have to do the polygraph every time if somebody’s got a spotless record. You don’t have to do the polygraph every time,” adds Dryden.
Dryden is one of many that believe the polygraph is a major cause for not being able to hire the C.O. vacancies. And he’s hoping his testimony, along with others, will help convince the legislature that if they make the polygraph optional, that will help the hiring problems for state prisons.
It’s something our Eastern Shore delegation agrees with.
“I think it’s a great idea. I think we need to find more ways to get people hired at ECI and you know if it’s an issue with the polygraph test based on something that happened when you were teenager and you’re denied employment because of that, I don’t think it’s quite right,” explains Del. Carl Anderton.
Kerry Carr, who’s the fiancee of a correctional officer at ECI says she’s hoping her testimony paints the picture of just how dangerous these hiring problems have gotten.
She wants to share the fear she has every time her loved one goes to work.
“You think when they leave home that they are going to come back but with the under staffing and the inmates knowing they’re understaffed, it’s just been very frustrating emotionally and physically,” Carr continues, “So hopefully with this bill we can get some good candidates and we can move forward and keep things moving.”
Now this bill still has quite a ways to go before any decisions are made since it is in the early stages of the legislative process. AFSCME, a union that represents many of the correctional officers tells 47 ABC they too are in support of the bill.
House Bill 12 is set to have another hearing in the judiciary committee before putting a vote to it.
