House passes corrections pay raise bill

[TexasTowelie]

CHARLESTON — The House of Delegates unanimously passed a bill Monday that would increase salaries of certain corrections employees.

The bill, which was requested by the governor, provides for a $2,000 increase over the next three years for employees of the Division of Corrections, the Division of Juvenile Services, and the West Virginia Regional Jail Facility Authority.

The committee substitute for House Bill 4142 added language to say correctional officers, correctional trainers, parole officers, or employees at correctional facilities, or complexes, regional jails, detention centers or correctional facilities would be included in this group.

“This is a big emergency that we heard about from the secretary of corrections,” Delegate Eric Nelson, R-Kanawha, said.

Read more: http://www.register-herald.com/news/state_region/house-passes-corrections-pay-raise-bill/article_804cfcd1-4dd9-5f2a-95f6-dd493e93d827.html

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. Good. I know next to nothing about working in corrections,

but I can figure out that it is difficult and dangerous work.

Here in New Mexico our prisons are so short staffed that almost everyone works a 60 hour week, which isn't a very good idea even in a low stress job. Of course, this is the state with what I believe is the second worst ever prison riot, after Attica. It happened in 1980 and is well remembered here.

I'm pretty sure that one significant reason for the current short-staffing is the pay.