softheart
05-23-2003, 02:51 PM
Shortage of COs continues to shrink
By Brian Lacy/Managing Editor
Huntsville Item
Staff cutbacks and budget shortfalls dominated the conversation during Thursday's meeting of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice in Austin.
TDCJ public information officer Larry Todd said some good news came out during the first day of the two-day meeting when officials announced the correctional officer shortage is at its lowest point since October 2000. Currently, 2,193 correctional officer positions are open. In October 2000, 3,404 positions were available.
Todd said the CO shortage has been helped by 150 TDCJ employees who were laid off from other positions but chose to take CO jobs. More than 500 TDCJ employees have received reduction in force letters, and Todd said there are more to come.
"We anticipate another 1,200 to 1,500 reduction in force in the weeks ahead, but no correctional officers or parole officers are being cut, and we are continuing the funding of the probation department," Todd said. "Any employee whose job is eliminated may apply for a correctional officer position and they will get top priority."
The largest cuts have come in support staff, administration and program areas, while substance abuse programs have also taken a large hit. Todd said state jails will no longer have substance abuse counselors and they will be replaced by volunteers.
"The bottom line is that we'll have to do more with less," Todd said, referring to all areas of TDCJ. "We have to remain creative and positive, just like some folks at other state agencies or businesses in the private sector.
"The entire philosophy of 'waste not, want not' has been instilled in all of us throughout the agency's 105 units to the 40,000 employees. We all have to be conservative."
TDCJ's budget is being reduced by 5 percent, which equates to about $230 million dollars. The cut is part of the state's attempt to balance a budget with a $9.9 billion deficit.
In other business discussed Thursday, Todd said the food service is reducing the calorie load in meals served to inmates from 2,700 to 2,500 calories per day after $3 million was cut from the TDCJ food budget by the state legislature earlier this month. He said the amount of food won't be reduced, but the diet will be managed so a healthy and balanced meal is served.
"We've always used various types of meat extenders in our ground beef and we'll continue that, but there are no plans to replace the beef with some concentrated, dehydrated items," Todd said. "We are going to powdered milk in some units, but many of the officers say they can't tell the difference."
By Brian Lacy/Managing Editor
Huntsville Item
Staff cutbacks and budget shortfalls dominated the conversation during Thursday's meeting of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice in Austin.
TDCJ public information officer Larry Todd said some good news came out during the first day of the two-day meeting when officials announced the correctional officer shortage is at its lowest point since October 2000. Currently, 2,193 correctional officer positions are open. In October 2000, 3,404 positions were available.
Todd said the CO shortage has been helped by 150 TDCJ employees who were laid off from other positions but chose to take CO jobs. More than 500 TDCJ employees have received reduction in force letters, and Todd said there are more to come.
"We anticipate another 1,200 to 1,500 reduction in force in the weeks ahead, but no correctional officers or parole officers are being cut, and we are continuing the funding of the probation department," Todd said. "Any employee whose job is eliminated may apply for a correctional officer position and they will get top priority."
The largest cuts have come in support staff, administration and program areas, while substance abuse programs have also taken a large hit. Todd said state jails will no longer have substance abuse counselors and they will be replaced by volunteers.
"The bottom line is that we'll have to do more with less," Todd said, referring to all areas of TDCJ. "We have to remain creative and positive, just like some folks at other state agencies or businesses in the private sector.
"The entire philosophy of 'waste not, want not' has been instilled in all of us throughout the agency's 105 units to the 40,000 employees. We all have to be conservative."
TDCJ's budget is being reduced by 5 percent, which equates to about $230 million dollars. The cut is part of the state's attempt to balance a budget with a $9.9 billion deficit.
In other business discussed Thursday, Todd said the food service is reducing the calorie load in meals served to inmates from 2,700 to 2,500 calories per day after $3 million was cut from the TDCJ food budget by the state legislature earlier this month. He said the amount of food won't be reduced, but the diet will be managed so a healthy and balanced meal is served.
"We've always used various types of meat extenders in our ground beef and we'll continue that, but there are no plans to replace the beef with some concentrated, dehydrated items," Todd said. "We are going to powdered milk in some units, but many of the officers say they can't tell the difference."