New York State lawmakers have announced their new plan to address the statewide shortage of corrections officers.
Over the last few months, New York State lawmakers have been trying to solve the statewide dilemma facing many New York Correctional Facilities and the shortage of corrections officers.
Correction Officer Shortage in New York
Back in February, thousands of correction officers began to strike at correctional facilities across New York, demanding that the state address numerous issues, including working conditions, forced overtime, and officer safety. The strike lasted about a month, and once it concluded, approximately 2,000 prison guards lost their jobs after they failed to report back to work by the deadline issued by New York Governor Kathy Hochul.
Losing that number of guards, and with the recruitment of new guards trending down, New York is still facing a major guard shortage, but it does appear that state lawmakers have approved a new bill that they say could provide a solution.
New Lower Age Requirements in New York
Last week, state lawmakers announced they have approved lowering the minimum hiring age for prison guards from 21 to 18 years old. According to WRGB, the age change was approved last Wednesday and is expected to be signed into law by Governor Hochul. The new bill has a separate set of rules for all guards under 21, including, they are prohibited from obtaining or using firearms and will not be allowed to transport inmates outside of any New York prison…