Online Briefing on Staff Declines and Dangerous Heat in Prisons

No state-level government sector has seen a greater loss in staffing than prisons in recent years. At the same time, many prisons across the country are also dealing with sweltering heat for longer periods of the year due to climate change.

When a prison has staff shortages, every aspect of the system is affected, and prisons become more reliant on facility lockdowns. This can affect mental health and trigger more violence, especially during extreme heat. Both of these issues often lead to dangerous working conditions for the remaining employees and challenges in recruiting new staff. The financial impact is hard to ignore, as understaffed prisons must rely on costly mandatory overtime, straining state budgets and taxpayers.

To shed light on these conditions, The Marshall Project and The Journalist’s Resource brought together several experts to discuss their data collection, research, and lived experiences. In this webinar recording, you’ll hear insights from:

• Brian Dawe, National Director, One Voice United
• David Eads, Data Editor, The Marshall Project
• Wilfredo Laracuente, Workforce Development Specialist, Opportunities for a Better Tomorrow
• Naseem S. Miller, Senior Editor for Health, The Journalist’s Resource

The event was moderated by Clark Merrefield, a senior editor for The Journalist’s Resource.