The state Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation hasn’t been able to shrink its 28% vacancy rate for correctional officers over the last two years.
About 430 state correctional officer positions are vacant, DCR said in a state budget informational briefing Thursday — despite the department’s efforts to better advertise those jobs.
“We have a very robust recruitment campaign going on now where we’re doing TV (and on) Skyline, and we also are looking at our retention efforts as well,” said DCR Deputy Director of Administration Melanie Martin.
The shortage has led to heavy overtime for existing adult correctional officers.
“Sometimes it's the ACOs themselves. I mean, we have a lot of individuals out on (family or medical leave), on workers’ compensation, so that drives up the overtime costs significantly,” she added.
DCR paid $15 million in overtime during the 2025 fiscal year.
Low pay compared to county police officers is one of the primary issues — something that the state Department of Law Enforcement also said is contributing to its own high vacancy rate for state sheriffs.
DCR said it’s focusing on the wellness of staff to help with recruitment and retention.
“I think that for us, we really need to focus on staffing and getting the right people into our facilities. … We also focus on staff wellness, because if the staff are not healthy and well, we cannot have prison reform,” Martin said.
Lawmakers also noted that the poor conditions of state facilities can have an impact on retention.
DCR is asking for an additional $45 million in capital improvement money for the next fiscal year for new facilities and upgrades to existing ones. That includes funds for fence repairs and upgrades, deferred maintenance, and a new correctional facility on Kauaʻi.
