Raghib Allie-Brennan

I am proud to stand in solidarity with correctional officers and other staff at Federal Correctional Institution Danbury (FCI) and their protest against unsafe working conditions stemming from chronic understaffing at the federal prison.

I join FCI in calling on Congress to address this staffing crisis by providing them with the necessary budgetary resources to succeed in carrying out their responsibilities and maintain the overall safety of inmates, staff, and the public.

FCI Danbury is understaffed by about 80 officers and has additional non-officer vacancies which have resulted in officers working vast amounts of forced overtime and non-officer employees including medical staff, teachers, counselors, and cooks being assigned to guard inmates.

Staffing cuts and a hiring freeze implemented by previous administrations have reduced the maximum number of employees the Bureau of Prisons can hire to roughly 75% of the "mission critical" staffing level the agency has said is necessary to keep officers and inmates safe.

The pandemic exacerbated the staffing shortfalls. Budgets are a statement of priorities and I join FCI Danbury and my fellow elected officials in urging the federal government to prioritize the safety of these hard working correctional facility personnel.