Behind the Walls Talk

Welcome to Behind the Walls Talk with William McCallum. Today, I want to address a critical issue that has emerged from various prison sources: the alarming incidents occurring within NCDAC, including assaults on staff, suicides, drug overdoses, and homicides, all attributed to staff shortages. Yet, despite the severity of these problems, there seems to be a lack of reasonable solutions being proposed.

If the overwhelming challenges faced by our prison system stem from insufficient staffing, then it stands to reason that a logical resolution would involve implementing measures to alleviate the pressures on the system. This could be achieved through the introduction of legislation and programs aimed at reducing the prison population.

If NCDAC genuinely prioritizes the safety and well-being of both staff and residents, they must advocate for a comprehensive relief plan to present to legislators. This plan should reflect the very real concerns about staff shortages and the hardships that these conditions impose on both staff and the residents they serve. The current situation raises a critical question: are financial gains prioritized over the lives and welfare of staff and residents, especially when we continue to house individuals in overcrowded conditions with inadequate staffing?

Our staff members are overworked, underpaid, and placed in increasingly dangerous situations, while the residents they are tasked with protecting and rehabilitating are deprived of essential programs—educational opportunities, self-help resources, religious services, and even basic human needs such as access to fresh air and sunlight.

The lives and well-being of both staff and residents hang in the balance. It is imperative that legislators and those profiting from the prison system take responsibility for these dire conditions. They must enact laws and develop programs designed to reduce the prison population, ultimately creating a safer and more effective environment for all. The time for change is now.

Dear Appointed Members of North Carolina Legislature,

I am writing to draw urgent attention to a critical issue impacting on the safety and well-being of incarcerated individuals: the chronic short staffing in correctional facilities. This pervasive problem has directly contributed to an alarming increase in preventable deaths, and immediate action is necessary to address this crisis.

The Impact of Short Staffing

Understaffed prisons create a dangerous environment for both residents and staff. Correctional officers, medical personnel, and support staff are stretched thin, leaving facilities unable to adequately supervise, respond to emergencies, or provide essential care. This lack of resources often results in delayed responses to medical emergencies, unchecked violence, and an overall breakdown of order within the prison system. Consequently, preventable deaths—from untreated medical conditions, suicides, and violence—have risen at an unacceptable rate.

Real-Life Consequences

The statistics are harrowing. Numerous reports highlight cases where delayed medical attention or insufficient supervision during critical moments led to fatalities that could have been avoided. For example:

• Residents experiencing medical crises often face delayed intervention because there are too few staff members to respond promptly.
• Mental health crises, including suicide attempts, are frequently overlooked due to limited monitoring and counseling services.
• Suicidal residents are sometimes watched by other residents instead of trained correctional officers because there are not enough staff available to perform mandatory checks, leading to tragic outcomes.
• Escalated violence between residents—a result of inadequate supervision—has led to fatal outcomes.

Root Causes of Short Staffing

The underlying causes of short staffing in correctional facilities are multifaceted:

1. Budget Constraints: Insufficient funding prevents facilities from hiring adequate personnel and offering competitive salaries to attract and retain staff.
2. High Turnover Rates: The stressful nature of correctional work, compounded by long hours and inadequate support, drives many employees to leave the profession.
3. Training Gaps: Insufficient training exacerbates the challenges faced by new staff members, leading to burnout and attrition.
4. Mandatory Minimum Sentences: The implementation of mandatory minimums has led to overcrowding in prisons, further straining limited resources and exacerbating staffing shortages.

Solutions to Mitigate Preventable Deaths

To address this crisis, the following actions must be prioritized:

1. Increased Funding: Allocate resources to hire and retain qualified staff, ensuring appropriate staffing levels for both security and healthcare roles.
2. Improved Training Programs: Develop comprehensive training initiatives that prepare staff for the complexities of working in correctional environments.
3. Enhanced Mental Health Support: Provide mental health resources for both residents and staff, reducing stress and improving the overall environment within facilities.
4. Elimination of Mandatory Minimum Sentences: Removing mandatory minimums would help reduce prison overcrowding, allowing facilities to operate more effectively and allocate resources more efficiently.
5. Reduction in Investigative Demand: Addressing short staffing and reducing preventable deaths would also lessen the state’s obligation to investigate deaths of individuals in custody, saving North Carolina significant funds that could be reallocated to other critical needs within the Department of Corrections.
6. Accountability Measures: Establish transparent oversight mechanisms to monitor staffing levels and their impact on residents safety.

The Moral and Legal Imperative

The punishment for incarcerated individuals is the loss of their freedom, not the deprivation of adequate healthcare, unchecked violence, or the absence of mental health support. These systemic failures do not facilitate rehabilitation or prepare them for reintegration into society. Instead, they exacerbate existing issues, creating conditions that hinder recovery and reform.

The current state of affairs is not only a moral failing but also a violation of the basic rights of incarcerated individuals. Every preventable death represents a loss that could have been avoided with adequate staffing and resources. As a society, we are obligated to uphold the dignity and humanity of all individuals, regardless of their circumstances.

Conclusion

I urge you to take immediate steps to address the short staffing crisis in correctional facilities. By investing in personnel and resources, and by enacting policy changes such as eliminating mandatory minimums, we can significantly reduce preventable deaths and create a safer, more humane environment for all. Additionally, these changes would reduce the financial burden on the state by minimizing investigative demands related to in-custody deaths and allowing those funds to be better utilized within the Department of Corrections.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I am available to discuss this issue further and collaborate on solutions.

Sincerely,

Kaylee M. Murrell
402.750.5690

Subject: Urgent Call for Change at Bertie Correctional Institution

Bertie Correctional Institution (BCI) is currently imposing a code 1 lockdown that severely restricts residents’ access to basic needs and services, leading to a rapid decline in both mental and physical health. Residents suffering from chronic illnesses are often denied the opportunity to engage in outdoor recreation or any form of exercise, resulting in alarmingly high cases of vitamin D deficiency. In my year at this facility, I have only been outside a maximum of four times.

The lockdown conditions also deny residents daily showers and regular grooming services, such as haircuts and shaves. In the absence of adequate cleaning supplies, residents are forced to use personal hygiene items to clean their living spaces. Tragically, just four months ago, we lost a fellow resident due to the negligence of officers, whose failure to respond to a medical emergency resulted in his untimely death.

The living conditions at BCI are unacceptable. Many residents are currently enduring a month-long outage of air conditioning, exacerbating the oppressive environment. A recent incident involving an officer was exaggerated, highlighting the continuous cycle of fear and disrespect that permeates our daily lives. While staff should feel safe in their roles, it is equally important that residents do not live in constant fear for their lives, facing weeks without basic hygiene or outdoor recreation.

BCI’s environment is setting residents up for failure instead of fostering rehabilitation and growth. Unlike other facilities that provide opportunities for personal development and employment, BCI lacks programs that encourage residents to build job histories and strive towards positive goals. Our objective is not to seek pity but to advocate for meaningful change. It’s imperative that offenders are recognized as more than just their past mistakes and are granted the fundamental human rights they deserve.

The conditions at BCI may not fit the traditional definition of cruel and unusual punishment, but they are undeniably oppressive. Many residents share a common sentiment regarding the dire state of our confinement. As one comrade articulated, the mission is to bring attention to the tortuous conditions that stifle growth and development. The absence of physical enrichment, educational opportunities, and rehabilitative classes severely limits our chances of reintegrating into society as productive citizens.

Moreover, access to legal resources is critically restricted, with legal mail being held, notary services denied, and difficulties obtaining copies of essential documents. Case managers, intended to help residents navigate educational and rehabilitative opportunities, are being overwhelmed with correctional duties, hampering their ability to assist effectively. This situation compromises the custody reviews necessary for residents to progress towards a more favorable custody level.

The mental, physical, and spiritual health of residents is consistently undermined, while the NCDAC uses staff shortages as a justification for these ongoing deprivations. Despite the prolonged nature of these issues, the administration has failed to implement any meaningful solutions to ensure that residents receive the basic necessities for survival.

It is crucial for state officials and the warden of BCI to acknowledge their role in the systematic deprivation of constitutional, civil, and human rights of incarcerated individuals. This situation is a matter of national concern that demands urgent attention.

Let us unite to address these injustices. Change is not only necessary but overdue. Thank you to Behind the Walls Talk for providing this platform to share our message. May this call for change resonate deeply and inspire action towards a better future for all. Donald

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