North Carolina’s Governor and correctional leaders are urging legislative action to address challenges in the state’s corrections system. Governor Josh Stein, speaking at a Correctional Leaders Association Southern Region meeting in Charlotte, highlighted the shortage of correctional officers and emphasized the need for improved recruitment and retention strategies.
With about one-third of correctional officer positions vacant, Governor Stein called for an increase in starting pay, currently the second-lowest in the nation. "Correctional officers keep North Carolinians safe every day, but their work goes mostly unseen," Governor Stein said in a recent press release. He also expressed disappointment with the General Assembly’s inaction on a state budget to address these issues.
Secretary of the Department of Adult Correction Leslie Dismukes highlighted the challenges of maintaining prison operations amid staff shortages. "We need the General Assembly to invest in meaningful pay increases that reflect the essential role correctional officers play in public safety," Dismukes stated in a press release. The appeal underscores the difficulties correctional staff face due to limited support from state budgets.
Governor Stein’s 2025–2027 budget proposal includes a $195 million public safety plan aimed at reducing the correctional officer shortage through incentives and pay increases. The package also addresses broader public safety concerns, including school and community violence and efforts against fentanyl and opioids. Implementation of these measures depends on the General Assembly approving a comprehensive state budget to make the proposed changes effective for corrections personnel.
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