Overcrowding in Illinois jails leads to employee overtime
Overtime pay for Illinois' prison systems increased 34 percent last year. The spike is a result of workers dealing with overcrowded facilities. The overpopulation problem was recently exacerbated by Gov. Pat Quinn's decision to close the Dwight penitentiary and the super-maximum security Tamms facility, according to the Associated Press.
As a result, employees at correctional facilities made $62 million in overtime pay in the fiscal year that ended on June 30. This is the highest amount of overtime pay prison workers have earned in seven years.
The overcrowding problem could worsen due to legislation from Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, which is intended to deal with the city's gang violence issues. The measure would lengthen prison time for felons and gang members caught with guns. Under the legislation, the minimum sentence for first-time offenders would be three years in prison. Officials believe it could increase the inmate population by 3,800 individuals.
Corrections spokesman Tom Shaer said overtime has decreased since the end of the previous fiscal year, and he expected extra hours to continue to decline. Before the other state correctional facilities were closed, there were 9,711 employees in the prison system. There are currently 9,792.
Overtime hours are often unavoidable, but attendance software can help employers maintain accurate records of employee time in case disputes arise.
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