Issues

ISSUES WE FACE

West Virginia Correctional Agency Longevity Pay Plan Proposal

The West Virginia Department of Military Affairs and Public Safety (DMAPS) on behalf of the WV Division of Corrections (DOC), the WV Regional Jail and Correctional Facility Authority (RJA), and the Division of Juvenile Services (DJS), respectfully proposes the following plan be adopted to address the persistent recruitment and retention difficulties experienced by correctional agencies in West Virginia.

Chart: Correctional Officer Starting Salaries

Chart: "Correctional Officer 1 Starting Salaries (by State)". West Virginia ranks last among the 50 United States for Correctional Officer I starting salaries.

Charts: Contraband and Violence

Two charts: "Number of Confiscated Contraband by Type and Fiscal Year" and "Number of Inmate-on-Staff Assaults by Type".

Corrections Day 2015 Press Release

According to CWA International Representative Elaine Harris, it’s not just the uniformed officers whose pay is dangerously low. Many support staff in the state’s correctional facilities also earn paychecks that qualify them for public assistance. Low pay translates into high turnover, training new hires, overtime and safety issues. CWA Local 2055 represents many of the workers in the Division of Corrections, Regional Jails and the Division of Juvenile Services.