Cumberland County Jail Faces Staffing Challenges as Federal Inmates Return

The Cumberland County Jail in Maine has once again begun housing federal inmates after a two-year pause, but the move is not without its challenges. The jail lost its lucrative contract with the U.S. Marshals Service in 2022 due to staffing shortages and other issues, putting a strain on the county's budget. Now, as the contract is renewed, the jail's correctional workers are voicing concerns about the increased workload and pressure on an already strained system.

Balancing Budget Woes and Employee Welfare

Renewed Federal Contract Brings Funding, but at a Cost

The return of federal inmates to the Cumberland County Jail will bring in nearly million in revenue, according to the county's adopted budget for 2024-25. This is a crucial part of the jail's funding model, as Sheriff Kevin Joyce explains, "The only reason we have a contract with the Marshals is that we're convenient and they're willing to pay for that convenience." However, this convenience comes at a cost for the correctional workers, who were already struggling with the workload.The National Correctional Employees Union, which represents most of the jail's workers, has filed a complaint with the state's labor relations board, alleging that the county's reinstatement of federal inmates unfairly puts pressure on the employees. Bill Doyle, the union's executive director, states, "The rank-and-file membership that the NCEU represents is really frustrated with the sheriff's department and the county for going ahead with this and really balancing their budget woes on the backs of employees."

Staffing Shortages Remain a Persistent Challenge

The jail's staffing issues have been a long-standing problem, with Joyce noting that the facility is "marginally covered" in terms of staff. The jail currently has about 63 vacancies, but only 18 of those are funded. Filling these positions has proven to be a significant challenge, as Joyce explains, "In the world of criminal justice, which includes corrections, it used to be 300 candidates for one position. Now you have one candidate for 300 positions."The union's complaint also alleges that the jail violated the collective bargaining agreement and "unilaterally" changed the staff's conditions of employment by bringing federal inmates back. The union is now asking the jail to rescind the contract and bargain in good faith with a representative.

Balancing Inmate Populations and Employee Welfare

Sheriff Joyce acknowledges that keeping inmate numbers low would be ideal for his staff, but allowing federal inmates back in the facility was the best fix to the almost million deficit in the jail budget. He says, "Jail is one of these things that everybody wants to use, nobody wants to pay for it. It just becomes one of those areas where you're just constantly making changes to make everyone happy, realizing you're probably not making a lot of people happy."The union's executive director, Bill Doyle, warns that the increased inmate population could have serious consequences for the correctional officers, stating, "The fact of the matter is, adding inmates to an already stressful environment is problematic, and it could get somebody seriously hurt."As the Cumberland County Jail navigates the return of federal inmates, it must balance the need for funding with the welfare of its hardworking correctional staff. The challenges ahead will require a delicate balance and a commitment to addressing the underlying staffing issues that have plagued the facility for years.