Retired corrections lieutenant warns committee of staffing shortages and overcrowding

During the public-comment portion of the Jan. 29 meeting, Richard Vales — identified in his remarks as a retired corrections lieutenant — described dangerous staffing shortages and overcrowding in Vermont correctional facilities.

Vales said officers work excessive overtime, sometimes 16-hour days, and that staffing reductions have left single officers to monitor units that previously had multiple staff. “That facility was built to hold 96 inmates. Now I understand that's over a 150 inmates there or more,” he said, adding that the staffing shortfall and crowded housing increase risk and degrade safety for staff and people in custody.

Vales recounted the mental-health toll on corrections staff and said he had known several colleagues who died by suicide or attempted suicide, asserting the suicide risk in corrections is substantially higher than in other workplaces. He urged the committee to prioritize hiring more staff and highlighted the need for direct engagement with corrections personnel to assess mental‑health supports.

Committee members thanked Vales for his firsthand perspective, invited further conversations with staff, and noted the testimony will inform broader discussions about facility conditions and workforce needs during budget and policy deliberations.