Guam legislators press Department of Corrections on staffing, overcrowding and rising medical costs in FY2027 budget hearing

Acting Director Joe Carlito told the Committee on Finance and Government Operations on May 4 that the Department of Corrections has submitted a FY2027 operating request of about $39 million, with personnel costs making up the largest share and a portion of operational funds earmarked for dialysis and dental care for people in custody.

Committee members focused their questions on chronic staffing shortfalls, overtime and facility capacity. Warden Alenbora told the panel, "We have 905 inmates and detainees," reporting roughly 700 at the main facility and about 195 at Hagåtña. Major Anton Ogan described the medical burden in the population: "The problem we have with our prison is our prison population is sick," and said several inmates require hospital care that demands officer escorts.

DOC officials said frontline staffing currently includes about 190 uniformed corrections personnel and that recruitment is underway but slowed by vetting delays at the Department of Administration. Carlito and other DOC staff reported a pipeline that began with roughly 200 applicants; about 84 applications remain under review. Officials said sustained attrition and overlapping operational demands have forced frequent overtime, with DOC estimating FY2026 overtime at about $2.9 million and prior-year overtime at about $4.4 million.

Lawmakers pressed DOC on how the agency will reduce overtime and shore up coverage. DOC said opening an additional housing dome and accelerating recruitment are immediate mitigations. Major Ogan said DOC has federal grant funding to install Internet across housing units and will issue an RFP in coming weeks; Internet would allow DOC to connect camera systems and expand remote monitoring, but the RFP has been under review at the Attorney General's office.

Committee members also questioned DOC about capital planning for a new correctional facility. DOC staff described a 2021 facility master plan and a modernization act that initially authorized A&E (architectural and engineering) funding, but they told senators that A&E cost estimates have grown from earlier figures and that earlier $5 million authorizations are not sufficient for current design estimates. DOC said a prison task force and stakeholder meetings (including DPW and GEDA) are ongoing; officials proposed a phased approach to design if funding remains constrained.

Medical costs and the DOC agreement with Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH) drew sustained scrutiny. Committee members said dialysis, dental and other medical spending drove significant prior-year obligations; DOC said many people entering custody arrive with untreated chronic conditions and mental-health needs and that DOC is meeting with GMH and Guam Behavioral Health to coordinate care. DOC also reported that some federal detainees remain housed off-island because of HVAC and electrical problems at the federal detention facility; an MOU with GEDA (Gura) was signed and a meeting scheduled to address procurement and repairs that could allow detainees to return, which would produce revenue for DOC.

Committee chairs and members said they will continue oversight and work with the administration to identify available funding sources. The committee did not take formal action at the hearing; members said they expect to revisit DOC budget lines and remaining allotment-release questions during appropriation deliberations.

The committee adjourned following the exchange and thanked recruits and DOC staff who attended the hearing.