By Jordan Meadows
Staff Writer
Inside North Carolina’s prisons, the most immediate crisis is the growing absence of the people tasked with keeping facilities safe. Severe staffing shortages have left many correctional institutions operating with barely half the officers they need—creating conditions where violence is harder to prevent, basic operations are strained, and both workers and incarcerated people face heightened risk.
At a recent press conference, Gov. Josh Stein pointed to a core driver of the problem: pay. North Carolina ranks 49th in the nation for correctional officer salaries, with wages typically ranging from about $18 to $25 an hour, or roughly $37,000 to $54,000 annually.
That reality has made it increasingly difficult to keep them on the job. Even as the state hired more than 1,500 correctional officers in 2025, it ended the year with fewer positions filled. Turnover has reached about 24%, with many employees taking second jobs or leaving altogether to find more stable income elsewhere.
The consequences of those shortages are playing out daily inside facilities.
Capt. Derrick Simmons, a veteran officer at Neuse Correctional Institution, described a stark shift over the past decade: where a typical shift once included around 28 officers and five sergeants, staffing levels have now dropped to as few as seven or eight officers and three supervisors. With fewer eyes and less coverage, incidents that might once have been prevented now unfold more easily.
Without enough staff, prisons struggle to carry out core functions, from transporting individuals to outside medical appointments to maintaining educational and rehabilitation programs. Simmons said those gaps ultimately affect reentry outcomes, leaving people less prepared for life after release.
State officials say the hiring process itself has also contributed to the problem. Traditionally taking up to 45 to 49 days, the multi-step system—including background checks, medical exams, drug testing, and psychological evaluations—has led some applicants to drop out before they ever begin work. In response, the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, working with the North Carolina Office of State Human Resources, launched a pilot program aimed at speeding up recruitment and reducing attrition in the hiring pipeline.
The initiative, rolled out at Central Prison and facilities in Harnett and Pasquotank counties, introduced a contingent hiring model that allows applicants to begin working in certain roles while final certification steps are completed. By shortening the time-to-hire to roughly 35 days and getting new employees on payroll sooner, officials say the program has reduced drop-off rates and improved hiring outcomes.
In its first four months, the pilot brought in 95 new hires across the three locations, including 31 at Central Prison and 43 in Harnett County, with Pasquotank adding 21 officers.
Leslie Cooley Dismukes, secretary of the Department of Adult Correction, said at a press conference that the early results show promise but also stated hiring alone will not solve the crisis. The system includes 55 facilities statewide, and while recruitment efforts—such as expanded advertising and targeted outreach—have increased applicant flow, retention remains the central challenge.
“People are not staying on the job if they can’t make ends meet,” she said.
Lawmakers have begun to acknowledge the scale of the issue. A budget framework announced in May includes a proposed average 15.4% salary increase for correctional officers.
Without meaningful changes, officials warn that the state may face difficult decisions, including the potential closure of additional facilities. Craggy Correctional Center, just North of Asheville, is already scheduled to close, with incarcerated individuals set to be transferred and employees offered positions elsewhere.
Stein and DAC leadership are urging the General Assembly to pass a comprehensive budget that includes substantial double-digit pay raises (such as a proposed 15% raise) for all correctional and supervisory staff. Floor debates and final votes on a state budget—which holds the funding for these correctional officer pay raises—are expected to occur in the coming weeks.
