His keys and handcuffs bouncing off his hip. An inmate has been stabbed and so another evening shift at the Lexington Assessment and Reception Center has begun. Lexington just happens to be the most short-handed prison in a state with one of the most understaffed correctional systems in the United States. On this particular night there will be 58 inmates to every one correctional officer. Prisons all across the country have trouble attracting people, who are willing to work for the low pay in a sometimes hazardous, dirty and stressful environment, the problem is exceptionally serious in Oklahoma.
Extra pay is no guarantee of attracting more employees.
Staff shortages define the pace and personality of the facility. McMilllen says it takes a special kind of person to do this work. He has been a correctional officer since 1994 and is considered an old-timer.