Prison Guards illegally take double pay

You'd be wrong.

As a stunned group of state lawmakers discovered recently, more than 100 prison guards and other corrections workers have been enjoying paid leaves for months -- in some cases years -- while authorities have been investigating alleged crimes ranging from manslaughter, drug sales to prisoners and having sex with inmates.

And not only have the guards been getting their full pay while they stay away from work for their alleged misdeeds, they've also been accruing paid vacations, sick leave and retirement benefits.

As their union reps say whenever their contract comes up for renewal -- it's good to be a California prison guard.

Not even the old S.F. Municipal Railway rules -- which allowed drivers to not show up for work five days a year without a reason -- approaches the boondoggle involving the state's corrections officers. It appears some of the prison guards who were on paid leave were able to retire with full pension benefits while their cases were being reviewed.

Perhaps the most jaw-dropping aspect of the prison guard leave disclosure was the reason state Department of Corrections officials gave for why the officers weren't suspended or fired pending an investigation. It appears the investigations -- which sometimes involved a routine drug test -- were too complicated.

That may help explain why one guard has been on paid leave for 2 1/2 years while he is being investigated for associating with inmates who are suspected gang members. Those darn prisoners would rather fight than snitch.

But another case suggests that perhaps corrections officials have gone soft.

One Southern California prison guard, who recently pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an inmate, was transferred to the mail room after he was accused. It was only after he harassed another co-worker that he finally managed to be placed on administrative leave with pay.

Kathy M. Kinser, the corrections department's deputy director, told the Senate oversight committee looking into the paid leave abuses that the agency needs to become "more efficient" in its discipline process. You think?

"It's unbelievable, it defies comprehension," said Sen. Jackie Speier, D- Hillsborough, a member of the joint committee looking into the problem. "There is a serious lack of oversight at the Department of Corrections."

Legislative officials estimate that it would cost state taxpayers $3 million if 100 correctional officers were on leave for four months. But that doesn't include overtime costs for other guards who must fill their shifts.

And there's no telling how much money the state is paying to hire correctional officers to work at the state's prisons after they've already retired with full benefits. So far, no one has been able to determine how many guards have been double-dipping at the public trough though that issue will come before a Senate committee later this month.


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