Oversight hearing covered prison contraband and deplorable conditions

Sitting before the Committee Chair on Public Safety, Sen. Chris Barnett, were officials from the Department of Corrections. 

The oversight hearing was called to allow them to speak regarding recent media headlines involving the agency.

Director Fred Bordallo Jr. started things off with prisoner escapes, noting its importance  because DOC’s main mission is to keep the People of Guam safe from those who are serving time and making sure they are secured.

“Since I've come on board, I want to compliment my security force and leadership who are doing their best with the situation that we have in terms of our manpower. We are striving to increase every budget year,” said Bordallo. 

Bordallo said that since coming on board in August of last year, they have been able to prevent  two escapes, and an escape from a hospital of a detainee seeking medical attention and last month, there were two more escapes, both were eventually recaptured.

“I always tell the security force, do the best you can. Be vigilant. we'll take the hits when it comes. learn from those lessons. I just want to share with the People of Guam that people have been held accountable for some of these actions, and I believe the inmates that escaped are going to be held accountable, too, because we have a good working relationship with the Guam Police Department and the Office of the Attorney General,” added Bordallo. 

Before the oversight hearing, Barnett made a surprise visit to DOC’s Mangilao facility and saw where the pair of inmates were able to escape and noted one corrections officer supervised 78 inmates and detainees.

“It's not normal and that's why we need your support, the Guam Legislature, the Governor, the Lt., to increase the recruitment of correction officers, security and staff so that way we can have four to five correction officers present to that 80 inmates, that increasing population,” he said.

According to the director, both facilities are overpopulated

“That’s a situation that we’re going to have a conversation with the Judiciary, with the Office of the Attorney General, because the more these individuals are held, especially if they pass one year, the more it creates that situation,” he added.