- Low number of corrections officers in Alabama prisons cause for concern (Alabama Today, 2/24/2023)
- The Permanent Joint Legislative Committee on Finances and Budgets-General Fund met in Montgomery to oversee the state general fund agencies, focusing on the Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC), which faces challenges with a shortage of corrections officers. ADOC Commissioner John Hamm addressed budget committees, requesting an additional $122.4 million in funding for the 2024 fiscal year to address personnel needs. Despite concerns about staffing shortages, progress has been noted, and ADOC is constructing new mega prisons, but the Department is also facing controversy over the awarding of the prison healthcare contract to YesCare amidst legal issues and a Department of Justice lawsuit over prison conditions.
- Concerns grow about available engineering, contractor services for ARPA projects (Alabama Daily News, 10/6/2023)
- Alabama plans to invest over $900 million in COVID-19 relief funds over the next three years for water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure projects. However, concerns are rising among state leaders about the availability of engineers and crews to complete these projects by the federal deadline of 2026, as other states and communities are also utilizing their federal funding. Lawmakers are questioning whether the state has the necessary professional resources and supplies to meet the deadlines, and there are discussions about potential reallocation of funds if projects cannot be completed on time.
- Families describe assaults and deaths behind bars during hearing on Alabama prison conditions (News19, 7/25/2024)
- Family members of inmates in Alabama prisons testified before the Joint Legislative Prison Committee, recounting incidents of violence, including stabbings and beatings, that resulted in deaths. They expressed frustration over the lack of protection for their loved ones and the systemic issues of understaffing, overcrowding, and rampant violence. The Alabama Department of Corrections has faced federal scrutiny and criticism for failing to improve conditions, with a researcher noting a high number of inmate deaths, including homicides, in the past year.
