Supporting The Goals And Ideals Of National Correctional Officers And Employees Week
Floor Speech
SUPPORTING THE GOALS AND IDEALS OF NATIONAL CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES WEEK -- (House of Representatives - May 07, 2007)
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(Mr. DAVIS of Illinois asked and was given permission to revise and extend his remarks.)
Mr. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of H. Res. 264, the Congressional Lawmaking Authority Protection Act of 2007 and the National Correctional Officers and Employees Week.
Correctional officers are the largest part of the workforce in jails and prisons, and they enforce the regulations governing the operation of correctional institutions as both supervisors and counselors.
While they have no law enforcement responsibilities outside the institution where they work, each day they put themselves in harm's way, maintaining security and inmate accountability to prevent disturbances, assaults, and escapes.
By definition, working in a correctional institution can be stressful and hazardous. Between 1990 and 1995, the number of attacks on correctional officers in State and Federal prisons jumped by nearly one-third, from 10,731 to 14,165, at a time when the number of correctional officers increased by only 14 percent. Except for police officers, the number of workplace nonfatal violent incidents is higher per 1,000 employees for correctional officers than any other profession. From 1992 to 1996, there were nearly 218 incidents for every 1,000 correctional officers, for a total of 58,300.
Correctional officers' roles in our society are and continue to be critical. We must continue to recognize the sacrifices they and their families make on a daily basis to ensure the safety and well-being of the prison population.
Mr. Speaker, I spend a fair amount of time in and around correctional institutions. As a matter of fact, I serve as a member of the local school council at the Consuelo York Alternative High School in Chicago, which is located in the Cook County Jail. Therefore, whenever I'm there, when we have our regular meetings, I attend.
I also go to jails sometimes to put up bail for individuals that I know, Representative Scott, who have been arrested. Quite frequently, I speak at jails, correctional facilities and prisons.
And so I simply wanted to take this time to thank all of those individuals who not only work in these stressful situations, but the many men and women with whom I come into contact as they facilitate my entree, and as they assist whatever it is that I've been trying to do and that I try to do while I'm there.
So I simply say, thank you to all of those corrections officers with whom I come into contact on an annual basis, and urge passage of this resolution.
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