Claire Shubik-Richards, executive director of the Pennsylvania Prison Society, said Danelo Cavacante's escape was a wake-up call to a staffing crisis in county jails.
"For the last five years, the maximum number of escapes reported annually [in Pennsylvania] has been three. This year alone, we know that there are six escapes," Shubik-Richards said. "And it's not a coincidence. We don't have the number of staff needed for the number of people we have in custody.
Cavalcante escaped from the prison by "crab walking" up a wall, pushing his way through razor wire installed after Bolte's escape, running across the prison roof and scaling more razor wire, before jumping down to a less secure area to make his getaway, Holland said. "Poor staffing ratios are a vicious cycle," Shubik-Richards said. "Because when you don't have enough staff, the staff you do have are forced to work extraordinary hours of overtime. And when you have tired, disgruntled staff, often operating on fumes, that's not safe for the staff themselves. That's not safe for the people in their custody. And, as we've seen, it can be not safe for the community.
"These inspections are based on minimum regulatory requirements for operation and are not a security or vulnerability analysis," Pennsylvania Department of Corrections spokesperson Maria Bivens told ABC News.Shubik-Richards said finding the correction officers to fill the vacant positions presents another challenge.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Claire McCaskill recalls her, other Senators 'laughing sometimes at Joe Biden' when he was VPClaire McCaskill recalled her and other U.S. Senators at times 'laughing' at Joe Biden while he was vice president in an MSNBC appearance on Wednesday.
Read more »
Convicted murderer's escape raises questions about Pennsylvania county prison inspectionsThe Pennsylvania Department of Corrections regularly inspects county prisons, but state law does not require their two inspectors to check facilities for escape risk.
Read more »
Residents can relax after fugitive Danelo Cavalcante is captured and arraigned in rural PennsylvaniaEscaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante has been arraigned at a Pennsylvania State Police barracks after being taken there in an armored vehicle
Read more »
Residents can relax after fugitive Danelo Cavalcante is captured and arraigned in rural PennsylvaniaEscaped murderer Danelo Cavalcante has been arraigned at a Pennsylvania State Police barracks after being taken there in an armored vehicle
Read more »
Danelo Cavalcante’s escape was fifth Pennsylvania jailbreak in 2023Danelo Cavalcante’s high-profile escape from Pennsylvania’s Chester County Prison last month was the fifth escape in the state this year, and the second from the same facility.
Read more »