We are in the midst of a profound crisis in our nation’s correctional system.
Across the country, our nation’s prisons are dangerously understaffed and overcrowded.
Policymakers must act now to protect the health and safety of correctional staff, incarcerated people, and the public at large.
Prisons across the country are dangerously understaffed, overcrowded, and plagued by rapidly deteriorating conditions.
One Voice United (OVU) and FAMM, two leading organizations representing correctional staff (OVU) and incarcerated people and their families (FAMM), have joined together to form the Safer Prisons, Safer Communities campaign.
For too long, our constituencies have been pitted against one another while the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues, friends, and loved ones has suffered. While it may be surprising to some people that we would work together to draw attention to this crisis, we know our fates are intertwined and we have a shared goal of ensuring the health and safety of everyone who works and lives in prison.
EndorseFor too long, our constituencies have been pitted against one another while the safety and wellbeing of our colleagues, friends, and loved ones has suffered. While it may be surprising to some people that we would work together to draw attention to this crisis, we know our fates are intertwined and we have a shared goal of ensuring the health and safety of everyone who works and lives in prison.
SAFER PRISONS SAFER COMMUNITIES
In The News
September 10, 2025
Staffing shortages still a challenge in West Virginia’s crowded jails
The Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation has made progress hiring correctional officers, ending a state of emergency over the problem, but there’s still hundreds of unfilled positions.
David Kelly, commissioner for the state’s Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told lawmakers that it continues to be one of the major problems in the division.
Read ArticleSeptember 9, 2025
‘Behind the Wall’ documentary highlights toll of prison work on correctional officers
A new 21-minute documentary, “Behind the Wall,” has been released on YouTube, spotlighting a critical issue in America’s jails and prisons that often goes unaddressed: the toll of trauma on correctional officers.
While discussions on criminal justice reform frequently focus on inmates, Behind the Wall explores the human cost for those tasked with maintaining order in a system that can be dehumanizing for everyone inside.
Read ArticleSeptember 3, 2025
Opinion: No more empty promises: Federal correctional officers need real mental health support — now
I’ve worked for the Federal Bureau of Prisons for over 18 years, and in that time, I’ve lost eight colleagues to suicide. Eight. That’s not a typo — it’s a gut punch, a number that keeps me awake at night. And every time another name gets added to that list, I hear the same thing from agency leaders and politicians: “We care.” But talk is cheap. We’re sick and tired of hearing words that aren’t backed up by action. We shouldn’t have to learn about suicide from suicide itself.
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