Legislature: Corrections

Prisons and courts will see a reduction in staff, although the cuts will not slow an expansion of the prison system.

Almost a quarter of the 200 positions being trimmed statewide will come from the Department of Corrections, said director Tom Patterson. However, the department has 130 job openings for prison guards, so the department will probably not have any layoffs.

Despite the budget reduction, the department is still planning to open a new pod at the state prison in Gunnison. It will house 75 inmates.

The department has struggled with low salaries for prison guards, and the budget struggles will not help.

There will also be staff reductions for public safety, although most of those will also be eliminating currently unfilled positions. For example, the department will not be able to hire two new DUI enforcement officers or two new liquor enforcement officers.

State courts already have a hiring freeze in place, said state court administrator Richard Schwermer. Now they will not be able to fill those positions, and there could be another 15 positions that have to be cut.