MARQUETTE, Mich., Aug. 27, 2024 — State Rep. Jenn Hill (D-Marquette) toured the Alger Correctional Facility yesterday. The tour was taken in order to assess issues facing the Upper Peninsula’s prisons and the corrections officers who work at the facilities. Understaffing at U.P. prisons have resulted in mandatory double shifts, creating dangerous working conditions. Following the tour, Hill issued the following statement:
“My visit to the Alger Correctional Facility underscored the urgent need to address the understaffing crisis plaguing Upper Peninsula prisons. Corrections officers are stretched to the limit, working double shifts in conditions that compromise both their safety and the effective management of these facilities. This is unsustainable. I’m proud to have introduced legislation that removes unnecessary barriers to recruitment and advocates for pension reform to ensure our corrections officers receive the support they need and deserve.”
Hill recently introduced legislation to bolster recruitment efforts by eliminating certain education requirements that corrections officers must complete for certification. She strongly supports corrections officers and recently joined them in the picket lines in protest of their poor working conditions. Hill has also been a staunch supporter of legislation to make corrections officers eligible to participate in the State Police Retirement System hybrid pension plan, which she introduced in the House.
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