RALEIGH, N.C. — As low pay continues to contribute to severe staffing shortages in North Carolina prisons, the state has launched a pilot program aimed at speeding up hiring for correctional officers.
Currently, North Carolina ranks 49th in starting salary for corrections officers, the N.C. Department of Adult Correction (DAC) stated.
“Right now, we’re asking people to put themselves in a very demanding job — and asking their families to sacrifice on our behalf — so they can earn less money than they can working at a Costco,” said Gov. Josh Stein. “And yet, courageous and public-spirited people are taking these critically important jobs. Through this pilot initiative, people get hired, onboarded and paid quickly so we don’t lose talent to places that could get them started faster. We need to keep improving the hiring processes, and at the same time, we need the General Assembly to raise correctional officer pay so we can provide competitive salaries for these challenging jobs.”
The pilot program, launched by the DAC and the Office of State Human Resources, is being tested at three state prisons. Under a contingent hiring model, candidates can begin working in other roles while they complete certification steps.
State officials said the approach is designed to fill vacancies faster and keep applicants from taking other jobs while waiting for the hiring process to be completed. The three pilot locations have nearly met their staffing goals, according to DAC officials.
“Significant raises for all of our staff are critical to our ability to recruit and retain, and to work our way out of our critical staffing shortage,” DAC secretary Leslie Dismukes said. “Many of our employees are working second jobs or hours of overtime — just to make ends meet.”
Stein’s recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2026-2027 includes a 15% pay raise over the biennium for all state correctional officers. It also includes hiring bonuses for basic law enforcement training graduates, and out-of-state transfers joining state and local law enforcement agencies.
Would a 15% pay raise be enough to keep you in corrections? Why or why not?
