‘Deeper dive’ into corrections issues focus of public safety informational hearing

The House Public Safety Finance and Policy Committee received an update on Minnesota’s prison system during an informational meeting Tuesday afternoon. No official action was taken.

Members heard from officials who oversee the prison system, officers and staff who work within it, and from those who have been incarcerated or their families.

Rep. Kelly Moller (DFL-Shoreview), the committee chair, said the hearing would allow a “deeper dive” into corrections issues and wanted to devote more time to those issues than can typically be found during the regular legislative session.

“Even having a full afternoon dedicated to it isn’t enough, we’re just going to be able to scratch the surface,” Moller said. “We really want to think about both short term and long-term solutions for corrections.”

Corrections Commissioner Paul Schnell provided an overview of the prison system along with its needs and challenges, which include infrastructure, safety and health care.

He said the agency has been “relentless” in its recruitment of employees to address previous staffing shortages and is currently at a 97% staffing level due to recent investments in compensation increases and staff wellness.

Schnell talked about the work being done by the department to increase safety including a new mail screening process meant to reduce the flow of contraband, such as synthetic drugs, into prisons. A pilot program to equip officers with body-worn cameras is also set to begin with the goal of increasing transparency in correctional facilities.

But he said those facilities still require hundreds of millions of dollars to complete deferred maintenance projects that would upgrade its assets to “fair” condition.

Health care is another ongoing challenge as the correctional population is generally less healthy than the general population and facility infrastructure is often not compatible with the needs, Schnell said.

A presentation from Margaret Zadra, the ombudsperson for corrections, outlined the work done by her office, which is operates independently and seeks to investigate concerns, address systemic issues and facilitate resolutions.

“Our main objectives are to provide oversight, promote efficiency, justice, enhance equity and fairness, and increase health and safety for incarcerated people, staff and community members,” Zadra said.

She said the volume of complaints this year is up nearly 75% from 2023, driven by greater awareness of the mission of her office and improved access for incarcerated individuals.