Missouri lawmakers hear from corrections staff about harassment

The House Subcommittee on Corrections Workforce Environment and Conduct met Thursday morning to hear from employees of the Department of Corrections.

It was the third hearing in an ongoing discussion about alleged harassment and other internal problems.

“This is the darkest era in the age of corrections that I’ve been through,” said Travis Case, an employee of almost 20 years. “It’s a system that breeds corruption.’

Several problematic issues in the department, including inconsistent or ambiguous policies, nepotism and a low morale, have resulted in a high employee turnover rate.

One notable recommendation by the employees who testified was the creation of an oversight committee for the Department of Corrections.

“With an oversight committee, problems that are hard to be address can be looked at with an unbiased approach,” said Lt. Jason Horn.

No actions were taken at the hearing on Thursday, but the subcommittee chairman told ABC 17 News that the next step is to develop and agree upon recommendations then send them to the House Committee on Corrections and Public Institutions.