A Turn to Tara investigation shows that new data is exposing cracks in the prison system as New York and New Jersey face some of the steepest staffing declines in the country.

Both states now rank among the top five nationwide for prison staffing losses, each shedding about 1 in 5 correctional workers since 2020, according to federal census data analyzed by the Marshall Project.

New York saw the largest absolute drop in prison staff, surpassing even California. While 41 states reversed the trend last year, New York lost another 1,400 full-time corrections jobs.

“This makes our prisons less safe,” said David Eads, of the Marshall Project. “It’s harder to run our prisons. Prisoners are in more danger, guards are in more danger. Everybody suffers when these systems are not staffed up.”

Connecticut’s staffing numbers have improved, but New Jersey mirrored New York’s decline. Despite paying more per employee than the national average today, both states saw pay declines in the late 2010s that may have accelerated the exodus.

“That’s an issue for everybody,” Eads said.