Guards Remain, Staff Gone At State Prisons

July 1, 2011 9:58 AM

STILLWATER, Minn. (AP) – Stillwater prison guard John Hillyard will keep his job while many state government operations come to a halt, but he’s worried about the inmates becoming restless. Correction officers at state prisons are working without support staff. Daily activities and programs as well as recreation and inmate visits are canceled.
Hillyard says when the inmates have nothing to do, “they cause trouble; they cause mayhem.”
The St. Paul Pioneer Press says maintenance workers that keep up and repair aging prisons won’t be on the job either. Many state operations came to a halt at 12:01 Friday because an agreement could not be reached on the state budget.