Congress sharply cut back on infrastructure funding for the federal prison system in fiscal 2024 even though maintenance needs have ballooned and a federal watchdog says the system is in critical need of more resources. The head of the federal Bureau of Prisons told Congress last month that the agency has a maintenance and repair backlog of about $3 billion, Roll Call reports. Congress, in the six-bill fiscal 2024 package signed by President Biden this month, appropriated $179.8 million to the system’s buildings and facilities account — a 38 percent cut from the $290 million the system received last year. Meanwhile, the Justice Department is asking Congress for $260 million for prison infrastructure in its fiscal 2025 budget. A Justice Department official said the items selected in the fiscal 2025 budget request are part of a “multi-year building program” and reflect where investments are most critical. The inspector general last year found BOP for years lowballed modernization and repair budget requests to Congress, a pattern that limits the amount of funding it receives and weakens its ability to fix deteriorating infrastructure.
The agency oversees 120 institutions, with about 57 percent over 30 years old and almost one-third over 50 years old. The inspector general report found the BOP lacks the funding to keep up with its maintenance repairs, and the cost of an unfinished project only increases the more it’s delayed due to inflation and further deterioration. Brandy Moore White, national president of the American Federation of Government Employees’ Council of Prison Locals, said the fiscal 2024 cut is “incredibly devastating.” There are roofing and mold problems in the prison system, White said, along with issues with indoor temperature control. Infrastructure problems that hold the potential to create a hostile setting for both prisoners and correctional officers, leading to a dangerous environment. “You can imagine being in Arkansas or Texas when it’s 110 degrees outside and air decides to quit working for a day. Tempers flare, it gets very heated, not just the temperature but also emotions,” White said.