Lawmakers raised serious concerns about staffing shortages, prison contraband, and deteriorating conditions at Guam’s correctional facilities during an oversight hearing Monday examining operations at the Department of Corrections.

The hearing, held by the legislative Committee on Public Safety, Emergency Management, and the Guam National Guard, focused on DOC’s preparation for performance-based budgeting, the status of federal detainees previously housed on Guam, and ongoing contraband investigations inside correctional facilities.

DOC Director Fred Bordallo Jr. was not present at the hearing, leaving senior staff and facility leadership to answer questions from senators.

Severe Staffing Shortage

DOC officials said one of the most urgent issues facing the department is a shortage of correctional officers.

According to prison leadership, each shift currently has only 30 to 35 officers supervising about 916 inmates, far below the 60 to 70 officers needed to operate the facility effectively.

DOC officials told lawmakers the staffing gap creates safety risks and makes it difficult to manage security and rehabilitation programs.

The department recently graduated 15 new correctional officers, but they are still completing training requirements and will not be fully deployed for several more weeks.

Recruitment efforts have also struggled. Out of 222 applicants, officials said 73 did not qualify and 83 are still being evaluated, while only a small number have moved forward in the hiring process.

Officials said the demanding nature of the job and relatively low pay compared with other law enforcement agencies have contributed to high turnover.

Calls for Pay Increases

DOC leadership told senators that higher pay could help retain correctional officers.

Officials requested at least a 6 percent pay increase to boost morale and prevent staff from leaving for better-paying jobs or opportunities off island.

Lawmakers also heard that many officers work six days a week on 12- to 13-hour shifts, increasing burnout and making recruitment more difficult.

Contraband and Security Risks

Another major concern discussed during the hearing was the flow of contraband into prison facilities.

DOC officials reported 54 contraband cases in 2025 and three cases so far in 2026.

Items discovered included:

Tobacco products

Makeshift weapons or “shanks”

Narcotics

Cell phones

All contraband incidents are turned over to the Guam Police Department for criminal investigation while DOC conducts administrative reviews internally.

Officials said smuggling attempts occur in several ways, including items thrown over prison fences and attempts involving drones.

Staff shortages also make monitoring the facility’s perimeter difficult. DOC leaders acknowledged that vehicles sometimes stop along nearby roads and throw contraband over the fence into the prison grounds.

Drone Activity and Security Gaps

Officials confirmed that drones have been detected near prison facilities.

While some drone deliveries have been intercepted, the department has already turned at least two recovered drones over to police for investigation, according to testimony during the hearing.

The facility’s location and terrain also complicate security.

DOC leaders said the prison is surrounded by hills and blind spots that create vulnerabilities for smuggling attempts.

Overcrowding and Pre-Trial Detainees

Officials also highlighted the impact of pre-trial detainees on the prison population.

DOC currently houses more than 900 inmates and detainees, including over 500 individuals awaiting trial.

Because detainees have not yet been convicted, they require different supervision and limit the department’s ability to focus on rehabilitation programs for sentenced inmates.

DOC officials said the large detainee population diverts resources away from education, counseling, and work-release programs.

Rehabilitation Programs Strained

DOC’s casework division reported it currently supervises 393 classified inmates who are serving sentences.

However, the department has only four social workers managing those cases, meaning each staff member handles roughly 90 to 100 clients — nearly double the recommended national caseload.

Despite staffing limitations, the department continues to offer limited programs including:

GED education classes

Counseling services

Work-release programs

Behavioral health treatment referrals

Officials said expanding those programs would require additional staffing and resources.

Federal Detainee Issue

Lawmakers also questioned DOC about federal detainees previously held at the Hagåtña Detention Facility.

Federal detainees were transferred out of the facility in 2025 after a federal court raised concerns about conditions inside the prison.

The legislative committee said it had issued a subpoena requesting documents related to Guam’s agreement with the U.S. Marshals Service to house federal inmates, but those records had not yet been provided.

Continuing Oversight

Senators said the hearing highlighted significant challenges within Guam’s correctional system, particularly staffing shortages, security risks, and limited rehabilitation resources.

Lawmakers indicated they expect further updates from DOC as the Legislature prepares to review the agency’s budget and considers possible policy changes aimed at improving prison operations.

Administration says director was ill

Later in the day, the administration issued a statement addressing Bordallo’s absence, saying the director had provided advance notice that he was ill and might not be able to attend.

According to the press release, DOC Major Antone Aguon and Social Work Administrator Therese Tayama contacted the office of Sen. Shawn Gumataotao, the committee chair last Friday to inform the senator’s chief of staff that Bordallo had been sick and might not appear at the hearing.

The administration said Aguon followed up again Monday morning through a WhatsApp message confirming the director would be absent due to illness. The message was read by the chief of staff, according to the statement, but no response was received.

The administration also said Bordallo has a physician’s note documenting his condition.

“Director Bordallo has served the people of Guam across both Republican and Democratic administrations for many years, dedicating his career to public safety and the difficult work of corrections,” the statement said.

Administration calls for fairness

While emphasizing that it respects the Legislature’s oversight role under the Organic Act of Guam, the administration urged that the situation not be politicized.

“Our community should not be so divided that an individual cannot fall ill without facing political or legal consequences,” the statement said, adding that public service should remain grounded in “fairness, respect, and basic decency.”

The administration said it remains committed to cooperating with lawmakers on issues affecting the Department of Corrections and addressing long-standing challenges within the agency, including facility modernization and improved safety measures.

Officials also said the administration is prepared to participate in a rescheduled hearing once Bordallo returns to work.