CRAIGSVILLE, Va. (WHSV) - The Augusta Correctional Center is set to close, uprooting many people who work there without warning.
“I feel blindsided,” is a phrase people working at the ACC know all too well. After plans were announced to employees that ACC would be receiving more staff to help mend the staffing shortage, the Virginia Department of Corrections held a surprise meeting.
At the meeting, staff members were expected to downgrade from a class III or class IV prison to a class II prison because of the staffing shortage. Employees instead got handed paperwork to list their top choices for VADOC facilities to transfer to. If they were above the age of 50, they received retirement papers instead.
“We were told that our roaming staff that we’re on contract we’re going to get renewed,” Lt. Christina Tuttle said. “They even approved for some of the regional staff that had been coming down to assist to transfer to us.”
Tuttle is a current employee at ACC. She and her family have a connection to the correctional system, with both her husband and brother working at ACC at one point with her. Now, she is torn between finding a new career path or adding more than an hour to her daily commute. The additional hours both ways would transform her 12-hour workdays to 14-15 hour work days she said.
“I may be one of the ones that have to look at other employments if I can’t find somewhere that’s going to accommodate. If we can’t find a facility to work with it I’ll have to be one of the ones to give up my career,” She said.
There were around 15 people expected to join the ACC staff. Now, employees are expected to decide by Jan. 2, 2024, whether they stay with VADOC or pursue new opportunities. Tuttle said she has no idea what career path she could switch to since most of her career has been in corrections; half of her time in the field has been at ACC.
In the time before the announcement, Tuttle said changes were happening around the facility, but they weren’t unusual.
“Our population dropped but according to headquarters and everything that was going to assist with the staffing shortage and everything,” she said. “They were going to make it where the staff that we had that had been there for 5+ years we’re going to be able to handle the workload.”
One of Tuttle’s concerns with the closing was her children. She said the job was a vital part of the life of her children, even if she worked 12-hour days.
“This is how I take care of my children, how I have insurance on my children,” she said.
Not only was she concerned about her children’s livelihood, but she was also concerned for current employees. She said people might get out early, especially people who were not at the facility for long.
“It’s going to become more dangerous for the staff that’s left. Not all inmates are bad, but not all of them are good. When you are already working with a skeleton crew and you are facing this, a lot of them who don’t have years of service and don’t look at this like a family, they are going to jump ship,” She said.
When asked, the VADOC refused to interview with plans for current inmates at the facility. Instead, the department said:
“Inmates will be transferred to different VADOC facilities throughout the Commonwealth, based on security level and classification.”
He also referred to the press release and comments made on the Dec. 15 announcement. Not only did the VADOC issue a statement, the Augusta County Board of Supervisors also made their comments on the announced closure.
“The Board of Supervisors would like to express profound disappointment over the decision to close the Augusta Correctional Center. The abrupt end of a long-standing relationship between Augusta County, the Town of Craigsville, and VADOC will cause adverse economic and employment effects for citizens in Craigsville and throughout Augusta County. We anticipate working closely with state officials as they look to mitigate the impacts felt throughout the community.”
Craigsville Mayor Richard Fox said the Craigsville community will feel the sting from this loss, but will find a way to overcome this hurdle. He emphasized the need to keep going forward, rather than staying behind with this news.
“It’s devastating on everybody, like I’m saying is we need to stay positive with it, get back on our feet and keep moving.”
The Augusta Correctional Center will be closed effective July 1, 2024. It is a state prison facility operated by VADOC since 1986.
Copyright 2023 WHSV. All rights reserved.
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