New York is set to lower the minimum hiring age for prison guards from 21 to 18, a move to boost the ranks of corrections officers during a shortage that was exacerbated after the state fired more than 2,000 guards after a weekslong strike that crippled the state’s prison system.

State lawmakers approved the measure on Wednesday and Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, is expected to sign it into law.

The bill establishes some rules for the younger guards, including policies that they cannot obtain or use firearms or transport inmates outside of prisons. They also must be supervised when performing “contact roles” with inmates during the first year-and-a-half on the job.

The push to lower the age for correction officers came after guards walked off the job in February while striking to protest poor working conditions. Hochul was forced to deploy the state National Guard to prisons to maintain operations during the strike.

  • MagicShel@lemmy.zipEnglish
    18·
    1 day ago

    I know 18 is the age of majority and adult responsibility, but it’s both my observation and my personal experience that you’re not ready for that kind of responsibility until you have a few years of being an adult under your belt.

    • BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world
      71·
      1 day ago

      Their decision making abilities aren’t also fully developed and I can guarantee more prisoners will be harmed or killed when an 18yo guard feels threatened.

      • HellsBelle@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
        3·
        1 day ago

        They won’t have guns.

        The bill establishes some rules for the younger guards, including policies that they cannot obtain or use firearms or transport inmates outside of prisons.

    • Optional@lemmy.world
      3·
      1 day ago

      Science - the actual, y’know, science - says the human brain isn’t fully formed until early 20s.