Corrections shortages contribute to $38.6M in OT

The 7,400 employees taking care of more than 22,000 inmates in 27 state prisons are the biggest source of overtime use in state government, $38.6 million last year, according to the governor?s office ? almost 10 percent of their budget for salaries.

Gov. Martin O?Malley has asked his new StateStat performance measurement program to focus on reducing overtime, but the new secretary of public safety and correctional services, Gary Maynard, said he expects overtime use in the coming year would “stay the same or be reduced a little.”