By Corrections1 Staff
COLUMBIA, S.C. — The South Carolina Department of Corrections is putting up billboards in Puerto Rico in hopes of filling vacant positions in midst of a staffing crisis.
The state is currently experiencing a critical shortage of corrections officers, with about 700 spots to fill, WBTW reports. The department has reportedly spent $184,680 on billboards to line interstates in South Carolina and have even erected two in Puerto Rico.
“It shows the lengths we will go through to find officers to come in and work,” DOC Director Bryan Sterling told WBTW.
Last month, Sterling said he came up with the idea to recruit people from Puerto Rico when he was researching areas with high unemployment rates. He said the department is willing to take anyone from the island who can speak English and is willing to move to the state.
“We’re going to use technology to expedite the interview and get them here as quickly as we can,” Sterling said.
The DOC believes their marketing campaign is working, though they are not tracking the return on their billboard budget. The department is also working to try and retain current COs by offering overtime and handing out Christmas bonuses and raises.