State Comptroller Says OT Costs Getting Out Of Control At Some NJ Prisons
By David Madden
TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - New Jersey's fiscal watchdog suggests that some county prisons are spending far too much on overtime.
Acting State Comptroller Marc Larkins took a look at overtime records between 2010 and 2012.
"Statewide, our county correctional facilities spent $185.7-million on overtime," he says. "That means they're spending over $60-million a year on overtime."
Some facilities put out more than 20-percent of their overall annual spending on overtime.
"And then we had some spending as little as two-percent," adds Larkins.
Mercer, Cumberland and Salem Counties are at the high end of the study, while Cape May is among those keeping those costs down.
Larkins issued a list of nine recommendations to control costs in his report including improved local oversight, adequate staffing and the use of automated scheduling.
