Kicking the can -- a new prison -- down the road

With the exception of being a state trooper, the toughest job in state government in my estimation is working as a corrections officer in a state prison.

You're dealing with a population of men and women who, for the most part, are adept at manipulation and have some history in assaultive behavior.

Corrections officers deal with a difficult group of people while trying to steer inmates to a better, law-abiding life.

It's a tough job, made tougher by the decades-long overcrowding to state prisons.

It means you deal with more inmates than normal, and – due to staff shortages – often do more than...