The Department of Public Safety has been dealing with the issue of absenteeism for many years.

Some have asked, "Why not just fire them?"

But there are many factors that must be considered before taking action that will impact the safety of other employees, inmates and the public at large.

The Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s Aug. 11 editorial, "Stop Abuse of Sick Leave at State Prison," correctly states that absenteeism is a problem that needs to be addressed.

However, the editorial did not illustrate the extreme conditions our adult correction officers (ACOs) face each day.

When thinking of prison conditions, the impact on the inmates is often the first and only thing that comes to mind. Attention is seldom given to how those same conditions affect staff.

ACOs face uncertainty and danger that would be considered intolerable in other work environments.

Corrections officers often must deal with individuals who prey on the vulnerable and those who have shown a propensity for violence. ACOs are expected to use their human-relations skills and crisis-management training to somehow break the cycle of substance, emotional and physical abuse and return individuals into our community as productive members.

It’s not an easy job, but it must be done.

The newspaper’s editorial referenced an audit and conditions in our facilities from 15 years ago — but did not consider how much the corrections landscape has changed in Hawaii over those 15 years.

For example, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) increased the amount of sick leave used by employees who qualify for it, so they can take care of a serious illness or a sick family member. We are actively considering options to better manage FMLA.

A growing proportion of inmates present serious issues like mental illness, developmental disabilities, brain damage, impulse-control problems, and other similar disorders that create unique challenges for our staff.

In addition, the number of incarcerated adults has significantly increased over the past decade, outpacing physical infrastructure. A study conducted in 2007 titled "The Impact of Prison Conditions on Staff Well-being" and released last year finds that one in every 100 adult citizens in the United States resides behind bars. This is the highest incarceration rate in the world. As a result, prisons are a loud, crowded and extremely unpleasant environment. Hawaii’s ACOs deal with nearly 3,900 inmates and pre-trial custodies on a daily basis, in overcrowded facilities meant to house many fewer.

As the Abercrombie administration makes progress on its Justice Reinvestment Initiative goals, we are revamping recruitment and training to ensure that recruits meet nationally recognized and accepted standards prior to hiring.

We have already implemented tougher standards with the current recruit class. Previously, all a prospective recruit had to do was pass a physical agility test and an interview to be accepted into the basic corrections training. New testing now measures reading, writing and math skills to make sure the prospective recruits can communicate at a 12th-grade level. It also checks character issues like judgment, professional attitude, conduct and teamwork.

We are already seeing noticeable changes in the type of recruits who are coming through in this next class but we aren’t done improving.

Our employees remain passionate about what they do, despite the trying conditions they have to work in day in and day out.

Progress is being made that will positively impact inmates, our employees and their families.

We have a lot more work to do, and our staff is ready and willing to tackle the long-overdue improvements.

I am proud to be in the same department and profession as these individuals.