(NewsNation) — Corrections officers nationwide are warning of the danger of prisons being short-staffed. 

In the past 10 days, there have been four prison escapes at two United States prisons. 

NewsNation spoke with John Butkovich, a corrections officer and union representative in Florence, Colorado, who is seeing some guard staffs so low that case managers, teachers and secretaries at the complex have been enlisted to serve as corrections officers, despite receiving only basic security training.

“We want to see everyone just go home after eight hours, not just walking around looking like an overworked zombie,” Butkovich told NewsNation. “It impacts these people greatly, their mental health, their family life, marriages: They’re all being impacted by this.”

While the story is now making national headlines, this is a practice that has been happening for years, Butkovich said.

Aside from the obvious safety concerns, another major concern is employee morale. Prisons large and small, at state and federal levels, are seeing correctional officers leave en masse.

As of last year, the prison workforce nationwide was down nearly 20%, with many employees leaving the profession in the past three years. 

The shortages are threatening officers, inmates and the public’s safety.

Butkovich said at the heart of the issue is salary.  The national average correctional officer salary in the United States is nearly $49,000.  

With inflation and the rising cost of living, he said recruitment is a challenge when prospects can find jobs paying a similar wage without overtime and with much less risk.