Secretary Carolyn Scruggs, head of Maryland DPSCS, needs to be removed from her position for continually endangering the lives of inmates and correctional officers.

Why is this important?

Correctional officers across the state of Maryland agree with family members of inmates as well, that Carolyn Scruggs needs to be removed and replaced as secretary and head of DPSCS. 

There has been an extreme shortage of officers across the state of Maryland, so much so that the proper thing to do would be calling the National Guard to relieve these officers that are overworked, overstressed and under appreciated. The extreme staff shortages are not only dangerous for the correctional officers, but for the inmates as well. 

She has covered up numerous inmate deaths across the state and facility smuggling by her officers. She is not a woman of integrity that should have this position.

Inmates are being neglected due to the Officer shortage. Officers cannot safely manage and protect them at the staffing level levels currently. Officers are being overworked to extreme hours, which is leaving them fatigued and their mental health vulnerable. They are not appreciated or respected by Carolyn Scruggs and that in fact trickles down to mistreating and ignoring and inmates. Why should they care for inmates when they’re not cared for?

 Illegal immigrants who broke the law as well are getting treated better than citizens of our great country. Most facilities across the state of Maryland do not have the staff to relieve officers of overtime and allow them to have family time or downtime to recover. This year there has been a dramatic retirement turnover rate of correctional officers because she is refusing to listen. There is not enough staff to allowinmates to come out for schooling, programs, and recreational time. This causes more mental health problems, low morale, and pent up rage. Imagine being cooped up in your bedroom 24 hours a day only coming out for a 15 minute shower if you’re lucky every day, most inmates only get it every couple days… it would make you stir crazy wouldn’t it? Why should this matter to you? Because, some point in time, a lot of these inmates will be released into our society having not received the rehabilitation and reintegration that the head of DPSCS promises in their mission statement.

She is supposed to be leading and setting an example for the DPSCS and she ignores the wardens, the correctional officers and unions across the state of Maryland. There is a petition started by a union for the correctional officers in Maryland to go straight to Governor Wes Moore pleading for the removal of Carolyn Scruggs. So I believe as citizens and family members of inmates across the state of Maryland we should start a petition of our own to show that we support the correctional officers across the state of Maryland.

From the Correctional Officers:

- According to DPSCS’s FY 27 Budget Overview, assault rates have nearly doubled in the last 5 years. In the first half of FY 2026 alone, the Maryland State Police reported 11 inmate deaths at DPSCS facilities, and more have been reported since.

- DPSCS’s own numbers show almost 2,500 total assaults in correctional facilities across the state since last July, with almost 200 serious physical or weapon assaults between inmates and almost 70 serious physical or weapon assaults on staff.

Recent decisions under her watch also call into question her ability to lead this department. These are some examples of poor decisions that have happened under her watch:

- In May, Western Correctional Institution (WCI) leaders issued new staffing plans that leave no correctional officers on the ground during recreation times. Officers have been advised to stay out of recreation areas unless there is an emergency, putting both inmates and officers in danger.

- At the end of May, DPSCS leaders rescinded all approved leave for correctional officers in Western Maryland institutions, a dangerous and desperate attempt to staff facilities by overworking our officers and a violation of our labor laws.