Alabama's prison system paid $20.8 million in overtime last year, with 14 percent going to one prison.
Al.com reports that employees of Donaldson Correctional Facility, a maximum security prison in Jefferson County, received about $2.9 million in overtime pay. That averages about $8,873 per employee.
Department of Corrections spokeswoman Kristi Gates says the prison system uses overtime to supplement chronic staffing shortages. Gates says Donaldson prison has 8.4 inmates for every one officer. The overtime pay reduces the ratio to 6.9.
St. Clair Correctional Facility in St. Clair County was second on the total overtime list at $1.7 million. That worked out to an average of $5,869 per employee.