Newly-appointed RIDOC Director talks goals, challenges

Over nearly 20 years, Patricia Coyne-Fague has been working her way up the ranks at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections, serving under then-Director A.T. Wall until his retirement last year. She’s been acting director ever since.

“I inherited a very good department in very good shape,” she says.

For example, the department’s medication-assisted treatment program. – it’s led to a 60% decline in overdose deaths of inmates just out of prison.

But Coyne-Fague recognizes the work to be done.

“My number one goal is to improve job training for released inmates,” she says.

Fewer inmates are taking part in the prison’s work release program, so they’re revamping it and working with local employers to take a chance on hiring offenders.

But within prison walls, the department is struggling with understaffing. Correctional officers are ordered to work overtime to fill the need.

“They’re tired and I don’t blame them. It’s a 24/7 operation and we can’t just lock the door at night and say we’ll be back in the morning,” she says. “We need an infusion of a large class to get us where we should be.”

The DOC needs to hire 70 new officers in their upcoming recruitment drive. And there’s a push to diversify the ranks.

“There was an action filed by the United States Department of Justice, and it had to do with unintentional discrimination…and it had to do with the pass rate on the exam we were using at the time.”

Because of that action, the department changed the written portion of its exam.

The staff at the DOC is currently 18% minority.

Their recruitment drive begins Wednesday, January 9.

Anyone interested in applying for a spot in the Training Academy can fill out an application at www.netWORKri.org.

Applicants who have questions may call the Training Academy at 401-462-JOBS.  

RIDOC’s Training Academy is also hosting two-hour informational sessions. You can pre-register by calling 401-462-2697 at least two days in advance. 

For further information about the Training Academy or the Department of Corrections, please visit www.doc.ri.gov.  

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