...has 1,500 fewer officers than it should".

Mississippi spends more than South Carolina.

"the South Carolina Department of Corrections can’t pay its bills, and the agency is considering closing some facilities"..."Lately, the South Carolina agency has made ends meet by using salaries from unfilled positions to cover its operations". ..."The Agency ...is mulling closing three minimum-security facilities that prepare inmates for release".

"Red Ink" is also tied "to criminal justice agencies, with $6 million of that linked to deficits at the Department of Juvenile Justice, the State Law Enforcement Division and two other agencies charged with prosecuting and defending people".

Looks like the SC Prisons, Criminal Justice Systems, Juvenile Justice, SLED, and other agencies are all under funded. Now, let's see, what does South Carolina rank the highest in again? Oh Yeah, ...we ranked the highest in violent crime in the nation. Think about that, little ole South Carolina, the highest in violent crime in the nation. What's up with that? I think it's just as hard to be the highest as it would be to be the lowest. Either way, it takes alot of work.

The Department of Corrections is under the Governor as a cabinet agency.

BTW, where is the Govendevelopnor?

http://www.thestate.com/local/story/403245.html