Correctional staff and managers told the City Council on March 15 that proposed budget reductions that would eliminate two classification-counselor positions would sharply increase workload, reduce weekend coverage and risk program delivery important for reentry.

Colin O'Brien, a classification counselor, described daily duties that include custody-level determinations, needs-and-risk assessments and reentry planning. He said the team completed a high volume of intakes and follow-up contacts between September 2024 and February 2025 and warned that cutting two positions would "increase caseloads, reduce our ability to provide case management" and lead to schedule disruptions, particularly on Saturdays.

Jennifer Hilton, classification manager at the Alexandria Sheriff's Office, said the work is mentally and emotionally demanding and that misclassifications and inadequate housing decisions can increase incidents of violence and harm both inside the jail and after release. "Retaining these classification counselor roles is not a staffing issue; it's a matter of public safety," Hilton said.

Sheriff's Office witnesses and managers answered council questions: staff said the two positions in question have been vacant since September 2024; managers said the jail's rated capacity is 340 and that large housing units can reach 48 beds each, though overcrowding drives higher caseloads. Classification staff requested that council preserve the positions, noting accreditation and Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) reassessment requirements and the 72-hour timeline for initial intake assessments.

Council members asked staff to provide data on accreditation requirements, vacancy duration and whether an industry standard or best-practice caseload metric exists for classification counselors. Vice Mayor Bagley and others asked staff to provide program completion and recidivism measures where available.

Why it matters: Classification counselors manage daily risk assessments and reentry referrals; the office and witnesses said cutting positions would reduce services that proponents say lower recidivism and improve community safety. Staff said some work already relies on overtime for weekend coverage.

What's next: Council asked staff for memos on accreditation standards, vacancy history, difficulty of recruitment for these positions and program completion data; no budget finalization occurred at the March 15 hearing.