The Oklahoma Department of Corrections plans to provide a $2,500 sign-on bonus to newly hired prison officers and temporarily boost pay for employees working in especially understaffed facilities.

The agency’s staffing levels have dropped significantly over the past year, resulting in officers working excessive overtime and decreased employee morale, corrections director Scott Crow told the state Board of Corrections on Wednesday afternoon.

Oklahoma had 387 fully-funded, vacant correctional officer positions in June, according to budget documents presented Wednesday.

All new officer recruits w...