A review of those cases found that racial and gender epithets are common among employees at a number of prisons. In one case, a female employee at the state prison in Bonne Terre alleged she was harassed by her supervisor after she requested a different shift in 2013.

Inspector General Amy Roderick, however, told the committee that her office was not involved in the investigation of harassment cases, even though some rose to the level of criminal behavior.

That drew the ire of lawmakers, who said bureaucratic red tape was keeping the full extent of the problem under wraps.

“I think what puzzles me the most, is that you are kind of out of the loop on some of these things,” said Rep. Kathie Conway, R-St. Charles.

Rep. Paul Fitzwater, R-Potosi, said the agency needed more oversight in its operations.

“The Department of Corrections has been policing itself,” Fitzwater said.

Hansen said he had been deluged with information from people who have stories to tell about the department and its “dysfunctional” operation.

“We have serious problems we are looking into,” Hansen said. “Information that has been sent to me is very disturbing. Our goal is to make things better.”

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