Texas’ correctional facilities have been tasked with cutting their spending for the 2012-13 budget a staggering 15 percent. It should be no surprise that perhaps a devastating number of people will lose their jobs.

Officials at the state’s correctional facilities in Texas put forth their proposal for the 2012-13 fiscal year. That proposal requests $6 billion in funding. Controversially, $720 million of the $6 billion will go towards pay raises to correctional and parole officers, in addition to medical costs for inmates.

The new cuts could cost the department up to 7,300 layoffs. 5,100 will likely come from correctional and parole officers and more than 1,200 will come from institutional services.

Texas’ Department of Criminal Justice runs more than 110 prisons. There are more than 150,000 currently under lockdown in Texas.  Officials aren’t shying away from the harsh reality. Brad Livingston, an executive at the criminal justice department said the new budget will mean a “significant downsizing” for Texas’ prisons.