HONOLULU(KHON2) -- The climate inside Hawaii's correctional facilities is at a tipping point with inmates running the show and guards overworked and underpaid. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You That's according to multiple sources inside the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR). They warn if things don't change soon something bad will happen. "You cannot keep doing this to human beings and expect them not to lash out," a source inside the one of Hawaii's correctional facilities said. He said he wants the federal government to step in before anyone else is hurt or killed inside Hawaii's prisons. Another source said the shortage of guards is to blame causing tensions to flare and putting everyone's safety at risk. "There's no safety if we can't cover the post," the source said. "How I feel right now, inmates are running the facility." In October, inmate Raita Fukusaku was found dead inside his cell in Halawa Correctional Facility. And last week, inmates at OCCC lashed out starting a fire and flooding a unit. Missing Hawaii woman’s family alarmed over new info: ‘She’s not alone’ "They had to be evacuated and they had to be cleaned up," a source explained. "And that was in our max unit, which is supposed to be the most secure unit." They said part of the problem is inmates are locked in cells for hours, sometimes days, because there aren't enough guards. "The tensions increase. The inmates act out. They flood, they start fires, they start fighting each other, they act out, very aggressive and it's a dangerous situation," the source explained. Posts also go unmanned when they are short staffed, compromising the integrity of the facility and public safety. Sources said they are also seeing an uptick in cases of inmates testing positive for drugs, particularly methamphetamine, at OCCC. They said when certain posts are unmanned contraband is being tossed over fences into the facility. "Eight out of ten times it's a staff that are bringing in drugs," DCR Director Tommy Johnson clarified. He confirmed that DCR has 368 vacancies. DCCA warns of phone scam targeting medical professionals "In every prison jurisdiction across the country, everyone is short staffed," Johnson explained. "The fact that we were at 36% percent (vacancies) at one point, and we're down to 24% shows we're making progress, but we still have work to go." But he said they are doing everything in their power to hire and retain workers, including asking for more money for pay raises and incentives. "I do believe that our corrections officers don't make enough money," he said. "It is a tough field where everything can be calm for 48 hours and then something happens, it's quick, it's violent and you have to react immediately." "The way that things are in the prisons right now, do you feel that it's safe?" KHON asked. "I think that we do the best we can with the resources that we have," Johnson said. "I wish more staff would show up on a regular basis, and then the facility would be safer." According to Johnson, DCR has an issue with guards calling in sick and not showing up for shifts. "Frankly there is abuse, there is sick leave abuse, there's family medical leave abuse within the ACO ranks," he explained. Sources said there are many guards that often work 16 and 24 hour shifts to help. "Staff is just burnt out," a source added. "They're tired of feeling this way. They're tired of being disrespected. And you can't expect people to work this long, this many years, under these conditions and not break." Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news The Hawaii Correctional System Oversight Commission will be releasing a comprehensive report soon. They are holding their monthly meeting Thursday, November 21 at 9 a.m. For a link to the virtual meeting click here.