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Florida Taxwatch Joins Scott In Calling For Prison Cost Cuts
December 9, 2010
Scaling-back spending in the state’s prison system was one of the top recommendations as Florida TaxWatch rolled out its annual roster of potential state cost-savings Wednesday – listing 124 proposals which could trim more than $4 billion from the recession-battered treasury.
With Florida facing a budget shortfall likely to exceed $3 billion, TaxWatch officials said their ideas will gain more loft as Scott and lawmakers seek to shrink state spending.
When Governor-elect Rick Scott unveiled his economic plan on the campaign trail this summer, there was a portion that caught law enforcement and corrections professionals by surprise, a proposed $1 billion cut to the state’s corrections’ budget.
Scott’s plan for the corrections system is setting up a potentially heated political fight between his new administration, coming in looking to make drastic cuts in what Scott believes is a bloated budget and on the other side law enforcement officials who say his plan is unrealistic and lawmakers who don’t want to be soft on crime.
Florida Taxwatch is recommending a commission to do a top-to-bottom review of the corrections system to identify savings. The group is calling for an expansion of faith- and character-based prisons, an expansion in work release programs, requiring justification for individuals with low sentencing scores, decreased state incarceration of local inmates and even changes in Florida’s marijuana and cocaine possession laws to reduce prison sentences.
Florida Tax Watch is also recommending revamping Florida’s public pension plan and steering more Medicaid patients into managed care, recommendations which generally match those advanced either by leading legislators or Gov.-elect Rick Scott.
Other TaxWatch measures clearly face longer odds. Efforts to extend the state’s sales tax to Internet sales has been proposed, and rejected, by lawmakers for several years. But with Florida facing a budget shortfall likely to exceed $3 billion, TaxWatch officials said their ideas will gain more loft as Scott and lawmakers seek to shrink state spending.
In unveiling the money-saving list, TaxWatch’s David Smith, pointed to the pension plan as a rich ground for state savings. Eliminating the state’s traditional, defined benefit plan and putting all Florida Retirement System employees into a defined contribution plan and requiring FRS members to contribute to their retirement are just some of the cost-savings.
“It’s unsustainable. It’s broken. But it’s not, not fixable,” Smith said.
Pictured: A guard tower rises above Century Correctional Institution. NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
Comments
30 Responses to “Florida Taxwatch Joins Scott In Calling For Prison Cost Cuts”
Don’t let your love ones fool you they just complain because they can’t do what the hell they want. I work in confinement these inmates are the biggest baby. Until you go pass the v.p. area you don’t know what the hell you talking about.
I have a loved one in the FDOC, and it’s true, until you become a member of that “family” and see things firsthand, you can’t even come close to imagining the cruel and inhumane treatment they suffer. DB is in an old dorm with NO heat, has an exhaust fan blowing constantly on him that used to be the furnace. The guards could turn it off when it’s 20 degrees, but don’t. He is in the first stages of liver damage from Hep C which causes him to be cold all the time so he he has to sleep in all of his clothes while the guards sit in their wicker nice and warm. If you try to complain to someone, it’s taken out on the prisoner and life is made even more unbearable. I trust Rick Scott will do the right thing and force the policy already in place for the HUMANE Treatment of the men and women incarcerated in the FDOC. I had no idea our inmates suffer at the hands of the “powers that be”!
I have a close family member in prison. This inmate does not get enough to eat, they continue to give less and less food. It is necessary for me to maintain money in his account so he can supplement his food and buy other needed items. Medical care is almost non-existent.
They are starting to give out pants that have elastic so they don’t have to provide belts – the material keeps getting thinner and thinner.
It is a joke to say they can grow their own food – the prision I visit grew some food this year – the crop was barely enough for one meal for the 1600 inmates.
The inmate (first time offender)I visit was given 30 years for a non violent crime, which the State had recommended only 10 years. The Judge gave him 30 years becuase he took his case to trial. If the Court went on State recommendations for punishment this would certainly help with the prison over crowding situation and save the State money. Maybe consideration should be given to reviewing these type of sentences where the sentence has been excessive.
Also consideration should be given to going back to serving 65% of time served and return the Parole Board.
It is my opinion no one can comment about the harshness of prison., unless you have been there. Floridas minimum mandatory sentences have much to be desired. If there is no violence in the crime, no weapons, no confrontation one can still be listed as a prison release reoffender all it takes is someone to be in a structure when you go inside even if your intent was not to harm anyone or anything. There are unspoken things happening behind those bars, ask an ex prisoner. If you think it’s cushy try fighting off other prisoners, try going hungry, try not seeing your family for 15 years and then try to wrap your mind around what’s in store for you if you do make it out alive. No work.. no home,, .no help., no licence. Everything and everyone you knew all different. Some loved ones already passed because of age. Prison is not what you think. If you’d like to get an idea of what it is like I suggest you visit a website Torture in american prisons. It’s sickening to see what happens. Oh and if you get sick while there, good luck getting any help. If afer you make it out, be sure and check yourself for HIV, hepititus and any other disease that may have been put upon you while there. Prison is not a topic to be discussed lightly. Nor is it a debate to be spoken about as though inmates are afforded the comforts of home. Prison my fellow debators in a living H_ LL. May God have mercy on all those who impose pain on prisoners who are trying to just do their time. May mercy also fall upon those of you who stand in judgement. Minimum mandatory sentences need to be abolished, it divides powers, and is unconstitutional.
REGARDING:
“. . . when they mess their drug court up do they go to prison nnnnoooo just more help.”
Several years back a neighbor stole a number of things from us while out on probation. The judge put him back on probation. It’s a tough job being a judge. You want to do what’s right but will never know for sure until it’s too late.
Most killers had run-ins with the law several times first but were released until someone died, sometimes even after that.
Some decide one run-in was enough and fly straight afterward. Some go to prison and you wonder if they should have done so.
Many crimes which seem petty yield prison when others which seem terrible are treated as nothing.
And a judge has to live with every decision.
David for a perfect system
The system is not fair never will be so just accept it or waste our time talking about how we know its not fair I think most of us have had someone we know locked up before. I have not had any respect for these judges since I watch them give some crackheads all the drug help they need and when they mess their drug court up do they go to prison nnnnoooo just more help. think about how many females get drug court. Maybe we need more female judges so they dont fall for their stupied sad stories.
thanks, you too
DHG- You continue to go the wrong way with this, but ok. Cities- Yes we can, but unless you have heard something in Bluff Springs that I have not, I cant recall when we have done so. Lastly I’m not trying to compare criminals with Soilders- (wow the stuff you come up with) Have a good day!
REGARDING:
“You are keeping a man that has clean record, business and family in prison for 3 years ”
If his record were actually clean, he would not have a conviction on it. If he was growing it for his personal consumption, I wonder how he was caught. If he was growing it for distribution, he is an illegal drug dealer.
I wouldn’t make it illegal, but it IS illegal. Unless he were ignorant, he knew the law, the risks and the possible penalties and chose his path.
So we should blame the system?
David for proper assignment of responsibility
REGARDING:
“Ok DHG- Maybe I left my comment too open. Your “Words in my mouth” comment on violent criminals would not be a great idea” AND ” Wipe out cities- come on!”
Not YOUR mouth, that would be rude. It’s just a general verbalization of the concept countrygirl correctly considered unwise.
You probably haven’t heard, but we’ve had the capability to wipe out cities for some time now. Not everybody gets access to it, but it’s there. They don’t even have to be violent people for it to be a problem. A few years back some of our jets crossed the country with live nukes and thought they were carrying dummies. Somebody dropped the ball, but be thankful nobody dropped the “dummy.“ Inattentive people can be just as deadly as folks who actually want to hurt people. Consider all the road deaths, most could be avoided if all drivers were paying attention. Or for that matter, Deep Water Horizon.
Putting people in positions of responsibility is unwise if they have shown a history of doing irresponsible things. That’s why we take away gun rights from convicted felons and keep the doped and/or insane away from red buttons attached to weapons systems.
Further, I think you touched on another problem, treating criminals like soldiers would look a lot like thinking of soldiers as criminals, which they are NOT, or at least we like to think not.
David for respect to those
in service to our country
Ok DHG- Maybe I left my comment too open. Your “Words in my mouth” comment on violent criminals would not be a great idea. I was referring to the “Its so petty lets forget about it criminals” even though they STILL BROKE THE LAW that everyone’s tax dollars are supporting anyway. Country Girl- Just think if they met the criteria you mentioned what kind of person they would be., probably not drug selling scum. Wipe out cities- come on!
REGARDING:
“forcing someone into the military is a foolish concept”
Yep, just imagine the sentence: “You’re a violent criminal so I’m putting you in an organization with enough weaponry and skills to wipe out cities.”
Probably not a good idea.
forcing someone into the military is a foolish concept. most branches require a high school diploma. the military has a strict drug policy. the people who commit crime are generally nonconformist,the military is strictly conformist. the criminal would then again be getting taxpayer money in the form of salary, benefits, food, clothes and lodging. not to mention va benefits when they get out. i was in 25 years ago with some who were “sentenced” to duty. they were the troublemakers
Cry me a river “spouse of an inmate”. When you have a loved one killed by someone under the influence of pot, then I might feel sorry for you. Did he not know when he was growing the pot that it was ILLEGAL!!!! And by the way, he may get potatoes and beans everyday, but at least he is alive to wait for his next plate to be shoved in front of him by those “mean” guards.
Well, I have a plan…….Okay, it is true that drugs are illegal, but on the other hand, they are still available and always will be. I am not a drug user by any means, but in my mind, if there are always going to be drug users, there are always going to be drug dealers….right? Okay, how bout we make the drug dealers work for us? ( EX. 1st offense- okay sir/ma’am, this is your first offense, you have been found guilty, I now sentence you to pay $1000.00 to the Escambia County Clerk’s Office for the next 12 months. 2nd offense- okay sir/ma’am, this is your 2nd offense, you have been found gulity, I now sentence you to pay the Escambia County Clerk of Courts $5000.00 for the next 12 months, and so on and so forth, going up on the fines each time.) Now, that would make us a lot of money wouldn’t it? drugs are still illegal, and we have money!
I will agree with DAGB. There should be an option of going in the Service/Military and being sent over seas to fight. This sound like a good plan It would allow the inmate/prisioner to make money for his/her family and still paying there dept to the taxpayer/citizens and free up the jails. And reading all the responses of how and how much the prision/jail system does I still think there is not enough deterent and by the way drug offences should be handle differently. And how about this when you do your time (Pay your dept) you are a free man/woman and you should be able to get a job with out you past haunting you. I would like to see the online (Internet) court records remove so the everyday person can not look up a someone’s past. Everybody is quick to do a back ground check and a persons thats has had a brush with the law can never get past there past and will always be riding on the taxpayers paycheck. If they payed the dept they should be free to try and start over The Police/Court system should be the only one who could see these records. I don’t think they are public as some will say We are createing a monster here Just my thoughts
update: just talked to my loved one (in prison) on the phone- they do have the opportunity to take a daily shower- some will pass on it, due to the limited hot water availability- if youre in confinement, you only get to shower 3 times a week- soap is made available for bathing- apparently, isnt the best, but it is available (for free)- in his case, he does not have 4 sets of clothes- and, he is one of the ones who go to work 5 days/wk- outside, yardwork or gardening (or something like that)- in my opinion, he is just where he needs to be- food isnt the best, but its much better than many in the world have- his work is hard, but..hard work is good- hes there due to his voluntary poor choices- my hope is that his time there will be so distasteful that when he gets out, he will be quick to THINK and remember vividly how bad his experience was- and, maybe NOT make the same poor choices again.
I would hope the RickScott office will do sentencing accessment on all the florida inmates, some of the crazy judges that did the sentencing, and read some transcripts. They would be abhorred if they knew what goes on in manys ‘day in court.’ There is a sure double standard, indigents and the not so well connected, getting certain harsh sentencing, and the dante stallworths, nick bollea(hogan) and other well connected, and celebs status receiving ‘the other sentencing!’
And the public is not fooled, they have seen this going on for years, hoping some honest politician or gov would finally do something about it in this, oh so corrupt state of florida! In the meantime, we only can only just sit and watch, while puking our guts out!
Half of the florida inmates should not even be locked up or not locked up for so long…..the ten and fifteen year sentences handed out for drug crimes and car accidents is ridiculous….bring back some kind of parole, early release or something. The more you lock up in florida, the more that will be spitting mad after serving inordinate long sentences. Doesn’t matter how harsh prison is made, just remember then that payback is a B! Once the tiger is out of the cage, let the game of retribution began and wonder not why florida runs even more rampant with crimes ith increasing abundance.
well just for the record i worked at a fl prison today for 8 hours, and this is what i saw…….they had already had breakfast before i arrived so some were up and having coffee but the rest were still in bed…oh and by the way…yes they had heat. as a matter a fact they did and i did not in the officers station…..today was laundry day so yes their clothes were washed.. some went to work, chapel, library, medical and the rest went to rec yard for about 1 1/2 hrs. then they had lunch then some went to work, library, mail call, medical. then lets see…. the dorm watched tv from 1-3 pm…some watched soap operas the other 1/2 a movie, the tvs will be on until 10 pm tonight as well as the phones. they also got to go to canteen. inmates have the opportunity to go to canteen at least 5-7 times a week. they also have 4 sets of clothes. i know this from having to pack their property when they decide to break the rules. seems to me spouse of an inmate is getting suckered by her own personal criminal. if prison were a spa resort we’d all break the law…..duh!
My husband got a minimum mandatory of 3 years for growing pot. I m college student struggle to keep going to school. Florida law makers has not realized that the old concepts of how to keep the state in order is costing to much money. You are keeping a man that has clean record, business and family in prison for 3 years because he did such horrible thing such as growing this evil plant call marijuana!(wow) and by the way, its double punishment because we still have to come up with $50.000.00 to pay court fees. And whatever he needs he has to pay for, and don’t let those prison guards lie to you. Library your a lucky if you get in the line of few inmates per day, the same for canteen,no programs to incentive them to persuade a new future. The worse is the disrespect that they are treated by the guard. some of them are worse then you think a prisoner would be. No ac/ heater(if works) , one pair of sucks, one underwear.potatoes and beans every day! everyday! I know he didn’t sign up to go to a spa, but am sure that his drug crime could be paid in other forms. There is a lots of good and bad people in prison, only shallow people like to generalize everyone.my husband still have two more years to go and if he is lucky he gets to go work release, but even that is not easy to get in. Florida is the top state with incarceration rate of drug crimes. That is been proved that is very expansive to keep using the same old concepts of how keep people in line.
(Mother of inmate) You might want to check on the last few lines of your comment. Sounds like you are getting played by the every day inmate bull for extra money. Just a thought- instead of sitting in prison why not sentence them to a fair amount of time overseas fighting for their country and re-pay society. What you think the return rate would be then. But no that would be unfair too right to send them. Wonder what the men and women (that has not broken any law) over there would think about that. God Bless our Troops and Law Enforcement
I agree with uh oh…… Drugs addicts using for their own personal needs should be put into rehab verses prison. So many people become addicted due to something in their life that introduces them to the narcotics. Florida needs to follow the Federal guidelines that did away with Minimum mandatory sentences which costs us taxpayers thousnads of dollars every year…… FYI 6+ loritab in your possession carries a minimum of 5 years in prison… Anyone who does not know this law should review the state law that took effect in 2007 it has cost us millions already. I am an advocate for FAMM (families against minimum mandatory sentences) loritab in 98% tylenol but they go by hte total wt so we have 100,000 + prisoners who if they took out they tylenol would not be in our prison system.. Call you state rep and ask them why they are not following federal law and do away with mimimum mandatory and save us tax dollars;….. FYI anything other than the blue jumpsuit they give you and the food they serve you , inmates have to buy their own shampoo shoes underwear etc so they make a good profit of that too A pair of shoes are 50.00 dollars for no name shoe Example……….
replying to “Huh” being in the system myself the only time I’ve seen drug addicts actually get help that works is when the move out of state and start over.And Im not sure about you but I wont take my vehicle to most siminiz car washes and alot of your local oil change places…..I know the charges of most of their staff and some owners. I’m for the “people change” theory but with the money issues and the eorld today more and more scum is out there to take advantage of people. There is no win/win.
If we stopped giving chance after chance and sent these people to prison there second offense it might help. Chain gangs and no delay in sentencing, or even death sentences carried out with there is admittance and no questions!!!!!
so, “prison guard”….inmates (or, their friends/families) dont have to pay for them to go to the infirmary or dental? …inmates dont HAVE to buy their clothes/shoes/toiletry needs from the commissary?…hhmm…..and showers EVERY nite!….wow….it does sound somewhat cush…guess it just depends on the prison though…btw, in my loved ones prison, hes found out the hard way that you take a substantial gamble by sending your clothes/bedding out to the laundry to get washed- might NOT come back (inmates steal- go figure!)…clothing is bought/sold amongst the inmates on a regular basis…best to do it by hand- if you want to keep it…only thing id agree on with “you who” is, to kick the ACLU out of the country and that life should NOT be made comfortable for the inmates …but, i also dont think that “you who” has a factual concept of what its really like in prison.
Sorry for the mis quotes on state prisons but the county jail does have/do all the things I said. I glad to know that the state prisons don’t have air condition. I know the staff on the lower end don’t make enough money and have to put up with a lot for the pay. But I vision the fifties where the prisoners were in chicken coop type buildings and pretty much had no rights and if we were to follow that way now, the prision population would cut in half. I know there will alway’s be people that break the law but if it were up to me I make it so hard on them that when and if they ever got out I bet you most would not come back (prison) Right now we have to many repeat offenders, some 2-3 or maybe 4 or 5 times they go to jail and thats to much. Deal with this problem now before its to late.
Prison Guard has it right, my kid brother is in prison right now and although some things may seem like easy street, he informs me it’s pretty horrible. I don’t know if his stay in the pen will make his mind less criminal but I’m 99% sure it will keep him from acting on those criminal thoughts again as he truly hates prison and has no desire to go back.
P.S. let out the pot heads unless you’re going to start locking up the drinkers having alcohol or being drunk.
You Who, some things you say are correct, some are not. For example, the vast majority of inmates do not have air conditioning. Where I work, I would say that 90% of the staff does not even have A/C. The only staff that does would be the white shirts, Control room staff (when it works), Clinic, and mental health. The only inmates that have A/C would be the sick ones in the infirmary.
Another misquote you say is that inmates don’t work. They DO work. Only the Close Management and Death Row inmates do no work.
However, everything else you say is pretty much correct, I would like to add that the inmates do get to watch TV at night or when not working, they receive mental health counseling, have law libraries provided, have recreational areas such as softball, handball, weight lifting, volleyball, etc. They get to shower every night with state provided soap and most can get a GED while enjoying their stay, oops, I mean while they are incarcerated.
Make prision more of a deterent and not a way of life. If I had it my way I would make them do hard labor for six days a week and take away all their rights. And another Idea for this country would be to kick the ACLU out of this country. They are the ones responsable for prisioners having so much say. If we make it easy, enjoyable and free don’t you think that they (Prisioners) will come back. That why the prison are full it’s a cake walk You get free medical and dental, cloths are washed for you three meals a day prepared for you, Heat and air and you don’t have to WORK. The taxpayers pays all the bills
These elected officials have screw this country up and now we all have to watch our backs and lock our doors and the best they can do is figure out a way to give the prisoners more rights
ELECT “YOU WHO” FOR GOVERNER
Take them all out, and have them learn trades and make things. Paint cars, tint windows, mechanic work, wood work, and so on. Why not? They could earn money, the prison could get a piece of it,
Or we would just stop sending so many people to prison, drug addicts need help, being locked away isnt much help. They should have to go to programs to get cleaned up, and be made to do things for the community
If someone is using drugs for personal use and not committing any other crimes, they should not be in jail.