Florida DOC Proposal: Further Prison Privatization?

October 17, 2012

A proposal from the Florida Department of Corrections floats the idea of further privatization if budget cuts are needed, but doesn’t specify which facilities might be turned over to private companies to come up with $6.4 million in savings.

The agency’s idea is included as one of a menu of cuts provided as part of its annual legislative budget request and might not ultimately be a part of the spending plan that lawmakers approve in the spring. But it comes after years of fights in both the Legislature and the courts about whether to allow for-profit vendors to assume greater responsibility for the state’s prison system.

“In an effort to maximize the state’s resources during difficult economic times, the department proposes privatizing additional facilities,” the request says simply.

Ann Howard, a spokeswoman for the department, said in an email that the agency hasn’t necessarily targeted specific facilities.

“We do not have a list when it comes to privatizing,” she said.

The department could get rid of its pretrial intervention program aimed at offenders involved in relatively minor crimes. That is expected to save $2.3 million, Howard said. And the agency floats a five percent cut in funding for prisons that have already been privatized.

“At this point, this is all very early on and as you know, a fluid process,” she said.

Gov. Rick Scott is not expected to unveil his suggested budget blueprint until early next year. A final package will likely pass the legislature at the end of the spring legislative session and will be signed by Scott after that.

The agency also asks for some increases in its main budget request, in some cases aimed at greater security for guards and inmates. The department is asking for almost $5.2 million to comply with the federal Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003.

Most of the money — an estimated $3 million — would go to increase camera surveillance at prisons in an effort to prevent sexual assaults. The funding would also provide money for training, inmate screening and “emotional support services” for inmates who are victimized.

“The decision to implement or not to implement the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) requirements involves weighing the resource related costs for full compliance against the 5% penalty assessed against Justice Department Grants for non-compliance,” the request says. “Additionally, the potential costs associated with liabilities, including litigation, assumed by the Department in the case of non-compliance may be greater than any costs incurred with implementation.”

A separate proposal includes more than $900,000 for “safe havens” to which employees could retreat in case they are attacked by inmates and “throw phones” that could be used in hostage negotiations.

By The News Service of Florida

Comments

4 Responses to “Florida DOC Proposal: Further Prison Privatization?”

  1. Ron on October 18th, 2012 7:48 am

    Here we go again under the guise that private prisons save money. It’s simply not true. Those hired to work in these private prisons are often ‘castaways’ from state prisons around the country as they’ll hire most anyone with a warm body. The private prisons will shortchange offenders on food and medical care, they don’t have a good retirement system for officers and politicians will see to it that they get the HEALTHY, inmates to keep their medical cost down…they, you and I will pay for the sick ones remaining in the state system.

  2. Rufus Lowgun on October 17th, 2012 5:18 pm

    “Why not just stop putting lesser crimes in prison such as driving while license suspended and simple charges like criminal mischief. Why not put the people in prison for the crimes based on the harm principle as it was years ago? ”

    Nope, sorry, that’s pretrial diversion, no room for that in the budget. Besides, how are you supposed to guarantee the 90% occupancy rate that GEO Group and Corrections Corporation of America are demanding in the deal to buy our state Prisons that Rick Scott is pushing for if you don’t lock people up for things like that?

    Also, did I just read that the decision on whether or not to impliment the Prison Rape Elimination Act rests on whether the cost to impliment it is more thant he fine for not doing so, and not on whether it will actually keep people from being raped in prison? Jesus wept.

    Privatizing our prisons is a BAD idea. The state is responsible for sending them to jail. That being the case, the state should be responsible for them while they’re there.

  3. Henry on October 17th, 2012 10:24 am

    Wait, wait. Think about this. Instead of our tax dollars paying to run these facilities at cost and with some degree of oversight, we can spend our tax dollars to pay the same amount plus more so the “for profit” private sector company and it’s share holders, the corporation, can get rich and have no liability if there is corruption or some other problem. What a really awesome Republican idea.

    Then, if Romney becomes president and we outlaw abortions and people not going to church on the real Sabbath, Saturday, we can have even more Privately Run State funded prisons.

    Once we stop funding education, food stamps and de-fund Medicare and other entitlements, we will be able to afford more prisons for the private sector and plenty if people stealing food to survive to put in those state funded Privately owned For Profit Prisons. It’s a win win for everyone on Wall Street not paying taxes through their investment portfolio or estate taxes.

    Then, when we increase taxes on the poor and middle class who won’t be able to afford them, we can put them in jail for tax evasion and use the government to auction off their property.

    All hail the New Fascist Order of the Corporatist Plutocracy of America! Yipee!

  4. kevinenfinger on October 17th, 2012 6:23 am

    Why not just stop putting lesser crimes in prison such as driving while license suspended and simple charges like criminal mischief. Why not put the people in prison for the crimes based on the harm principle as it was years ago? It cost approx 35k tol house an inmate yearly

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News