Fewer Florida Inmates Are Re-Offending After Release

February 5, 2013

Fewer Florida prison inmates are re-offending after their release, Corrections Secretary Mike Crews said Monday.

The percentage of inmates who commit another crime within three years of release has dropped from 33 percent for those freed as of 2003 to 27.6 percent for those freed as of 2008.

The drop in re-offenders contributed to a reduction in the total number of inmates admitted, which decreased from 41,054 in Fiscal Year 2007-08 to 32,279 for Fiscal Year 2011-12.

Crews said DOC had put new emphasis on correcting some of the conditions that land an overwhelming number of inmates behind bars to begin with – a lack of education, vocational training, mental health and/or substance abuse treatment.

By taking on the conditions that lead released felons to commit crimes again, the agency is helping keep Florida safe, Crews said.

“If you live in Florida when these inmates are released, they’re standing in the grocery store line next to you,” Crews said. “Eighty-seven percent of our current inmate population right now will be released, and they’re going to be released back into our communities.”

Crews acknowledged that the Transition from Prison to Community Initiative, with its increased emphasis on rehabilitation, “is a significant cultural change” for DOC.

“Historically in our agency, it has been about locking them up, turning them out and hoping for the best when they get out,” Crews said. “I think we’ve all seen that just does not work when you look at the exploding rates that we saw for a number of years.”

The move comes as an increasing number of interest groups – particularly in the business community – are arguing that Florida spends too much money on criminal justice, at the expense of other things business wants like improved education.

A one percent reduction in recidivism equates to a savings of nearly $19 million over five years, according to DOC data.

And according to Gov. Rick Scott, taxpayers have realized a savings of $44 million by reducing the recidivism rate.

“We’re reinvesting a portion of that savings by providing hardworking corrections employees bonuses for their service in making our communities safer,” Scott said in a statement.

Scott also has recommended lawmakers earmark $5.4 million to open the Gadsden Re-Entry Center at the Florida Public Safety Institute.

Crews credited the re-entry program, which already has four locations statewide, with helping inmates prepare for release and transition to successfully to work and family life.

By The News Service of Florida

Comments

3 Responses to “Fewer Florida Inmates Are Re-Offending After Release”

  1. todd Hall on February 5th, 2013 10:50 am

    but hen again wheres the jobs????

  2. David Huie Green on February 5th, 2013 8:37 am

    Nearly 9,000 fewer times $18,000/inmate should be around $158 million saved. I wonder why it isn’t.

    David for good things

  3. just saying on February 5th, 2013 7:24 am

    Okay so fewer men and women going back to prison means fewer criminals which means improved safety for honest citizens. Fewer inmates means less money spent on housing inmates so tax payers pay out less in taxes ultimately. I would say this becomes a win – win scenario for everyone involved. I hope they improve re-entry programs if everyone gets a vocation and that means they never come back perhaps they can pass these vocations on to their children and a vicious cycle can be broken.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News