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Prison Boss: ‘Free Passage’ For Guards Who Speak To Lawmakers
March 3, 2015
Corrections officers called to testify before state lawmakers won’t face retaliation, Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones assured senators Monday. Jones told members of the Senate Criminal Justice Committee that anyone who addresses the committee “will have free passage.” Jones added that the agency has started to hold meetings at the different prisons to address safety equipment, staffing and other concerns.
Committee Chairman Greg Evers, R-Baker, said a number of corrections officers he’s talked to have said they would testify before the committee if subpoenaed. However, Evers said those people “are afraid of retaliation” if they publicly discuss concerns about issues such as staffing levels, shift hours, the lack of proper uniforms or below-grade equipment.
“They all stepped up and said, ‘Absolutely, here’s what is going on, here’s what’s happening, but this is what will happen, because then I will be looked at as if I’m snitching on somebody,’ ” Evers said.
Last month, Jones told a House panel that a staff directive barring inspectors from disclosing information about investigations was necessary to shut down gossip and protect investigators. Jones’ appearance before the House committee came after six whistleblowers sued the Department of Corrections over a “gag order.”
The agency has been getting hit from all sides. Among other things, it faces investigations into inmate deaths, allegations of cover-ups, complaints about low staffing levels and questions about health care provided to prisoners. A proposal to create new penalties for guards who abuse prisoners and establish a new commission to oversee the prison system goes before the Senate Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations Subcommittee on Wednesday. The proposal previously received support from the Criminal Justice Committee.
by The News Service of Florida
Comments
5 Responses to “Prison Boss: ‘Free Passage’ For Guards Who Speak To Lawmakers”
Kathi must have been behind the fence a couple of times since she knows so much about what goes on. And if your listening to your inmate you are foolish. They laugh, cut up, gamble because they want to and break every rule they can get away with. And all that money you send them….they are buying drugs by trading canteen for it. there’s a suckerer born everyday.
Jail should be the worst place ever. The most disgusting, rodent infested, no toilet paper, throw away parts of animals to eat place for criminals. There should not be tv, air conditioning, or any other hotel accommodations. Do children get their toys or watch tv when they are punished?? If so, you are the cause of your family being in jail or that they will be. Punishment is punishment. If you don’t like the conditions, stay out of it. Simple
Apparently neither you nor your loved one has been in prison. Easy, it isn’t easy at all. The Florida Department of Corrections is a terrible! The way the food is cleaned and prepared is unhealthy. The cleanliness of the water, trays and utensils is enough to make you sick at the sight. The medical and treatment is definitely not the treatment that we receive. Then you have the crooked and abusive guards who are power trip and use their authority. They think their job is to punish when that is not their job at all. Their job is to keep order and safety among the inmates. Instead, they turn their head when inmate(s) gamble, bully have sex or beat other inmates. They also make deals with inmates to beat or harass other inmates. So, if Julie Jones and the committee want to truly know what is really going on in our prisons they should talk to many of the inmates and learn of the deplorable problems in order to rectify them.
The last one I would talk to would be the inmates. prison life has become much to easy. we need to go back to making prisons a terrible place to be instead of a high priced hotel. MAYBE THEN THEY WOULD NOT BE SO EAGER TO GO BACK.
Once again, Mrs. Jones, Greg Evers and any other member involved in investigating the conditions of the Florida Department of Corrections should also talk to the inmates. Seek and you shall find the problems unless you really don’t want to know.