Florida Prisons Cancel All Weekend Visitations

August 17, 2017

The Florida Department of Corrections has announced the cancellation of weekend visitations at all institutions for Saturday and Sunday. This cancellation includes all major institutions, work camps and annex facilities such Century Correctional and Santa Rosa Correctional institutions.

“In response to credible intelligence indicating that small groups of inmates at several institutions may attempt to disrupt FDC operations and impact safety and security, FDC has, in an abundance of caution and in the best interest of staff, inmate and public safety, cancelled all visitation statewide. FDC looks forward to resuming normal visitation as soon as possible,” A FDC statement said.

The department declined to answer any questions about what the threat may be and if it originated with any specific institutions.

This cancellation does not apply to work release centers.

NorthEscambia.com file photo.

Comments

22 Responses to “Florida Prisons Cancel All Weekend Visitations”

  1. Shay on August 21st, 2017 1:15 pm

    Yes, @Dan, my relative did make a bad choice, but he worked 10 to 12 hours a day on the sides of roads, just as you probably see from time to time, to pay his debt to our society. He did pay his debt and then some, and he learned from his mistake. So cut your crapping on people you know nothing about.

  2. Dan on August 19th, 2017 4:51 pm

    @shay
    Your relative working hard all day to make amends. What a load of garbage if your relatives new the meaning of hard work they probably wouldn’t go to prison to begin with. I

  3. Shay on August 18th, 2017 11:52 pm

    @Dan, I am the farthest you can get from liberal. But I do know a thing or two about our state’s fine correctional system. And granted some inmates will use deposited funds for contraband, but as for my experience deposits were made so my relative could have a decent lunch after working hard to make his amends. Something other than a cold peanut butter sandwich. So if by doing that you deem me a liberal, then so be it.

  4. Shay on August 18th, 2017 11:46 pm

    Well, Sunny, your name just might be wrong for you. I do hope and pray nothing in your life ever goes awry so as to find yourself in prison. By your words, you will have no visitors to look forward to.

  5. Dan on August 18th, 2017 9:03 pm

    @kane and other liberals
    Money in a inmates account does not lessen the burden on taxpayers it only gives them money to buy contraband and honey buns as for me and my family we were raised to work hard for what we have and even though it may not be much we work for it it’s seems that maybe you and you family could use some good old fashion values

  6. Sunny on August 18th, 2017 4:52 pm

    Good call by the DOC. Lock the gates and throw away the key. I know of several people in prison, and I won’t visit them. They did wrong, and they need to pay and kept away from society. They have inmates as their friends, while I have my roommates as my friends. Make it part of their punishment — NO VISITORS. And that depends on the level of security of the prisoner. Minimum to Maximum. You are in prison because you made bad choices. Protect our Officers please. They deserve to live while doing their duty in prisons.

  7. CCI OFFICER on August 18th, 2017 4:01 pm

    I’m glad a stand is being taking by the department, if we don’t take a stand instead of us running the prison the inmates will run us. Noone really knows what the CO’s go through with on a daily basis, we walk through those gates not knowing if were going to see our families again. Yes there may be some innocent people in prison, but I’m not the judge or the jury, but for the most part there’s noone here for saying goodmoring wrong to the mail lady….

  8. Nelson on August 18th, 2017 12:34 pm

    Esc Co Leo- there is a reason why they let inmates families visit. Try to put yourself in the shoes of the inmates loved ones. And everybody deserves a second chance and visits. Most of the real criminals are police and correctional officer anyway but we better not go there

  9. Kane on August 18th, 2017 11:45 am

    @JP First off JP I am sorry for your loss I hope I never have to endure the hell you have to go through everyday. I am not defending anyone’s actions in my post I was just stating facts. Not everyone in prison killed your son. You have let the loss of your loved one make you a bitter hateful person you should seek help with that.

  10. Kane on August 18th, 2017 11:41 am

    @DAN Well Dan this is America and that means everyone gets an opinion. You don’t have to like it but there it is. I pay taxes just like you do. As far as family worth goes you must be pretty low on your families priorities list to have such a low opinion of family in general (ie: family doesn’t mean much to you).

  11. Shay on August 18th, 2017 11:04 am

    @esc Leo,

    Those statistics very well may be the case, but it still doesn’t negate the fact there are thousands of non-violent offenders in prison and that some inmates do have law abiding families who do need to see their mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, and are entitled to respect when they are visiting-not being treated like criminals themselves.

  12. Esc co leo on August 18th, 2017 7:55 am

    @ Nelson and @ shay

    Most people are NOT in prison for drug possession charges. 55% are in for violent crimes. Only 14% are in for drug offenses and that 14% includes major traffickers.

    People rarely get prison on a first offense. If you are in a Florida prison you have either committed a very serious first offense, or you have blown several chances to change your ways through probation and county jail sentences and are now in prison.

    http://www.dc.state.fl.us/oth/Quickfacts.html

  13. Nelson on August 17th, 2017 10:38 pm

    Shay I totally agree with you. The people who made the following remarks are just ignorant to the facts and need to put themselves in other families shoes who go threw these struggles and hardships . Not everybody in prison are bad people. Most just have a drug addiction and are in prison for minor possession charges.

  14. Shay on August 17th, 2017 9:48 pm

    @Dan & JP, Do you realize that there are thousands of people in prison for non-violent felonies? You get sent to State Prison when the sentence for your crime is more than one year. JP, I can’t imagine being the parent of a murdered child and am very sorry this happened to your family, but chances are the culprit in your case doesn’t get visitors anyway. And Dan, there are numerous families who put money into accounts for the inmates that the facility takes a portion of. So no, you can’t claim tax burden for all inmates. Also, do you realize that there are law abiding families of some inmates who need to see their child, mother, father & would give their arms & legs to change the situation or undo the hurt they caused. So don’t holier than thou me when it comes families wanting visitation.

  15. Nelson on August 17th, 2017 9:38 pm

    A small group of inmates MAY disrupt operations? The department of corrections is such a joke.

  16. JP on August 17th, 2017 8:58 pm

    Kane….
    Visitations?? Really?? My son is deceased because of someone in a FL prison. I don’t get “visitation” to see MY son. He’s gone! I live with my pain every second of every day. I’m on meds because of this. So don’t give me that “…oh, but they need this visitation cause it’s what keeps them going” crap!

  17. Dan on August 17th, 2017 7:07 pm

    @ Kane
    Three family members in prison do you realize what a burden your family is on the taxpayers. In my opinion you don’t get an opinion

  18. Rebecca on August 17th, 2017 4:54 pm

    Find the culprits and suspend all visition for length of sentence! Anyone participating in such a manner should have all privileges revoked and special duties to reform such actions. Commiting another crime behind bars are an indication that criminal can not be reformed. Keeping others safety number one is applauded.It is still a privilege to have such visits correct?

  19. Rebekah on August 17th, 2017 3:05 pm

    They are doing this for the protection of the staff that works there. They are people just like the inmates and have families they HAVE to go home to.

  20. COs wife on August 17th, 2017 11:53 am

    As a COs wife, I myself am glad that the DOC has decided to do this. I do understand that there are many inmates that are wanting to do their time and cause no problems. Unfortunately there are many that are not. As a wife of a CO my main focus is that my husband comes home everyday. If that means that a inmate does not see his family one weekend then that is what it is. My husband and other COs are not locked up and visitation is a privilege not a necessity. I do feel for the families though, again they did not commit a crime and they want to be there for the inmate, but it all goes back to safety for all. Also I believe the DOC has every right not to answer any questions about what the threat may be and if it originated with any specific institutions.

    With the response the FDOC gave:
    “In response to credible intelligence indicating that small groups of inmates at several institutions may attempt to disrupt FDC operations and impact safety and security, FDC has, in an abundance of caution and in the best interest of staff, inmate and public safety, cancelled all visitation statewide. FDC looks forward to resuming normal visitation as soon as possible,” A FDC statement said.
    I SAY THANK YOU FOR THIS!!!!!!

  21. Kane on August 17th, 2017 11:31 am

    I have 3 family members in the Florida prison system. The time they get visits from friends and family is sometimes the only thing that keeps them going, keeps them from doing things they shouldn’t. These visits are important and even vital to an inmates mental and emotional health. Anne I’m not asking you to care for inmates in the least but the ones that love and value them should be allowed to express that by visiting them face to face.

    However you do have a valid point of “putting off whatever”, but that is not the goal of the DOJ no what they are doing is gaining more time to figure out what is being planned and how to deal/prevent it and confine (solitary confinement) the individuals involved.

  22. anne 1of2 on August 17th, 2017 5:34 am

    Is this like putting off whatever was supposed to happen until next weekend? Their visits should be by phone anyway.