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FDC Closing Pensacola Release Center, A Satellite Facility Of Century Prison
July 1, 2022
The Florida Department of Corrections is closing the Pensacola Community Release Center (CRC), a satellite facility of the Century Correctional Institution.
The Pensacola CRC on North L Street, commonly known as a work release center, will close in the coming weeks because Escambia County, which owns the building, is not renewing the state’s lease when it expires on July 25.
A letter from CCI Warden Kelly Watkins is being delivered to area employers that use work release inmates. It says the Department of Corrections will begin the process of relocating offenders between July 12 and July 14.
“I would like to extend my sincerest appreciation and gratitude to your direct contribution to our Agency’s Mission of ‘Inspiring success by transforming one life at a time’ by offering valued employment services to assist in a successful transition into society,” Watkins wrote.
The letter stated there are currently no plans to open another work release center in the area at this time.
“I understand that this will put a significant strain on your businesses, and it would have been avoided if possible,” said Watkins.
Escambia County is not renewing the lease because the county will use the building to house inmates while repairs are made on the old county jail.
NorthEscambia.com file photo, click to enlarge.
Comments
10 Responses to “FDC Closing Pensacola Release Center, A Satellite Facility Of Century Prison”
Lol thank all y’all that are + here for us we are still human no matter what we done in life I’m in here right now at this work release and it’s helped me a lot to become a good citizen and work when I leave from here thanks to all the + people in here in the comments.
People we need to get these people out of office. GO VOTE
Lets see how this works Inmates will be shipped all over the state to work. The majority of these Inmates are from Pensacola area. So how this help them have a job in this area if you ship them off ? When they are in their home town they are putting down roots and reuniting with their family’s. This is a strictly political. You don’t need Pensacola Work Release that only holds aprx. 80 people at the max. When you have a county W/R that holds approx. 300 people on Fairfield setting empty!!! So Chip I hope you are proud of yourself and get your parking lot. County Commissioners you are not doing your job. New jail was built with multiple issues. (poor workmanship). These Inmates your are getting rid of will come back as your unemployed neighbors. By the way Chip wants that for a parking lot but how does he think he is going to put Inmates in that bldg. when he is NOT in charge of the jail.
The good news is alot of these incarcerated folks became employes at these locations.
I work for FDOC and this is heartbreaking for so many! It’s hard for the inmates even though they will be transferred to other work release programs in the state, but they’ll be farther from their families which is a crucial part of their transition back into society. The businesses in the community are losing employees that they’ve come to depend on. Last but not least, my FDOC family members that have worked at the center for years and call it home. Now they’ll be forced into a longer commute and with gas prices where they’re at, it’s going to place such a hardship on them! There has to be another option!
Susie
It’s just not feasible to do that. Joe Pattis is not the only company that utilizes inmates from work release. Various companies use inmates at all hours during the day and into the evening with dozens of inmates at various places and Century being a hour drive from most of those employers it’s just not doable.
Why not let Joe Patti’s continue to use them, just have DOC go out with the van & CO(s) from the Prison instead of the facility closing. Same thing, different route.
I agree with Puzzled. Think about the inmates that are trying to do the right thing and are within a few weeks of release. Please find another option.
So because the County Commission and the Sheriff’s Department mismanaged the jail for decades and allowed it to deteriorate the county now needs to ruin the best prison reentry program in the area. Oh yeah they just built a brand new jail and have their own work release program building sitting empty so let’s kick the state out of a building the county hasn’t cared about in decades.
Well there goes Joe Pattis work force.