In the 1980s and 1990s, criminal justice and corrections policies were uniformly aligned across the nation, creating a sentencing landscape that reflected public fears following the advent of crack cocaine and the “war on drugs.” As times have changed, so have methods of sentencing, and many states have begun to take a more rehabilitative approach to dealing with offenders.

Florida has made great strides towards shifting sentencing strategies to address the root causes of crime through targeted intervention and diversion options, but many outdated and severe strategies left over from the 1980s and 1990s are still used, and continue to have lasting effects. This report identifies these consequences, explains them in the context of time and the nation, and provides recommendations to improve Florida’s criminal justice policy.