With more than‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ100,000‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩinmates‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩbehind bars,‚Ä≠ ‚ĨFlorida’s correctional population is among the largest in the United States.
One of the primary causes for the high population is that more than two-thirds of offenders are re-arrested and‭ ‬more than one-in-four‭ ‬return to prison within three years of their release.‭ ‬When these individuals cycle in and out of state and local facilities,‭ ‬they run up an enormous bill that is shouldered by Florida taxpayers.‭ ‬It costs an average of‭ ‬nearly‭ ‬$19,000‭ ‬per year to house an inmate‭ Р‬more than three times the cost of tuition at the University of Florida.‭
Allowing‭ ‬non-violent prisoners‭ ‬who have paid their debt to society a better chance to be considered for employment could help reduce recidivism,‭ ‬improve public safety,‭ ‬and‭ ‬save taxpayers millions of‭ ‬dollars each year.
More than‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ30,000‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩinmates are released‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩfrom Florida prisons annually.‚Ä≠ ‚ĨThis means nearly‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ8,000‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩinmates released from prison in‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ2016‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩwill be back‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩbehind bars by‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ2019,‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩand‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ21,000‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩwill have been arrested within that same time frame after unnecessarily hurting Florida’s families and businesses.‚Ä≠ ‚ĨWhile these numbers have decreased in recent years,‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩthey still suggest that Florida must improve‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩthe odds of success for‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩoffenders‚Ä≠’ ‚Ĩre-entry into society.‚Ä≠
One of the most difficult challenges a prisoner faces upon release is finding a steady job.‭ ‬The unemployment rate in Florida has decreased since‭ ‬2010,‭ ‬but the job market in the Sunshine State remains competitive,‭ ‬posing a challenge for released offenders trying to re-enter the work force.‭
While many offenders participate in educational,‭ ‬vocational,‭ ‬and work-release programs before and after their release,‭ ‬the truth is that no amount of programming can put someone who has served time on an even playing field with someone who has not.‭ ‬Beyond legal limits on employment options,‭ ‬released offenders also face non-statutory obstacles when they look for work.‭ ‬National studies show that having a record‭ (‬but otherwise similar backgrounds‭) ‬decreases the chance of a job applicant receiving a callback after an interview by up to‭ ‬75‭ ‬percent.‭ ‬This poses a serious problem,‭ ‬as unemployment for offenders has been consistently linked to increases in recidivism and decreased public safety.
The nation has long sought solutions addressing the cycle between unemployment and keeping ex-offenders from returning to prison.‭ ‬The federal government has incentives to encourage employers to consider ex-offenders for employment,‭ ‬the most notable being the Work Opportunity Tax Credit which allows for up to‭ ‬$9,600‭ ‬in tax reductions for businesses‭ ‬that hire qualified ex-offenders.‭ ‬Several states have added to this effort and a similar push in Florida could be beneficial.‭ ‬A few policymakers highlighted this during the‭ ‬2015‭ ‬Legislative Session in bills that sought to create a‭ ‬$1,000‭ ‬state tax credit for employers hiring ex-offenders and accepting vocational referrals.
These tax credits actually save taxpayers money.‚Ä≠ ‚ĨFor every‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ100‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩinmates that find employment and do not re-offend,‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩthe state can save at least‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩ$2‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩmillion in future corrections costs.‚Ä≠ ‚ĨThat doesn’t include the increase in public safety that comes with ex-offenders working rather than committing crimes.‚Ä≠ ‚ĨFlorida needs to get serious about improving employment opportunities for ex-offenders.‚Ä≠ ‚ĨAs our legislative leaders search for ways to save taxpayer‚Ä≠’ ‚Ĩmoney,‚Ä≠ ‚Ĩhelping offen ders get to work will make our state safer and allow for investments that will benefit all Floridians rather than maintaining a costly cycle of incarceration.
Dominic M.‭ ‬Calabro is president and CEO of Florida TaxWatch.
Featured in Sunshine State News and the Tallahassee Democrat.