Florida’s prison population is among the largest in the United States and is expected to continue growing in the coming years. This problem is not going away: Roughly one-quarter of Florida inmates reoffend within three years of being released. As these offenders cycle in and out of state and local facilities, they build upon the already crippling corrections costs incurred by taxpayers.
This guide compares the revenue and expenditure profiles of Florida’s 67 counties to give taxpayers an overview of how their local government stacks up with the rest of the state.
Florida TaxWatch has long championed smart justice options that protect taxpayers’ safety and wallets. A new report proposes solutions on how Florida deals with non-violent offenders to reduce costly and unnecessary strain on the state corrections budget and facilities. The report – Lower Costs & Less Crime: Criminal and Juvenile Justice Reform Options for Florida – recommends numerous policy initiatives to promote smarter sentencing, reduce recidivism and save tax dollars, while ensuring a safer Sunshine State.
Florida can no longer rely on the outdated and inefficient policies of the past, and must begin to consider policies and practices that not only keep Floridians safe, but also address the two primary drivers of growth in the criminal justice system: overincarceration and recidivism. The recommendations detailed in this report, while by no means an exhaustive list of necessary improvements, aim to put Florida on the path to achieve these goals.
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‚Ä? ‚Ĩmore than one-in-four‚Ä? ‚Ĩreturn to prison within three years of their release.‚Ä? ‚ĨWhen these individuals cycle in and out of state and local facilities,‚Ä? ‚Ĩthey run up an enormous bill that is shouldered by Florida taxpayers.‚Ä? ‚ĨIt costs an average of‚Ä? ‚Ĩnearly‚Ä? ‚Ĩ$19,000‚Ä? ‚Ĩper year to house an inmate‚Ä? – ‚Ĩmore than three times the cost of tuition at the University of Florida.‚Ä?
This week, President Obama announced the commutation of 46 nonviolent federal offenders, offering them a second chance. Eleven of these offenders who will be released early from their prison sentences are Floridians who have a unique opportunity to re-assimilate into their communities and become productive taxpaying citizens in the Sunshine State.
Last year, Florida TaxWatch called for increased spending for public defenders and state attorneys to ensure justice is available for defendants and victims involved in Florida’s court system. The legislature heeded TaxWatch’s recommendation in the 2014 budget. This year, lawmakers should extend their commitment to funding the justice system to law enforcement by investing in the replacement of the state’s law enforcement radio system.
This report is a follow-up to a 1983 Florida TaxWatch analysis of the state’s internal audit function, examining whether Florida had acted on its earlier
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