Written by
Florida Capital Bureau
Tallahassee, Florida (Tallahassee Democrat) -- The Department of Corrections plans to close seven prisons and four work camps in the next few months, including two in the Bay area.
Statewide, the department will cut nearly 1,300 jobs in coming months.
That means a disruption for employees and their families. Unlike other state employees, Corrections workers have the right to "bump" workers in other prisons, on a seniority basis, so many will transfer to vacant jobs or replace younger employees.
It also means thousands of prisoners will be moved to other institutions. With the crime rate steadily declining and prison admissions falling off, the statewide system has excess cell space. Department of Corrections Secretary Ken Tucker has had a working group in recent months to decide which facilities would be affected.
"Declining prison admissions has led to a surplus of prison beds, allowing us to pare down our budget shortfall by consolidating and closing our older, less efficient facilities. We are committed to placing as many affected staff as possible in vacant positions for which they are qualified," Tucker said in announcing the plan.
The closings statewide are expected to generate cost savings of nearly $15 million this fiscal year and $75.7 million in the fiscal year starting July 1.
The DOC said no inmates will be released early because of the decision. The rate of prison admissions has been declining since fiscal 2007-08, the department said.
The prisons being closed are:
- Hillsborough Correctional Institution in Riverview
- Demilly CI in Polk City
- Gainesville CI in Alachua County
- Broward Correctional Institution in Ft. Lauderdale
- Indian River CI in Vero Beach
- Jefferson prison in Monticello
- Both units of the New River CI in Raiford
The work camps being closed are:
- River Junction in Chattahoochee
- Caryville Work Camp near the Northwest Florida Reception Center in Washington County
- Hendry Work Camp in Immokalee
- Levy Forestry Camp near the Lowell CI in Ocala
The department said its internal working group considered a wide range of criteria in selecting which prisons would be closed. These included facility mission, cost per inmate, maintenance and construction costs, community and employee impact, inmate labor squads, security, education and programs, and volunteers.
The closings are sure to draw some criticism from legislators whose constituents will be affected -- both employees in communities around prisons and families of inmates who will be moved.
Bill Cotterell, Florida Capital Bureau