Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMarch 20, 2017

Nearly 200 job seekers will be able to wear a new-to-them suit as they hunt for employment, thanks to a clothing donation drive put on by ridesharing company Uber and Volunteer Florida Wednesday. The second annual “#SuitsForSession” campaign collected professional clothing donations at the Capitol and also sent out Uber drivers to pick up donations […]

Jim RosicaNovember 29, 2016

An administrative law judge is recommending dismissing a challenge to the Department of Corrections seeking outside substance-abuse treatment and other transitioning-back-into-society services in Orange County. Bridges of America, the Orlando-based nonprofit that runs the program, has for months been waging a legal and PR battle to keep its facility open, and another in Broward County. […]

Peter SchorschOctober 25, 2016

An Orlando-based nonprofit says the state’s Department of Corrections is wrongly trying to discredit a POLITICO Florida report showing that it “misled” the public about shutting down community based re-entry centers. Bridges of America, one of several outside organizations helping ex-cons and others, also said DOC “continues to fail to address that they don’t have the […]

Staff ReportsOctober 21, 2016

The Department of Corrections Thursday released a knockdown of a damning report by POLITICO Florida that said the agency misled the public about plans to eliminate transitional programs for prisoners and probationers. Corrections’ rebuttal was nearly 1,200 words; POLITICO’s story was about 1,500 words. Gov. Rick Scott‘s administration has frequently employed the PR tactic of discrediting such investigative reports, […]

Phil AmmannOctober 19, 2016

In making its case to end third-party nonprofit drug abuse treatment and counseling for soon-to-be-released prisoners, the Florida Department of Corrections relied on false cost analysis and misleading statements. Daniel Ducassi of POLITICO Florida reports on newly released documents showing plans to cut nearly 700 so-called “transition” beds for prisoners in community-based facilities leading up to their […]

Staff ReportsOctober 14, 2016

Private prison operator The GEO Group says it has “no plans” to provide prisoner reentry services in Florida. Spokesman Pablo E. Paez responded Friday to a FloridaPolitics.com report this week on nonprofit groups saying the Department of Corrections was shutting them out of continuing to help inmates and probationers readjust to life “outside the walls.” Bridges of America CEO Lori Costantino-Brown and […]

Jim RosicaOctober 13, 2016

A Florida Department of Corrections spokeswoman Thursday said speculation about private prison operator The GEO Group muscling out nonprofits that run rehab and re-entry programs in the state “is false.” Spokeswoman Michelle Glady responded to a FloridaPolitics.com report earlier in the day. In a press conference, nonprofit heads said the department was shutting down programs that help ex-cons with […]

Jim RosicaOctober 13, 2016

The head of a nonprofit that runs prisoner re-entry programs in the state said she had “no evidence” her group and others were being muscled out by private prison operator The GEO Group. But, Lori Costantino-Brown quickly added, there’s been a “lot of speculation” that the company has somehow been involved. Costantino-Brown, president and CEO of Orlando-based […]

Larry GriffinSeptember 28, 2016

The Florida Department of Corrections came under fire earlier this week when Bridges of America, who partner with them to help inmates rehabilitate into the world, accused them of trying to shut down their off-site transition center on Mercy Drive. But according to the FDOC, the Bridges of America’s alarm, while rooted in good intent, […]

Scott PowersSeptember 27, 2016

Orange County Sheriff Jerry Demings Tuesday urged state officials to reconsider their decision to close community-based transition centers. Demings, a Democrat seeking re-election this fall, was responding to reports that the Florida Department of Corrections intends to close the Orlando Transition Center and others around that state, eliminating 688 community-based substance abuse treatment beds. “Research indicates […]

Tag: Bridges of America

#SuitsForSession clothing drive brings in more than 3,000 donations

Judge finds for Corrections in drug-treatment vendor dispute

Non-profits rebut Corrections’ accusations on re-entry programs

Dep’t of Corrections strikes back against POLITICO over transitional programs

DOC used faulty cost analysis, misstatements in plan to cut nonprofit prisoner drug treatment facilities

GEO Group says it’s not interested in Fla. re-entry services

Corrections says ‘we are not limiting services’ to inmates

‘No evidence’ GEO Group behind prisoner rehab grab

Florida DOC denies trying to shut down Bridges of America center

Jerry Demings urges state to keep open community facilities