Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Phil AmmannApril 5, 2016

A state auditor general’s report found Florida’s Department of Corrections failed to enforce monitoring provisions outlined in contracts with private health care providers. According to LobbyTools, the supervisory failure resulted in the state incurring more than $1 million in additional costs by undercharging vendors. The DOC “did not timely conduct monitoring of inmate health care […]

Scott PowersMarch 16, 2016

The Florida Policy Institute says the state’s new 2016 budget is better than Gov. Rick Scott’s initial proposal. The nonprofit’s report, though, says the spending plan still lacks adequate investment in health care, public education, prisons and other state services. The report praised the Legislature for killing Scott’s proposed $1 billion tax cut, saying it […]

Ryan RayMarch 6, 2016

Senior legislative budget writers met Sunday afternoon to continue hammering out differences in Florida House and Senate appropriations proposals, still hundreds of millions of dollars apart. In keeping with their recent meetings since committee sub-chairs “bumped up” remaining budget issues to the at-large budget conference, Chairman Rep. Richard Corcoran and Vice Chairman Sen. Tom Lee – their respective chambers’ […]

Peter SchorschMarch 4, 2016

As the Legislature’s “big chairs” meet this weekend to try to take the 2016-17 state budget in for a landing, there are few issues more pressing and in the public eye than fixing Florida’s ailing Department of Corrections and prison system in general. The department has gained a reputation for cutting corners in a way that […]

Associated PressDecember 10, 2015

A Florida Panhandle county’s jail system is in turmoil after administrators fired its director after six inmate deaths in the past 13 months, three by suicide and three by natural causes. The first death under director Michael Tidwell, who was fired last week, came just months after a 2014 explosion killed two inmates, injured 200 […]

Ryan RaySeptember 22, 2015

Sen. Jeff Brandes dashed off a flurry of letters to state agency heads on Tuesday asking for more details on Florida’s system of revoking and suspending drivers’ licenses – and the financial strain, even incarceration, that comes with it. Brandes, a St. Petersburg Republican, chairs the Senate Transportation Committee, which he says will draft a new law […]

Jim RosicaSeptember 1, 2015

The company slated to get as much as $300,000 for an outside review of the state prison system is itself a designer and developer of correctional facilities. The Florida Legislature last month issued a “notice of intent” to award a contract to Carter Goble Associates, part of Miami-based CGL Cos. The study was funded as […]

Melissa RossJuly 13, 2015

Mental health advocates have reacted with cautious optimism to news that Gov. Rick Scott has ordered an independent analysis of the state’s prison system and the development of two prisons to test new ways of handling and housing prisoners with mental health issues. “It’s long overdue,” said Denise Marzullo, president and CEO of Mental Health America of […]

Associated PressJuly 9, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott is ordering an independent analysis of the state’s prison system and the development of two prisons to test new ways of handling and housing prisoners with mental health issues, as well as the general population. Scott issued the order Thursday. He is also directing the Department of Corrections to work with the […]

James CallMay 8, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott issued an executive order Friday to crack down on the violent culture within Florida’s prison system. The order includes provisions addressing safety and transparency and that hold guards, wardens and Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones accountable. Newspaper investigations have detailed a series of unexplained inmate deaths, allegations of retaliation against whistleblowers, […]

Tag: Department of Corrections
Crowds gather to see Atlantis at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. (Gabrielle Russon)

Failure to monitor prison healthcare providers cost Florida $1.2M in undercharges, new audit shows

Policy institute calls final state budget better than Rick Scott’s, but still lacking

Budget conferees agree on general government, prison funding issues; bump state radios funds

Don’t cut corners on Dept. of Corrections health funding

Panhandle county fires jail director after 6 inmate deaths

Jeff Brandes wants answers on “cruel” driver’s license suspension regime

Prison developer in line to review state’s corrections system

Mental health advocates say Scott’s executive order on prisons “long overdue”

Gov. Rick Scott orders independent analysis of Florida prisons

Governor reforms prisons with executive order