Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMay 21, 2018

Heather DiGiacomo will be the Department of Juvenile Justice’s new chief of staff, effective July 2, Secretary Christina Daly announced in an internal email Monday. “Heather has also been a valuable member of the leadership team and was an instrumental part of the development and rollout of the Department’s ‘Roadmap to System Excellence,’ prior to her appointment as communications […]

Ana CeballosMarch 8, 2018

With a budget deal done, there is good news for juvenile detention and probation officers. They are getting a pay raise. The House and Senate agreed Wednesday to set aside $8 million in pay raises for the more than 2,000 detention and probation officers who work with at-risk youth in the state. That amount goes […]

Joe HendersonAugust 26, 2016

A recent decision by the U.S. Department of Justice earned a headline or two, but quickly got lost in the chatter over Hillary Clinton’s emails and Donald Trump’s, well, everything. Deputy Attorney General Sally Q. Yates announced a plan for “reducing — and ultimately ending — our use of privately operated prisons.” She noted, “time has shown […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 29, 2016

The fight over juvenile detention costs may be over. Gov. Rick Scott on Tuesday signed a bill (SB 1322) intended to end the battle between the state and several Florida counties over juvenile detention costs. The measure was sponsored by state Sen. Jack Latvala and state Rep. Chris Latvala, and is meant to ends a […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterMarch 9, 2016

A bill intended to end the fight over juvenile detention costs is headed to the governor. The Florida House voted 117-0 to approve the measure (SB 1322). The approval came just days after the Senate voted 38-0 to approve the bill. The proposal requires counties that aren’t considered fiscally constrained, usually more affluent, urban areas, […]

Jim RosicaMarch 7, 2016

A bill intended to end a fight between the state and several counties over juvenile detention costs passed the Florida Senate on Monday. The measure (SB 1322), sponsored by state Sen. Jack Latvala, was approved on a 38-0 vote. It requires “non-fiscally constrained counties,” generally more affluent, urban areas, to pay a total of $42.5 million for all detention […]

Jim RosicaFebruary 18, 2016

An appellate court has said “pay up” to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) in a financial dispute with Pinellas County over the cost of “secure juvenile detention care.” The 1st District Court of Appeal, in an opinion released Thursday, ruled against the department in a case the judges noted was “one of many now pending before this […]

Jenna Buzzacco-FoersterJanuary 7, 2016

The Florida Association of Counties is “cautiously optimistic” about a proposal filed this week that could change the way counties pay for juvenile detention costs. Sen. Jack Latvala, a Clearwater Republican, filed legislation Tuesday, SB 1322, that would stop the state’s prepayment system. In fiscal 2016-17, each county would pay its share of the prior […]

Jim RosicaDecember 4, 2015

In a dual appellate-court smackdown Friday, Pinellas and Broward counties lost separate appeals against the Department of Juvenile Justice related to the state collectively overbilling counties as much as $140 million for juvenile detention costs. In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal acknowledged that the money due to counties […]

Drew WilsonDecember 3, 2015

Gov. Rick Scott announced Tuesday that Florida juvenile arrests have hit their lowest level since 1984, according to the latest delinquency report released by the Department of Juvenile Justice. “Florida is committed to ensuring our communities remain safe, and the ongoing decline in juvenile arrests shows that our focus on prevention programs is working,” Scott […]

Tag: Department of juvenile Justice

Personnel note: Heather DiGiacomo to chief of staff at DJJ

Lawmakers agree with Rick Scott, give juvenile officers $8m in pay raises

Joe Henderson: Is privatization really best for Florida prisons?

Rick Scott signs juvenile detention cost-sharing bill

House votes 117-0 to approve juvenile detention cost sharing bill

Juvenile detention cost-sharing measure passes Senate

Pinellas County wins a round in money dispute with state

Florida Association of Counties “cautiously optimistic” about bill to change juvenile justice pay system

Court won’t order DJJ to repay counties for juvenile detention overbilling

Florida juvenile arrests lowest in 30 years, new report shows