Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Guest AuthorFebruary 10, 2016

It’s been four years since the media broke the news of Darren Rainey’s brutal mistreatment at the Dade Correctional Institution in Miami. The 50-year-old Rainey was forced into a scalding shower by prison guards angry that the schizophrenic inmate defecated and threw feces at them and around his 13-by-8-foot cell. In retaliation, they forced Rainey […]

Diane RobertsFebruary 10, 2016

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE — They call us the Sunshine State, but Florida’s government prefers to operate in the shadows. Like vampire bats, cockroaches and mold spores. If you can’t see what the government is doing, you can’t fight it. That explains the 74 public records exemption bills before the Legislature this Session. Yes, 74 new attacks […]

Diane RobertsFebruary 9, 2016

OCCUPIED TALLAHASSEE — They call us the Sunshine State, but Florida’s government prefers to operate in the shadows. Like vampire bats, cockroaches and mold spores. If you can’t see what the government is doing, you can’t fight it. That explains the 74 public records exemption bills before the Legislature this session. Yes, 74 new attacks […]

Jim RosicaDecember 28, 2015

A group of whistleblowing investigators in the beleaguered Department of Corrections has lost an appeal to their challenge of being forced to sign “hush” agreements over wrongdoing they say they uncovered. A three-judge panel of the 1st District Court of Appeal on Monday sided with a lower-court judge who had dismissed the investigators’ complaint. David Clark, […]

Peter SchorschDecember 15, 2015

After a story in Sunday’s Miami Herald detailed instances of corruption, coerced sex and trading of sex for contraband, Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones issued a written statement saying reforms implemented under her leadership have made Lowell Correctional Institution a safer place, but added she plans to “thoroughly review the disturbing allegations brought forward […]

Associated PressSeptember 23, 2015

An independent audit commissioned by the Florida Department of Corrections has concluded that Florida’s prisons are so “chronically understaffed” that an emergency should be declared to keep corrections officers and inmates safe. The Miami Herald/Tampa Bay Times Tallahassee bureau reported Tuesday that the National Institute of Corrections report says the lack of prison staff costs the […]

Ryan RayMarch 12, 2015

As reported this week in Florida Politics, Pete Antonacci — former general counsel for Gov. Rick Scott — is back in the influence business at his former firm GrayRobinson. Last week, Antonacci’s roster of clients were relatively inoffensive, but not so as of Thursday with the registration of his fourth client. Antonacci has signed up private prison giant Corizon, a company […]

Guest AuthorMarch 3, 2014

New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently proposed providing college degree programs in New York prisons, a proposal met with harsh criticisms from lawmakers and taxpayers alike. The estimated cost would be $5,000 per year per prisoner and a degree could be completed in three years or less. But providing taxpayer funded college scholarships to felons […]

Tag: Florida Department of Corrections
Kristen Arrington, Anna Eskamani, Jason Brodeur, Keith Truenow, David Smith, Geraldine Thompson at Tiger Bay. Image by Jacob Ogles

Chris Timmons: Fixing Florida’s prisons will take money, determination

Diane Roberts: Legislature works hard to keep us in the dark

Diane Roberts: Legislature is working hard to keep citizens in the dark

State prisons investigators lose whistleblower appeal

On Julie Jones’ ridiculous statement to the Miami Herald

Audit details “dangerous” understaffing at Florida prisons

Pete Antonacci locks up controversial lobbying client

Dan McCarthy: Prisons should teach inmates work skills, not crime skills