Senate Bill 1048 aims to expand the Florida Department of Corrections incentivized prison program

Florida’s proposed Senate Bill 1048 seeks to enhance the incentivized prison program for nonviolent offenders to reduce recidivism.

Should Senate Bill 1048 pass into law, nonviolent offenders in Florida could be included in a new incentivized prison program.

Zephyrhills state senator Danny Burgess, a Republican, is the sponsor of the proposed bill. This measure would expand the Florida Department of Corrections‘ prison incentive program, which provides life skills instruction, education, and discharge planning in an effort to lower recidivism. If Senate Bill 1048 passes, it would go into effect on July 1st.

The program for nonviolent offenders who have shown good behavior while incarcerated would be formed under the Office of Programs and Re-Entry. The primary goal is to prepare prisoners for life outside of prison, which includes treating mental health issues, treating substance use disorders, and creating post-release plans.

A male-only, rural correctional facility with a minimum capacity of 1,500 inmates would host the incentive program. The program would serve the entire institution, and its county of establishment would have to have a population of no less than 25,000 and no more than 30,000.

Inmates must be citizens of the United States, have a request to participate in the program, and be serving a sentence for a nonviolent offense with a release date longer than 24 months in order to be eligible. Veteran prisoners will be given preference, and participation is prohibited for sexual predators and sexual criminals.

In close collaboration with the DOC, CareerSource Florida will actively identify high-demand occupations to better prepare inmates for successful employment opportunities upon release. The initiative will furnish inmates with essential educational and vocational resources for training in these areas, including access to academic support through partnerships with local state colleges and universities.

If an inmate is found to have violated any disciplinary report, makes a removal request, or the department determines that the offender poses a risk to the program’s operational safety, they may be removed from it.

Plans for reentry must provide ways for prisoners to get identification, such as social security cards, birth certificates, driver’s licenses, and any licenses or qualifications required for their line of work. The provision of job placements, interview and resume writing skills, community assistance, and basic physical needs like food, clothes, and housing are additional requirements for these strategies.

Source: https://www.thecentersquare.com/florida/article_2b5f74fc-a5c8-11ee-ba48-4fe929ca62a1.html

Photo by Cytonn Photography on Unsplash