Recidivism Reduction Strategic Plan for Fiscal Year 2009-2014

An Equal Opportunity EmployerFLORIDADEPARTMENT ofCORRECTIONSGovernorCHARLIE CRISTSecretaryWALTER A. McNEIL2601 Blair Stone Road • Tallahassee, FL 32399-2500 http://www.dc.state.fl.usDear Fellow Floridians:June 2009A prominent issue confronting the state of Florida is the safety and security of ourneighborhoods across the state. A threat to our safety is the steady rate of repeatcriminal behavior committed by offenders. Last year, 41,054 inmates were admitted toFlorida’s prison system, and another 107,861 offenders were admitted to communitysupervision. However, each year the rate at which ex-offenders recommit crimes inFlorida after leaving the custody and supervision of the Florida Department ofCorrections continues virtually unchanged.The number of inmates in our prisons rose 19.8 percent over the last 5 years from81,974 in June 2004 to 98,192 in June 2008. Without working to resolve the steadyrate of offender recidivism, Florida is expected to reach a peak of nearly 125,000inmates by 2013. The state will need the equivalent of 19 new facilities to meet thisincrease in prison population. It will cost approximately $2.14 billion to build these newfacilities and $613 million to operate them annually. It will be difficult if not impossiblefor Florida to build its way out of this problem. Proactive measures that directly addressthis problem must be employed.This document is our roadmap for the implementation of methods and strategies thatwe are confident will decrease the rate of offender recidivism. To address the problemof repeat criminal behavior, the Florida Department of Corrections has developed theRecidivism Reduction Plan. This plan gleans knowledge from our previous actions andbuilds a balanced plan to resolve the high rates of recidivism for inmates and offenders.While the Recidivism Reduction Plan is focused on the actions of the Department ofCorrections, the success of this effort will not be the sole responsibility of just oneagency. Multiple state agencies, local law enforcement, community service providersand local judicial systems will all have an investment in the success of this strategy. Thiscollective effort will increase the safety and security of our communities and preventfuture criminal victimization.Sincerely,Walter A. McNeilSecretary, Florida Department of Corrections1

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONSMISSIONTo protect the public, ensure the safety of department personnel, and provide for theproper care and supervision of all inmates and offenders under our jurisdiction, whileassisting, as appropriate, their reentry into society.FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONSCODE OF CONDUCTI. I will never forget that I am a public official sworn to uphold the Constitutions ofthe United States and the State of Florida.II.III.I am a professional committed to the public safety, the support and protection ofmy fellow officers, and co-workers, and the supervision and care of those in mycharge. I am prepared to go in harm's way in fulfillment of these missions.As a professional, I am skilled in the performance of my duties and governed by acode of ethics that demands integrity in word and deed, fidelity to the lawfulorders of those appointed over me, and, above all, allegiance to my oath of officeand the laws that govern our nation.IV. I will seek neither personal favor nor advantage in the performance of my duties.I will treat all with whom I come in contact with civility and respect. I will lead byexample and conduct myself in a disciplined manner at all times.V. I am proud to selflessly serve my fellow citizens as a member of the FloridaDepartment of Corrections.2

Executive SummaryIntroductionFlorida has and will continue to besteadfast in its commitment to ensureinmates serve 85 percent of theirsentences, and that offenders oncommunity supervision arecomprehensively supervised. Ourcommunities are safer because of ourcommitment to monitoring offenders oncommunity supervision, and makingcertain prison sentences are served totheir fullest extent. However, moreshould be, and can be done to make ourstate safer. In order to ensure the safetyand security of the citizens of Florida, aswell as the millions of tourists who visitthis great state each year, it is critical thatsteps be taken to reduce repeat criminalbehavior.Eighty-eight percent of all inmatesincarcerated in Florida will eventually bereleased. 1 During fiscal year 2007-2008,37,018 inmates completed their sentencesand were released back into ourcommunities. Approximately 12,142 (32.8percent) of those released inmates areprojected to return to prison within threeyears. 2 Over the past decade the numberof offenders supervised in the communityhas increased by 10 percent. On June 30,2008, 158,079 offenders in ourcommunities were being supervised byProbation Officers. During fiscal year2007-2008, 17,181 communitysupervision releases were revoked fromtheir community supervision due to a newoffense.A 1995 report from the Office of ProgramPolicy Analysis and GovernmentAccountability (OPPGA) noted that mostof the growth in Florida’s prisonpopulation since 1985 was due to reincarcerationrather than offenders3entering prison for the first time. Basedon this understanding, if the reincarcerationof offenders could bereduced, then the growth of our prisonsystem could be reduced. How wesupervise and monitor offenders, how wetreat inmates when they are in ourcustody, and what steps are taken asinmates transition back into ourcommunities have been identified assignificant factors in reducing repeatcriminal behavior and preventing futurere-incarceration. By reducing criminalactivity, we are reducing the number ofcrime victims.The Florida Department of Corrections(FDC) has defined reentry as the processby which the Department, othergovernmental entities, and communitybasedorganizations enhance public safetyand reduce recidivism among inmates andsupervised offenders throughcomprehensive needs assessments uponincarceration or supervision and a broadrange of treatment and training programswithin the correctional institutions andthe communities which will significantlyenhance the likelihood that the inmatesand supervised offenders will successfullyre-enter or transition into theircommunities as productive and lawabidingcitizens. Inmates receiving thesetypes of services are less likely to return toprison, and more likely to transition into aproductive, law-abiding tax-payingcitizen.The FDC’s reentry efforts are centered onjustice reinvestment strategies, which aredata-driven strategies designed to reducespending on corrections, increase publicsafety, and improve conditions in theneighborhoods to which most inmates andoffenders return. This strategy involvesidentifying areas in the state which receivelarge numbers of released inmates andoffenders and focusing resources on thoseareas for greatest impact. Such resourcescan be allocated to those areas to bettercoordinate reentry services such as mentalhealth and substance abuse treatment, job3

Executive Summarytraining, and education. These effortsbenefit everyone, not just releasedinmates and offenders, by increasing thelikelihood of successful reentry, increasingpublic safety and decreasing the numberof victims in the community.Building the PlanIdentifying the key elements of reentry isessential to crafting a viable plan. Theprocess of reentry begins the moment aninmate enters reception or when anoffender goes through the intake processfor community supervision. Theimportance of having the necessaryresources available for inmates andoffenders to receive academic, vocationaland substance abuse programming inorder to successfully transition back intotheir communities and not recidivate hasbeen noted in countless academicresearch publications, and has also beenrecognized by the Florida Office ofProgram Policy Analysis and GovernmentAccountability (OPPAGA). In addition, awell-trained work force, both in thecommunity and in prisons, with a keenunderstanding of evidence-basedpractices and the reentry process willbuttress the rehabilitative programmingthat is already available.While the Recidivism Reduction Plan wascentrally drafted, input was received froma wide variety of sources, both fromwithin the Department and fromcorrectional policy experts in the field. InJune 2008, Governor Charlie Crist held aRestoration of Civil Rights Summit wherebreakout sessions focused on reentry andidentifying areas for improvement. Soonafter the Summit, the Department’s ReentryAdvisory Council was created. Thework of the Council members assisted inguiding the development of the plan ofaction by producing a list ofrecommendations to improve reentryoutcomes. The complete listing of the ReentryAdvisory Council’s members andtheir recommendations are contained inAppendix A.The intent of this strategy is to outline theDepartment’s goals, objectives, plan ofaction, and detailed performancemeasures that will be used to gaugeprogress in reducing recidivism. Thecomplex social and political challengesimpacting offender reentry requirelocally-driven policies. To achieve this,the execution of the plan of action will beconducted at the regional, circuit orinstitutional level. Managers andpersonnel in the field will receive clearguidance about what must be achieved tolower recidivism, but it will be left to staffthat have the local knowledge andexpertise to determine how best toimplement and sustain detailed reentryoperations.This course of action will allow for thefreedom of movement of staff in the field,and will allow Department employees tocreate innovative ways to assist in thesuccess of reducing recidivism. Thecontinual assessment and informationdispersion regarding the measurementand progress toward completing ourperformance measures will be conductedby the Office of Re-Entry.Recidivism Reduction: ATwo-Pronged ApproachThe Department’s plan to reducerecidivism takes into account changes thatoccur rapidly in our offender population,and our plan is adaptable to address newproblems that will certainly arise as wemove forward. Our progress in achievingour desired end state will not beconsistent or steady. It will take detailedplanning, a clear understanding of thesometimes subtle differences that exist ineach community, the ability to identifyand account for programs that work, and4

Table of ContentsChapter 1: Trends and ConditionsOverviewIndependent, Validated ResearchCommunity CorrectionsInstitutionsGaps/Barriers to Re-EntryImportance of Family SupportExisting Community PartnershipsRestoration of Civil RightsReducing Recidivism Supports Public SafetyEvidence-Based PracticesChapter 2: Plan of ActionOverviewCommunity Corrections Recidivism Reduction PlanGoals and ObjectivesCurrent Community Corrections Recidivism Reduction PracticesFuture Community Corrections Recidivism PlanningInstitutional Recidivism Reduction PlanGoals and ObjectivesCurrent Institutional Recidivism Reduction PracticesReceptionIn-Prison ProgramsTransitioning Back into the CommunityFuture Institutional Recidivism Reduction PlanningReceptionIn-Prison ProgramsTransitioning Back into the CommunityAdministrative GoalsGarnering Support for Recidivism ReductionMedia CampaignLegislation to Support Our Reentry MissionStaff Support of Our Reentry MissionChapter 3: Measuring SuccessOverviewOur Core PrinciplesPerformance MeasuresCommunity CorrectionsInstitutionalAdministrativeSustainabilityChapter 4: ConclusionAppendix A: Re-Entry Advisory Council MembersAppendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendations6

Chapter 1:Trends and ConditionsOverviewCreating safe neighborhoods wherecitizens are free from crime and violenceis the central role of government. Lawenforcement officers, elected officials andour judicial system continually worktoward improving the safety and securityof our communities. Florida’s effort toimprove the safety and security of itscitizens has made great strides over thepast two decades. Increases in lawenforcement spending, penaltyenhancements for certain crimes, andcoordinated crime prevention initiativeshave created sustained reductions in ourcrime rate. This has allowed Florida togrow and foster a condition wherebusinesses and tourists feel safe andwelcomed.However, the task of ensuring publicsafety is continuously changing. The workof crime control is always moving in orderto stay a step ahead of criminal behavior.Criminals on the other hand adapt to newanti-crime measures or find weaknessesthat may exist and exploit them for theirown personal gain. It is this push and pullthat makes the task of providing publicsafety complex. Nevertheless, no matterhow difficult the task may be, it is one thatrequires constant analysis andgovernment’s full attention.Last year, 37,018 inmates completed theirsentences and were released back into ourcommunities. Approximately 12,142 (32.8percent) are projected to return to prisonwithin three years. More can be done tosupport the increases in law enforcementspending, and the enhancements thathave been made to our crime laws, byworking toward lowering the rate ofrepeat criminal behavior.A “lock’em up and throw away the key”mentality is only effective if inmates arenever released. On the contrary, 88percent of the inmates at the Departmentof Corrections will one day be releasedback into our communities. One key wayto reduce the rate of recidivism is to worktoward the rehabilitation and reentry ofex-offenders. This can be achieved byproviding substance abuse treatment,education and vocational training toinmates, and by linking inmates andoffenders with services in the communityupon their release. The FloridaDepartment of Corrections is in a uniqueposition to spearhead the state’s effort toreduce the rate of offender recidivism bybeing able to work with both inmates inprison and offenders on communitysupervision.Independent, ValidatedResearchThe challenge the Department andcommunities ultimately face is tounderstand how to effectively manage theinevitable returning offenders from prisonso that communities will be safer. 4 It isevident that pre- and post-releasetransitional services must be reinforced toprovide the ex-offender the requiredvocational, educational and emotionaltools needed to reintegrate into theircommunity. Through early pre-releaseservices, post-release intensive casemanagement and after-care, this plan willaddress the multiple needs and requiredservices of the returning offenders in aneffort to reduce recidivism, improvepublic safety and strengthen offenderfamily unity and community involvement.Our performance and processimprovement measures gauge where weare in achieving our desired goal.7

Chapter 1: Trends and ConditionsHowever, just measuring progress will notbe enough. We must be supported byreliable research that is specific to theuniqueness of Florida. The Florida Officeof Program Policy Analysis andGovernment Accountability (OPPAGA) isa research unit of the Florida Legislatureunder the oversight of the JointLegislative Auditing Committee. OPPAGAwas created to help improve theperformance and accountability of stategovernment and conducts studies on theperformance of state agencies andprograms to identify ways to improveservices and cut costs.Over the years, OPPAGA has publishedseveral reports that highlight theDepartment’s activities. Specifically,OPPAGA reported in February 2007 that“transition services act as a bridgebetween incarceration and life in thecommunity for newly released offenders.In absence of meaningful transitionservices, offenders may return to illegalactivities and prison. As a proactive costavoidance measure, priority should begiven to transition services as part of anoverall strategy to reduce inmaterecidivism.” 5In January 1996, OPPAGA urged theFlorida Legislature not only to increasefunding for self-improvement,rehabilitative and work programs but also,to reduce the statutory restrictions on thetypes of industries that can operate insidethe correctional facility. Additionally, thereport highlighted that these programscould also be used to reduce inmateidleness. 6 This point was made again byOPPAGA in December 2000 and April2001, when it reported that cuts to FDC’sbudget impeded the positive effectprograms such as education, vocationaltraining, and substance abuse treatmenthas on “inmates’ institutional adjustmentand successful reintegration into thecommunity.” 7Most recently, OPPAGA issued a brief tothe Florida Senate (2009-313) entitled“Breaking the Cycle of Crime: TheDepartment of Corrections and Re-EntryProgramming.” This report illustrates theefforts the Department has taken toaddress reentry and it draws attention tothe low completion rate for education,vocation and substance abuse programs.However, it also points out that those whocomplete programs have a lower incidentof recidivism than those who did notcomplete these programs.In March 2008, OPPAGA was directed toassess whether the Department ofCorrections’ educational programs couldbe more appropriately administered byanother entity. The findings reportedshow “no compelling reason to changeFlorida’s model for providing correctionaleducation, which has been shown to havepositive effects on inmates and appears tocost less than other option.” 8However, government-sponsored fundingfor correctional programs has not keptpace with population growth; this furtherreduces the number of programs aimed athelping offenders. The Florida Legislatureappropriated approximately $1.9 billiondollars to the Florida Department ofCorrections for fiscal year 2004-05. Lessthan 2% or $32.4 million, however, wasallocated for inmate programs.In response to this lack of funding forinstitutional programs, inmate idlenesshas sharply increased over time. In 2004,the Florida Office of Program Policy andGovernment Accountability (OPPAGA)reported, “Since 2000, inmate idlenesshas doubled from 18% to 33%.” 9 In 2006,MGT of America, an independentprogram evaluation company, reported,“The assessment teams found anextremely high level of inactivity andidleness within the institutions of theFlorida Department of Corrections. Theelimination of the majority of educational,8

Chapter 1: Trends and Conditionsvocational and recreational funding hasleft the institutions with a noticeableabsence of constructive activities tooccupy inmates. For example, theelimination of the practice of usingcanteen profits for the purchase ofrecreational equipment has impaired theability to provide adequate recreationalactivities. It is believed that idleness isdirectly connected to the safety andsecurity of the institutions and thepotential for instability within the inmatepopulation. 10 ”The need for education is furthersubstantiated by findings made by a statecommission. In its 1999 Annual Report,the Florida Corrections Commissionfound a lower rate of major disciplinaryreports for inmates who completedvocational, transitional, or life skillstraining. During fiscal year 1995-1996,some 719 major disciplinary reports wereissued per 1,000 inmates who completedthese programs, as compared to 1,025 per1,000 of the remaining inmate population.Many states have already implementedevidence-based practices, expandedvocational and educational opportunitiesfor ex-offenders, and have increasedfunding forsubstanceabuse andmental healthtreatment.This course ofaction has ledto eitherconsistentdeclines or aleveling off ofprisonpopulationand hasimprovedpublic safety.Scholars have studied these innovativestates and research has been publishedhighlighting the elements that receivedthe highest rate of return for taxpayers’investment.As we move forward with our plan ofaction, we must find ways to create thenecessary research to support our tactics,and to also direct us in our futureplanning. The Department of Correctionshas the most reliable and frequently citedset of criminal justice data in the state.Our Department’s Bureau of Research andData Analysis has the capability andmeans of generating the necessaryresearch to analyze our recidivismreduction efforts. In addition, theDepartment will work to forgepartnerships with the numerous researchbaseduniversities in Florida to set up aframework where university resources canbe leveraged with our plan to reducerecidivism.Community CorrectionsCommunity Corrections is comprehensivecommunity supervision that uses humanresources, communications systems, andspecialized supervision approachesintended to protect the community andencouragesentencedoffenders toavoid futurecriminalbehavior.Offenders areeither placed oncommunitysupervisionthrough specificcourt placementor by otherassignment to acommunitybasedprogramas a condition of their prison release.As of June 30, 2008, the Office ofCommunity Corrections was responsible9

Chapter 1: Trends and Conditionsfor the supervision of 158,079 offenders.There are 2,187 certified CorrectionalProbation Officers assigned to supervise119,216 active cases and monitor 38,863offenders who are in active/activesuspense category (usually in the countyjail waiting for disposition on a violationof supervision).Community Corrections manages manylevels of supervision. Officers makecontact with offenders, ensuring courtrequired conditions are met. Offendersnot complying are returned to the courtfor further sanction. Emphasis is placedon the more specialized communityoffender needing a higher level ofsupervision, including drug offenderprobation, community control, sexoffender probation, sex offendercommunity control, post prison release,and all offenders convicted of a sex crime.Community supervision practices also usetechnology such as Global PositioningSystems (GPS) and other forms ofelectronic monitoring to improve thesupervision and monitoring for certainhigh-risk offenders.Probation Officers and CommunityCorrections’ staff have recentlyimplemented the requirements of theJessica Lunsford Act. Staff hascoordinated with local law enforcementand the judiciary on the implementationof the Anti-Murder Act. Officers havetaken a more aggressive role in searchingand locating absconders in thecommunity, and there have also beenincreases in partnerships with local lawenforcement, which have led to increasedplanned compliance initiatives in the field.Community Corrections has experiencedsteady growth in the number of offenderssentenced to community supervision andfuture projections continue to showincreases in the number of offenders whowill have to be supervised in thecommunity. The Office of CommunityCorrections will continue to ensureoffenders on supervision comply with theterms and conditions of their supervision.However, it is important to note thatcommunity supervision was once a placefor relatively low-level offenders whoposed little threat to public safety.Probation caseloads have become morepopulated with offenders who potentiallypose greater community safety threats.The current population of offenders ismore likely to consist of gang members,sex offenders, or domestic violenceoffenders and require more officer time toprovide adequate supervision, treatment,and enforcement of conditions to changean offender’s behavior. To continue toachieve comprehensive supervisionpractices, staff will have to effectively useexisting resources to supervise these highriskoffenders.InstitutionsInmates are housed in 139 correctionalfacilities, consisting of 60 majorinstitutions (prisons), which include 6privately run contracted prisons.Additionally, there are 42 work or forestrycamps, 32 work release centers, and 5road prisons throughout Florida.According to the Bureau of JusticeStatistics (BJS) report Prisoners in 2006,the state of Florida has the third highest10

Chapter 1: Trends and Conditionsprison incarceration rate in the UnitedStates. On June 30, 2008, the inmatepopulation was 98,192.Gaps/Barriers toRe-EntryAn ex-offender faces many challenges tosuccessful reentry. These challengesinclude employment barriers, financialobligations, the lack of appropriatehousing, and strained familyrelationships. To further compound thesechallenges, institutional programs aimedat assisting inmates in dealing with theseissues have been sharply reduced in recentyears. Absent educational programs andmeaningful work opportunities, inmatesreturning to thecommunity willreceive few selfimprovementbenefits from theirincarceration, otherthan time spentreflecting on pastcriminal behavior.Typically anoffender leavesprison with a $100release gratuity, abus ticket and nocourt-orderedcommunity supervision. In FY 2007-08,only 27.7 percent of offenders releasedhad some type of community supervisionto follow. The lack of supervision afterrelease can be another barrier tosuccessful reentry because it places moreof a burden on prison staff to fully prepareinmates for release. Without supervisionto follow, inmates must then make thetransition back to their community ontheir own, hopefully to a positive supportsystem of family and friends.In most cases a smooth transition is verychallenging because most inmates returnto low-income neighborhoods that consistof few unskilled labor jobs, and to peergroups that provide relatively few contactsto legitimate work. Success in reducingrecidivism demands that inmates andoffenders who lack adequate education,job skills, and work experience haveopportunities to participate in selfimprovementprogramming in prison andwhile on community supervision. Afterreceiving this type of rehabilitativeprogramming, a continuum of servicesmust be established, either withcommunity supervision or coordinationwith outside recovery support serviceproviders.Most inmates and offenders have limitededucation and cognitive skills. Oncereleased from prisonor sentenced tocommunitysupervision, offendersare unable to identifysupport servicesavailable to them intheir community.With the steadyincrease of offendersbeing released eachyear, communities areunprepared to absorbthe economic andsocial burden ofreturning offenders. As a result, offenderslack the supportive services needed toreintegrate into society and leadproductive, law abiding lives.Several Florida communities haveestablished task forces or committees tobegin to work toward breaking down thebarriers to successful reentry. Thesecommunities have seen firsthand how thereentry of offenders can reduce theircommunity’s crime rate. The formation oflocal reentry task forces can be the firststep in establishing a system ofcollaboration and recovery support11

Chapter 1: Trends and Conditionsservices. These task forces are able to takestock of the resources that are available toex-offenders in their communities, andassist in streamlining services to bestserve them.Another barrier to successful reentry is aperson’s status as an ex-offender. Havingto provide criminal history informationbefore a job interview eliminates many jobopportunities for offenders. Some stateshave decided to stop asking aboutcriminal records on applications forcertain job positions. This givesemployers the opportunity to meet andspeak with job applicants beforediscovering their criminal history. Thischange has the potential to improve joboutcomes for ex-offenders by allowingthem the opportunity to explain pastactions and show employers they havebeen rehabilitated and have changed forthe better.Furthermore, many returning offendersface major monetary concerns that mayinclude supervision and restitution fees.Job search skills and employmentopportunities are often limited for exoffenders,and many have no previouslegitimate employment record. Evenoffenders with an established vocationalskills or work history now face a felonyconviction record and negative employerattitudes toward hiring ex-felons.Importance of FamilySupportThe Vera Institute of Justice has statedthat “supportive families were anindicator of success across the board,correlating with lower drug use, greaterlikelihood of finding jobs, and reducedcriminal activity.” 11 Predictably, prisonlife disrupts family life on many levels andcreates hardships on all involved. Anoffender must deal not only with theforced separation between parents,spouse, children and extended family, butalso, with the anger and shame felt bytheir family members. Upon returning totheir family and community, a releasedoffender often faces rejection from thevery support system he or she needs themost.Given these setbacks, family support isvital for successful offender reentry.Research has shown that strengtheningthe family network and maintainingsupportive family contact throughout aninmate’s prison sentence can improveoutcomes. This can be achieved bymaintaining family connections throughphone calls and personal visits at theinstitution. A significant hardship is thatmany inmates serve their sentences inrural areas, at locations that cause a longdistance for family members to travel.This makes actual face to face contact withsupportive family and friends almostimpossible.While there are many challenges in tryingto maintain high levels of family supportfor inmates, some obstacles can beresolved. Enhancements can be made forvisitation procedures and other variousforms of communication between familyand an inmate. However, any processimprovements will always be analyzed andimplemented with the clearunderstanding that priority is given to thesecurity needs of an institution before anynew reentry policy is implemented.Existing CommunityPartnershipsThe Florida Department of Correctionshas established many strong workingrelationships with community groups andother government agencies to enhanceinmate re-entry. Agreements andpartnerships have been established formany years with these entities whileothers partnerships are in the process of12

Chapter 1: Trends and Conditionseither being developed or re-established.As a means to enhance existing programsand as strong support of this plan itshould be noted that FDC currently hasexisting agreements, partnerships andworking relationships with approximately14 Federal agencies, 57 Florida counties,over 100 Florida cities, over 20 otherstates and a large number of communitybased organizations. Following is a list ofexisting agreements related directly toinmate reentry:• The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office• Workforce Florida Inc.• The Agency for WorkforceInnovation• The Florida Masonry Apprenticeand Education Foundation• The Department of Children andFamilies• The Social Security Administration• The Florida Safety Council• Florida State University• Florida Agriculture and MechanicsUniversity• The Jacksonville Urban LeagueInc.• Tallahassee Community College• Daytona Beach Community College• Florida Ready to WorkThrough relationships like these, theFlorida Department of Corrections is ableto maximize program dollars and enhancedelivery of programs and services.Additionally, Florida Department ofCorrections employees working in prisonsand community corrections spendcountless hours interfacing withcommunity and criminal justice agencieson both the state and federal levels as theyperform their job duties.Restoration of CivilRightsThe final report published by theGovernor’s Ex-Offender Task Force foundalmost 40 percent of the 7.6 million jobsin Florida were subject to criminalbackground checks or restrictions basedon criminal history. 12 These restrictionsinclude requiring restoration of civilrights, disqualification based on thecommission of specific crimes, orrequiring the passing of a backgroundcheck. Finding and maintaining a job isvital to improving an offender’s chances ofnot recidivating. Lack of restoration ofcivil rights has proven to be a barrier forex-offenders to obtain employment.Many offenders find themselves indifficult situations where they are tryingto find employment, but the loss of theircivil rights restricts them from eveninterviewing for a possible job.In April 2007, Governor Charlie Crist andthe Florida Cabinet changed the Rules ofExecutive Clemency to make certain levelsof convicted felons who have completedtheir sentences eligible for restoration ofcivil rights. This action resulted in asignificant increase in the number ofoffenders who have had their civil rightsrestored. The Florida Parole Commissionis responsible for the restoration process,and the Department of Correctionscontinues to work with the commission inproviding information about upcomingreleases and in fulfilling its statutory dutyto educate inmates about the availabilityof their restoration of civil rights.Reducing RecidivismSupports Public SafetyReducing recidivism results in fewercrimes, fewer victims and cost savings forthe taxpayers of Florida. 13 The UrbanInstitute recently stated, “while there are13

Chapter 1: Trends and Conditionscrime control effects from incarceration,recent research shows that more prisonexpansion would produce only minimalgains in public safety.” 14 Since 88 percentof the incarcerated population in Floridawill one day re-enter our communities, itwould be prudent to provide them withskills to become productive, taxpayingmembers of society. To do so, theDepartment of Corrections must be ableto provide inmates and offenders with thenecessary substance abuse treatment,educational and vocational training, andcognitive behavior skills to positivelychange behavior. The following is thecurrent state of those supportiveprogramming methods.Evidence Based PracticesOver the past 40 years, a number of majorchanges in corrections have occurred. Aspointed out by Cullen and Gendreau(2001) 15 , the professional philosophy hasmoved from one of “nothing works” to anexamination of “what works.” 16 “Evidencebased corrections” focuses on the use ofscience to understand and answerquestions about the effectiveness ofprograms. 17 It uses the best evidenceavailable to assist in making decisions thataffect the day to day operations of theDepartment.Research supports the belief thatprograms based on “best practices” reducerecidivism. Several studies report findingsthat support the following: Structuredprograms that focus on developing skillsand that use behavioral methods, aremore effective in reducing recidivism.Additionally, programs that addressoffender characteristics associated withcriminal activities (e.g., education,substance abuse, lack of moneymanagement skills, lack of resumebuilding experience, and job related18skills) are an essential part of asuccessful transitional program.Substance Abuse TreatmentThe inability of many individuals sufferingfrom addiction to drugs and alcohol toreceive substance abuse treatment is avery significant problem we face inFlorida, as well as, nationally. The FloridaDepartment of Children and Familiesreports that 472,996 adults and 122,740children/adolescents are in need ofpublicly supported substance abusetreatment services. During fiscal year2006-2007, 115,729 adults and 53,024children/adolescents receivedindividualized prevention, intervention,detoxification, treatment, and recoverysupport services through communitybasedproviders contracted with theDepartment of Children and Families.The numbers of individuals servedrepresents 24 percent of adults and 43percent of children/adolescents needingpublicly-supported services.This gap is also evidenced by the fact thatof all offenders on active state felonysupervision in Florida, over fifty-eightpercent (92,000) are potentially in needof substance abuse treatment. 19 In FY2007-08 drug related offenses accountedfor over thirty-four thousand (34,000)community supervision admissions. TheDepartment contracts with localcommunity treatment agencies, asfunding permits, to provide a substanceabuse treatment continuum of care foroffenders. Offenders are frequently heldin jail awaiting residential substanceabuse treatment placement.The substance abuse treatment gap is onlycompounded when the thousands ofinmates who are in need of some form ofsubstance abuse treatment are factoredinto this analysis. In fiscal year 2007-08,the highest number of prison admissionsinvolved drug related offenses (11,872).For the last five years this has been thetrend in prison admissions.Approximately 66 percent of the Florida14

Chapter 1: Trends and Conditionsinmate population has been identified asbeing in need of substance abusetreatment services. Of the over twenty-sixthousand inmates identified as having asubstance abuse problem who werereleased from prison in fiscal year 2007-08, eighty-two percent were releasedwithout receiving needed substance abusetreatment. 20In-prison and community basedsubstance abuse treatment has beenassociated with positive outcomes,including reduced use of injection drugs,fewer hospital stays for drug and alcoholproblems, and decreased recidivismrates. 21 Furthermore, recidivism dataprovided by the Department’s Bureau ofResearch and Data Analysis indicates thatthirty-six months out of prison, substanceabuse program completers arerecommitted to prison for a new offenseor technical violation at a rate ten percent(10%) less than that of inmates identifiedas having a substance abuse problem whodid not received treatment. Additionally,thirty six months after release fromsupervision, substance abuse programcompleters are recommitted to prison at arate fifty-six percent (56%) less than thatof drug offenders who did not receivetreatment.Educational and VocationalTrainingThe Department of Corrections assessesthe educational level of inmates upontheir arrival and throughout theirincarceration. The median grade level forinmates admitted in fiscal year 2007-08was 6.3. Academic education programsoperate in 54 institutional facilities. Infiscal year 2007-08, 1,733 inmates wereawarded General Education Development(GEDs) by the Florida Department ofEducation.Special education program services arealso provided in accordance with theprovisions of federal law, known as “TheIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act”(IDEA), which mandates a free andappropriate public education. Specialeducation services refer to specificallydesigned instruction to meet the uniqueneeds of the inmate with a disability.Special education services are extended toinmates that meet eligibilityrequirements, are under the age of 22years old, and have not attained a highschool diploma.The Department of Corrections has 87career and technical education courses in36 distinct career and technical educationtrades. These courses are offered at 34facilities. All vocational teachers arecertified and all programs use Departmentof Education approved curriculumframeworks. In fiscal year 2007-08,5,023 inmates were enrolled in vocationaleducation programs, and 1,658 inmateswere awarded 3,037 vocationalcertificates.Studies have found that participation inprison education, job training, andplacement programs are associated withimproved outcomes, including reducedrecidivism. 22 In a study of correctionsbasededucation, vocation, and workprograms, recidivism was 29 percentlower among education programparticipants than amongnonparticipants. 23 Recidivism rates ofparticipants in prison education, vocation,and work programs have been found to be20 to 60 percent lower than those ofnonparticipants. 24 Furthermore, thatsame research also found that individualswho participated in prison educationprograms earned higher wages uponrelease than nonparticipants. 2515

Chapter 1: Trends and ConditionsWork Release CentersWork Release Centers (WRC) house twocategories of inmates: community custodyinmates who are participating incommunity work release by working atpaid employment in the community andminimum custody inmates who areparticipating in a center work assignmentby working in a support capacity for thecenter (such as food services and laundry).Inmates must be within two or three yearsof their release date to beeligible, depending ontheir job assignment.Sex offenders may notparticipate in workrelease or center workassignments. There areno perimeter fences, andinmates must remain atthe WRC when they arenot working or attendingprograms.Inmates who participatein work release must save part of theirearnings to pay victim restitution, as wellas room and board. More than 3,000inmates participate in Florida’s 30 workrelease programs annually, with about 3percent of the prison population enrolledat any given time.Work release provides advantages to boththe state and offenders. It allows inmatesto gain work experience, is less expensivethan institutional housing, and has beenshown to lower recidivism. 26 WashingtonState Institute for Public Policy, anationally recognized nonpartisanresearch organization, found that workrelease programs lower total recidivism by2.8 percent and lower felony recidivism by1.8 percent. 27 Work release programs areshown to be highly beneficial both toparticipants and the community. Animportant component of work releaseprograms is the fact that they allowinmates to become tax-paying members ofsociety. 28Cognitive-Behavioral ProgramsCognitive-Behavior programs operate onthe premise that thinking controlsbehavior, so if thinking changes or isimproved then behavior will change orimprove. Cognitive-behavioral treatmentprograms, which aim to help participantsdevelop better reasoning skills to changetheir negative behavior, have beenincreasing in popularityamong correctionalinstitutions. 29A substantial body ofscientific research hasconsistently found thatparticipants in cognitivebehavioral programshave recidivism ratesthat are 10 to 30 percentlower than rates foroffenders who did notreceive such services. 30 Among thegeneral population of prisoners, cognitivebehavioral treatment decreased recidivismby 27 percent. Larger gains have beennoted with higher risk prisoners, whoserecidivism was reduced by nearly 60percent after receiving interventionsadministered by providers with at least amoderate amount of training. 31Research has also demonstrated that adultcognitive-behavioral treatment programscan be particularly cost-effective relativeto other therapy models. Studies haveestimated economic returns of from $2.54to $11.48 for every program dollarinvested in cognitive behavioraltreatment, while punishment-orientedinterventions have yielded returns of only50 to 75 cents for every program dollarspent. 3216

Chapter 2:Plan of ActionOverviewThe Department of Corrections’Recidivism Reduction Plan is built on atwo-pronged approach of CommunityCorrections and Institutional RecidivismReduction. Each approach has uniquefactors that will contribute to crimereduction and a decrease in future crimevictimization. While each are unique,both work in a coordinated fashion toachieve the desired goal of increasedpublic safety through a reduction in therate of recidivism, fewer projected prisonbeds, and the creation of the necessarypartnerships and infrastructure to sustainlasting positive outcomes.This strategy bases its work in reducingrecidivism on sound research andaccurate data. Measuring what we do iscritical in order to base future planning.Evidence based research will be thefoundation for our commitment toimproving public safety. There are manyprograms that are already underway andseveral new initiatives currently underconstruction. We must begin the processof evaluating what we do to buttressactions that have been deemed successful,and also to disregard those operationsthat have been proven to offer littlebenefit in reducing crime.To ensure both parts are workingtogether, the plan of action outlines thegoals and objectives of CommunityCorrections and Institutional RecidivismReduction. The goals and objectives werecreated over the course of several weeksby the Department’s seven Re-Entry WorkGroups. These workgroups consisted ofkey personnel from a wide range ofbureaus within the Department ofCorrections who used their expertise todevelop the goals and objectives. Inaddition, the goals and objectives wereinfluenced by work completed during theRe-Entry Summit and Re-Entry AdvisoryCouncil.Department’s SevenWorkgroupsMirroring key aspects of reentry models,Secretary Walter A. McNeil commissionedseven workgroups to focus on specifictargets of change within the Departmentof Corrections system. The sevenworkgroups are: (1) Inmate Classificationand Assessment, (2) Inmate/OffenderBehavior and Programs, (3) Probation andParole Services, (4) Probation and ParoleRevocations, (5) Community CorrectionsAftercare, (6) Public Safety, and (7)Marketing. Each workgroup is taskedwith developing a detailed understandingof their substantive topic area. Eachworkgroup is comprised of Departmentheads, key players and topic expertswithin the Department. The workgroupsare to develop a comprehensiveunderstanding of their area ofresponsibility and to identify ways toreduce the barriers to the reentryinitiative. Additionally, they are to assessthese barriers and solutions utilizingnational best practice principles. TheDepartment has created a tracking systemto follow the workgroups progress andkeep key level staff apprised of theadvancement.Re-Entry SummitThe Florida Department of Correctionshosted the first Statewide Restoration ofRights (i.e., Re-Entry Summit) inTallahassee June 17 – 18, 2008. Thepurpose of the summit was to develop aformal and comprehensive understandingof the issues facing inmates and offenders17

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionwhen transitioning back into theircommunities. Nine breakout groupsidentified barriers to offender reentry andworkable solutions to correct thesebarriers. Subsequently, theserecommendations have been used to guidethe State of Florida in developing itsstrategic plan for inmate and offenderreentry.Re-Entry Advisory CouncilIn June 2008, the Florida Department ofCorrections took the initial steps todevelop a coordinated systems approachto offender reentry. With this aim inmind, the Re-Entry Advisory Council wasformed to assist in the development of aRe-Entry Strategic Plan that will guide theState of Florida. The goal of the Re-EntryAdvisory Council is to develop andimplement a coordinated andcomprehensive continuum of care forthose who need assistance to successfullyreintegrate back into society. The Councilwill also recommend policy and otherchanges relating to risk and needsassessments, accountability and selfsufficiency,and family and communityparticipation in the individual reentryprocess.Community CorrectionsRecidivism ReductionOverviewThe Community Corrections RecidivismReduction is not a new approach for theDepartment. Florida Statutes state theDepartment of Corrections has theauthority “To provide intensive andmeaningful supervision for those onprobation so that the condition orsituation which caused the person tocommit the crime is corrected.” 33Furthermore, Florida law requiresDepartment staff to “[u]se all practicableand proper methods to aid and encouragepersons on probation and to bring aboutimprovement in their conduct andcondition.” 34 The guidance that has beenpreviously prescribed in law allows staffthe ability to use a variety of techniquesand resources that have been deemedeffective in reducing repeat criminalbehavior.The Community Corrections RecidivismReduction is focused on assistingoffenders in their successful completion ofsupervision. This is achieved by preparingoffenders to lead productive, selfsufficient,and crime-free lives during andafter their term of communitysupervision. Probation Officers will use arange of evidence-based practices to tailortheir supervision strategies to the specificrequirements of each offender.Goals & ObjectivesGoals• Increase successful terminationsby using supervision strategies andcommunity services to reducecriminal behavior and activities.• Ensure supervision revocationrecommendations areappropriately based on offenderrisk and severity of behavior byconsistently reporting appropriaterecommendations to the court.• Develop a system to ensureoffender needs are continuouslyaddressed on communitysupervision after release fromprison/jail.ObjectivesObjective 1:Objective 2:Increase successfuloutcomes by usingevidenced-based practices.Expand outreach andpartnership efforts with the18

Chapter 2: Plan of ActionObjective 3:Objective 4:Objective 5:community (volunteers,mentors and office interns).Increase the number ofoffenders who successfullycomplete court orderedtreatment (substance abuse,mental health, sex offenderand Probation RestitutionCenters).Increase and documentreferrals that addressoffender needs(employment, education,and other self-improvementprogramming).Enhance continuity of careand services to addressoffenders’ needs afterrelease from prison/jail.Current CommunityCorrections RecidivismReduction PracticesComprehensive CommunityCorrections SupervisionProbation Officers supervise and monitoroffenders to ensure compliance with theterms of their supervision. The core termsof supervision are usually consistent fromone offender to the next, but certainoffenders have conditions imposed onthem due to the nature of their crime.These conditions can vary from a nightlycurfew requirement to where an offendercan live or with whom he or she canassociate.. To appropriately superviseeach offender on his or her caseload, anofficer must use sound judgment inmonitoring offenders during the course oftheir supervision.As the Office of Program Policy Analysis &Government Accountability (OPPAGA)noted in a 2007 report, the use of officerjudgment has not always been thestandard operating procedure forcommunity supervision practices inFlorida. 35 In 2004, after several highprofilemurders, the Department made thedecision to implement a “zero tolerance”policy for offenders on communitysupervision. The discretion and judgmentof an officer was removed, and noncompliancewith any condition ofsupervision was deemed a violation andreported to the court.In March 2006, steps were initiated tomove the Department’s policy toward amore balanced approach by requiringProbation Officers to once again use theirjudgment in determining if an offender’sviolation was willful or non-willful, and toreport only willful violations. Officers arenow provided full support in using theirskills and experience to delineate thecircumstances surrounding a violation.Officers report violations in context inorder that judges and the ParoleCommission can make decisions onincarceration and punishment knowingthey have been provided completeinformation surrounding an offender’sviolation.Motivational Interviewing,Individualized SupervisionPlanning and the CommunityCorrections Resource DirectoryRenewed emphasis has been placed on thefront end of the supervision process toreduce recidivism. The Office ofCommunity Corrections researched,developed and implemented acomprehensive training program onMotivational Interviewing for allProbation Officers. MotivationalInterviewing is a directive, client-centeredcounseling style for obtaining behaviorchange by helping offenders to exploreand resolve ambivalence. Research showsthat Motivational Interviewing techniques19

Chapter 2: Plan of Actioncan result in positive behavior change inoffenders. 36Officers are now using their MotivationalInterviewing skills when they work withoffenders to determine individual offenderneeds and goals. This effort is beingsupported with the implementation ofIndividualized Supervision Plans (ISPs).The ISPs are jointly developed by theoffender and their Probation Officer andinclude both short and long term goals.Probation Officers can use the ISP tomonitor the offender’s progress and makenecessary changes or updates to the planduring the course of supervision.These quality improvements in contactsby staff will make the difference bybeginning to address offender’s needs andassisting offenders with referrals toresources and services available in thecommunity. The Probation Officer willplay a vital role in thislinkage process because ofthe CommunityCorrections ResourceDirectory. The directoryis a statewide index thatincludes links to localemployment, socialservices, counseling,educational andvocational, healthservices, transportation and housingagencies in each county. Offenders haveaccess to this directory in probationoffices and it is also available on theDepartment’s public website.In addition to the specific actions officersare initiating with offenders, there are alsoongoing recidivism reduction activitiesoccurring in each judicial circuit. Theseinclude having staff participate in localreentry task forces, organizing job fairs,offering reentry classes at probationoffices, and entering into newpartnerships and agreements with variousagencies for services (transportationvouchers, or food and clothing banksoperated or organized by faith-basedorganizations).In some circuits there can be a lack ofcoordination for reentry services andresources. Some cities have multipleinitiatives already in place, but others aredisjointed due to a lack of communication.Community Corrections RecidivismReduction efforts will assist communitiesin pulling all available resources togetherin order to best serve the community.Substance Abuse ProgrammingImportance of TreatmentIllegal drugs drive crime in at least twomajor ways: drug-specific crimes(possession or distribution), and drugrelatedcrimes (robbery, theft or propertycrimes committed to support an offender’saddiction). Discovering anexact causal relationshipbetween drug use and crimeis difficult, but what can beascertained is the fact that alink exists betweenincreased drug use andincreased criminal behavior.Substance abuse treatment,combined with communitysupervision, must be usedmore frequently to combat offenders’chronic drug use.According to the National Institute onDrug Abuse (NIDA), “outcomes forsubstance abusing individuals can beimproved when criminal justice personnelwork in tandem with treatment providerson drug abuse treatment needs andsupervision requirements.” 1 Research hasrepeatedly supported NIDA’s statementby highlighting how recidivism rates havefallen when individuals were adequatelysupervised and received the necessary20

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionsubstance abuse treatment and recoverysupport services.A recent emphasis has been placed onresearch and best practices formaintaining recovery for offenders withsubstance abuse disorders. This has led tothe development and use of recoverymanagement strategies. These strategieswork to engage individuals, their families,social networks, and communities tosustain an offender’s recovery. Recoverymanagement strategies include casemanagement, peer-to-peer supportgroups, and faith-based support services.The Recidivism Reduction Strategyrecognizes that substance abuse treatmentmust be tailored to the needs anduniqueness of the offender, and recoverymanagement strategies are tools to assistin accomplishing this feat.Outpatient Substance AbuseTreatmentThe Department contracts with licensedcommunity-based substance abusetreatment providers in all twenty judicialcircuits for outpatient substance abusetreatment services. Contracted servicesinclude outpatient, intensive outpatient,drug court and aftercare services. Thesecontracted services provide therapeuticactivities for offenders while theymaintain residence and employment inthe community, thus supportingthemselves and their families, as well aspaying restitution. The level of outpatientsubstance abuse services provided to anoffender is based on his or her assessedneed and court order.Residential Substance AbuseTreatmentThe Department contracts with licensedresidential community-based substanceabuse treatment providers in seventeen ofthe twenty judicial circuits. Thesecontracted programs are evidenced basedand have been recognized by theAmerican Correctional Association. Bothnonsecure and long-term residentialtreatment programs are designed using atherapeutic community (TC) model. Thismodel emphasizes structure,responsibility, credibility, accountability,discipline, consistency and limit settingwith consequences. The program targetsnon-violent offenders who fail outpatienttreatment, or are evaluated as needingthis level of a structured treatmentenvironment. All offenders participatingin these programs are court ordered bythe judiciary or sentencing authority.Programming is specifically for thecriminal justice population and consists ofan intensive treatment component (ITC)followed by an Employment/Re-EntryComponent (ERC). During the Re-EntryComponent, the offender is required toobtain and maintain employment. Thisphase assists in the offender becoming aresponsible citizen, contributing to his orher family and ensuring victim restitutionas a budget priority.As a part of recovery managementstrategies, offenders are encouraged toparticipate in twelve step support groupssuch as Alcoholics Anonymous, NarcoticsAnonymous and non-deity based supportgroups. Effective use of these recoverymanagement strategies provides anopportunity for the offender to establishcontact with community based supportgroups prior to discharge and to preparefor a successful transition into thecommunity.The two types of contracted residentialsubstance abuse treatment programs are:Long-term TreatmentProgramThis program consists of up totwelve (12) months of an intensivetreatment component and up to six21

Chapter 2: Plan of Action(6) months of an employment/ reentrycomponent. The total lengthof stay does not exceed eighteenmonths. Ancillary services,including vocational andeducational programs, areincorporated into the treatmentprogram.Nonsecure Substance AbuseTreatment ProgramThis program is a six to eightmonth residential program basedon each offender’s needs.Programming consists of a twomonth intensive treatmentcomponent followed by a fourmonth employment/re-entrycomponent. Ancillary services,including educational programs,are incorporated into thetreatment.Substance Abuse Drug CourtsDrug Court efforts have helped contributeto a reduction in prison admissions fornon-violent drug offenders. The judiciary,state attorney, public defender, local lawenforcement, and county government arepartners with the Department ofCorrections in providing a comprehensivecontinuum of community-based sanctionsand programs.Drug TestingHistorically, for approximately 21 years,the Department has conducted drugtesting on offenders who are placed oncommunity supervision. Testingoffenders is a viable tool for probationofficers to monitor offenders’ substanceabuse. Substance abuse testing isincorporated in both the residential andoutpatient substance abuse treatmentprograms. This testing information isshared between the probation officer andthe treatment provider to enhancetreatment and assist in monitoring theoffender’s conditions of supervision.Probation and Restitution CentersThe Department contracts for ProbationRestitution Centers (PRC) programs.These programs offer a community-basedsentencing alternative to judges, whileproviding a resource for offenders whoexperience difficulty inobtaining/maintaining employmentand/or meeting their court-imposedfinancial obligations to victims, theCourts, and the Department. Theprogram consists of a four to six-monthresidential phase; followed by a three tosix-month community based extendedsupport and follow-up phase.Additionally, PRCs may providetransitional housing and programassistance to released inmates.The residential component provides acontinuum of services that offer, at aminimum: life skills training, moneymanagement, employability skill training,vocational and educational trainingthrough linkages to community-basedemployers, substance abuse treatmentservices, transitional housing, andadditional services to promote personalresponsibility, self-improvement andpublic safety.Mental Health and Sex OffenderOutpatient TreatmentThe Department contracts with licensedcommunity-based providers for outpatientmental health and sex offender treatmentprograms. The contracted mental healthand sex offender services includeassessment, psychological evaluation, andindividual and group treatment sessions.Offenders participating in these serviceshave been court ordered through thejudiciary or sentencing authority.22

Chapter 2: Plan of ActionFuture CommunityCorrections RecidivismPlanningDuring the past 24 months, CommunityCorrections has moved to a more balancedapproach in its supervision practices. Theinclusion of Motivational Interviewing,Individualized Supervision Plans, andenhancements to the CommunityCorrections Resource Directory andcommunity partnerships has set thegroundwork for our future endeavors.Community Corrections RecidivismReduction builds upon its existingfoundation, and the progress that hasbeen made over the past two years.Officers – Our Most PreciousResourceThe Recidivism Reduction Plan contendsthat the Department’s most preciousresource is its officers and support staff.As consistent funding sources for reentryprograms continues to be scarce, it will becritical for staff to receive the necessaryequipment, training and support fromtheir chain of command for the executionof their assigned duties. Departmentpersonnel must continually receive thenecessary training to be proficient in bothevidence-based practices andMotivational Interviewing. In addition,new training opportunities will bepursued to keep officers a step ahead inimplementing new trends and techniquesto manage and supervise their offendercaseload.Community Corrections RecidivismReduction efforts are appropriated a smallportion of funds for a limited number ofoffenders to receive substance abusetreatment services (outpatient andresidential treatment, ProbationRestitution Centers, and transitionalhousing). However, this lack of fundingfor Community Corrections RecidivismReduction doesnot, and will notdeter our work aswe move ahead.Our funding forreentryprogramming hasbeen, and willcontinue to besupported withstrong, welltrainedpersonnelwho arededicated to themission of publicsafety. Probation Officers’ work will besupported by our ability to enter intopartnerships with stakeholders andservice providers already in thecommunity.Increasing Community PartnershipsThe Department partners with a variety ofstakeholders in the criminal justice systemto reduce offender recidivism and enhancepublic safety. These partnerships providea crime prevention benefit by sharingresources with law enforcement agencies,community service providers andphilanthropic leaders. Strengthening andenhancing these partnerships will enablethe Community Corrections RecidivismReduction approach to be successful inachieving its desired goal of fewer repeatoffenders.Probation Officers promote crimeprevention and teamwork in improvingpublic safety by attending lawenforcement intelligence meetings andexchanging information regarding sexoffenders, violent offenders and local gangactivity, as permissible within existinglaw. This sharing of intelligence assistsCommunity Corrections staff by providingupdated information about offenders ontheir caseload, and helps local lawenforcement by adapting their operations23

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionto changes that may be occurring in theircommunity. Further partnerships withlocal law enforcement also leads to jointoperational task forces that work to getviolent criminals off our streets.Partnerships with local service providersleverage existing resources in thecommunity to link offenders with servicesthat will assist them with theirrehabilitation and reduce their chances ofrecidivating. Staff participates in CriminalJustice Coordinating Council meetingsand Re-Entry Coalitions to assist localcommunities in planning andimplementing new prevention andintervention initiatives.While these partnerships are beneficial,more coordination is needed for Florida’s67 counties and 20 judicial circuits tofunction in a more integrated fashion.The problems and issues vary from countyto county, and from circuit to circuit. Thiscan cause disconnected areas ofresponsibility and is further compoundedby “stovepiping.” This phenomenonoccurs when money flows in narrowfunding streams from multiple sources(federal, state, and local) to isolatedprojects that share neither their resourcesnor knowledge.Stovepiping can be broken down whencommunities begin taking stock in whatresources they currently have available tothem. This is occurring in manycommunities by bringing together diverseinterests and jurisdictions to coordinatelocal strategies to combat the problem ofrecidivism. Re-Entry Coalitions areincreasing the level of collaboration withboth ends of the spectrum- lawenforcement and recovery support serviceproviders. The FDC will continue tostrengthen the collaboration andcoordination among various entitieswhich will enable Florida to continuallymove forward with implementing bothapproaches of the Recidivism ReductionPlan.Sex Offender SupervisionRecent sentencing revisions have led toincreased penalties for sex offenders whohave committed heinous acts against ourmost vulnerable citizens. Passage of theJimmy Ryce Act in 1998 and the JessicaLunsford Act in 2005 were two significantsteps taken to strengthen Florida’s lawsand make it less likely for sex offenders toreoffend. The Jimmy Ryce Act keepssexual predators in state custody aftertheir prison sentence is completed if theyare deemed to still be a danger to thecommunity. The Jessica Lunsford Actimposes a mandatory minimum sentenceof 25 years in prison and lifetimeelectronic monitoring for adults convictedof lewd or lascivious acts against a victimless than 12 years old. In addition, the Actprovides conditions for backgroundchecks on contracted personnel who workon school property and the law increasesthe number of times a sex offender mustregister their residence information attheir local sheriff’s office.Both acts keep sex offenders locked up forlonger periods of time and place enhancedrestrictions on sex offenders who live inour communities. To further combat sexoffenders, communities in Florida havepassed over 130 local residencyrestrictions outlawing where sex offendersmay reside. These local ordinances canleave an impression on communities thatthey are now safer because sex offenderscannot reside near schools, parks,playgrounds or other areas where childrencongregate. It should be noted, however,that these local ordinances say very littleabout where sex offenders may go duringthe day.Additionally, local residency restrictionsthat go above and beyond the statestatutory requirement that sex offenders24

Chapter 2: Plan of Actioncannot reside within 1,000 feet of certainestablishments, such as schools and daycare centers, have forced many sexoffenders, who would otherwise havefound a residence, into homelessness. Toensure public safety, local residencyrestrictions alone will not solve thedilemma about how we should managesex offenders in our communities. Acomprehensive approach must overridequick fixes and political expediency. Thismethod should include effectivecommunity supervision, informationdissemination to the public andevidenced-based treatment.There are several proven research-basedsolutions being used to improve outcomesfor sexual offenders. These includecommunity supervision by speciallytrained Probation Officers, use ofelectronic monitoring for high-riskoffenders, and access to sex offendertreatment. A widely held myth is that sexoffenders cannot be treated. Recentresearch has reported that cognitivebehavioral treatment can reduce sexoffender recidivism. 37 Additional studieshave found that when the clear effects oftreatment were not present after anoffender completed treatment, just thefact that they were able to successfullycomplete a treatment program made theoffenders less likely to reoffend than thosewho did not receive treatment. 38The Department of Corrections willcontinue to ensure public safety bysupervising those whom the courts placein its charge. It cannot singlehandedlyresolve the current dilemmas regardingsex offender residency or homelessness.It will be the responsibility of all parties(e.g., the courts, elected officials,community leaders, and experts in thefield of sex offender treatment andmanagement) to work together to makecommunities safer for our children.Florida Gang Reduction StrategyDuring the summer of 2007, the AttorneyGeneral of Florida convened an executivework group to formulate a plan to reducecriminal street gangs. The work groupcreated a strategy built on three pillars:Prevention/Intervention, LawEnforcement, andRehabilitation andRe-Entry. The FloridaGang ReductionStrategy’s mission isto increase the safetyof the citizens ofFlorida byempowering Florida’syouth to rejectcriminal gangs as aviable option and by substantiallyreducing gang-related crime and violencein Florida.The Department of Corrections has, andwill continue, to play a significant role inthe effort to reduce criminal ganginfluence in our communities by planningand implementing sound practices thatare being developed by the Regional GangReduction Task ForcesInstitutional RecidivismReduction PlanOverviewThe Department is taking significant stepsin collaborating with other federal, state,and county agencies. Additionally, theDepartment is making efforts to partnerwith faith and community-basedorganizations to expand the scope ofreentry services provided to inmates whileincarcerated, and to then establish acontinuum of care for services that bestmeets the needs of inmates upon theirrelease from prison.25

Chapter 2: Plan of ActionGoals & ObjectivesGoals• Provide inmates with appropriatetools and resources to become andremain successful law-abidingcitizens upon completion of theircriminal sanctions.• Enhance public safety and reducerecidivism by successfullytransitioning inmates into thecommunity.These goals are specific to the needs of theInstitutional Recidivism Reduction, andboth are to be acted upon concurrently.These goals are broad, but both aresupported by specific objectives to developthe necessary policies and resourcesneeded for success.ObjectivesObjective 1:Objective 2:Objective 3:Develop a validated,automated, integratedclassification system thatidentifies risks, needs andstrengths for allinmates/offenders at intake.Ensure appropriate inmatesare identified and placed inappropriate program slots.Create or enhance prereleasereentry services.Objective 4:Objective 5:Objective 6:Increase the number of Re-Entry Centers/Dormsstatewide.Coordinate efforts withstate agencies whoseresponsibilities intersectwith reentry.Partner with faith andcommunity-basedorganizations across thestate that provide neededservices to the targetedpopulation.Current InstitutionalRecidivism ReductionPracticesThe process of reentry begins for aninmate at reception. During the receptionprocess, a tentative road map is createdthat details the physical and rehabilitativemeasures an inmate will need to addresswhile serving time at an institution. Afteran inmate is assigned to a permanentcorrectional facility, staff works to the bestof their abilities and within limitedresources to link inmates to programmingthat will assist them after they arereleased. Then, as inmates near thecompletion of their sentence thetransition process begins and inmates areprepared for life back in theircommunities. To describe how thisprocess functions, it will be broken downand reviewed in the following threecategories: (1) Reception; (2) In-PrisonPrograms; and (3) Transitioning Back tothe Community.ReceptionThe Department of Corrections provides astructured reception process. The processbegins with a diagnostic and assessmentguideline for analyzing the needs of eachinmate. Next, inmates are assigned to theappropriate custody levels and then26

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionplaced into institutions and programsdesigned to meet identified needs. Acomprehensive review allows theDepartment to assess the risk of eachinmate in order to ensure the safety ofstaff, other inmates and the public. At thesame time, inmates go through a batteryof assessments, including a Risk andNeeds evaluation, that allows forinstitutional and program placement.An inmate’s classification team isresponsible for compiling the necessaryinformation to accurately assign theinmate to his or her permanent institutionand job/program assignment. Placementof inmates into institutions depends oncertain factors, such as housing levels,custody, institutional needs, and medicalneeds. Program assignments are based onthe inmate’s level of need and bed spaceavailability. Currently, beds in theDepartment are at a premium. Initialplacement of inmates into institutionsthat could immediately meet their needsdo not always occur at this point.Generally, placements are made atinstitutions that have available beds.Inmates receive a progress report(evaluation) at various times duringincarceration. The frequency of theseevaluations is dependent on sentencelength and the time remaining to serve.During these meetings, staff recommendplacement into programs based on theinmate’s needs. Inmates are ranked bytheir need and placed in programsaccordingly. Due to the location ofprograms throughout the state, whenpossible, the Department conductstransfers to accommodate the inmate’sprogram needs.In-Prison ProgramsSubstance AbuseOn July 1, 2000, the Departmentimplemented a standardized screeningand priority placement process forsubstance abuse programming. SocialServices Counselor positions wereassigned to each reception center toadminister the standardized screeningtool, Drug Simple Screening Instrument(DSSI), to every inmate sentenced to theDepartment. Based on the results of theDSSI, severity of addiction, previoustreatment history, criminal history,treatment recommendation of thesentencing authority and anticipatedrelease date, inmates who need substanceabuse programming are placed on aprioritized waiting list. Inmates from thewaiting list are then placed into availablesubstance abuse program slots based onthe priority of their need.The Department uses a continuum ofservices to provide in-prison substanceabuse programs. Treatment programsincorporate the use of random urinalysis.The Department currently operates thefollowing types of evidenced- based In-Prison Substance Abuse Programs:• Pre-Program MotivationalComponent: At sites wheresubstance abuse treatmentprograms are offered, inmates aregenerally placed in this pretreatmentcomponent prior to theiradmission to the treatmentcomponent. This componentfocuses on denial, addiction,recovery principles, program27

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionmotivation, self and mutual helpconcepts and other relatedsubstance abuse topics.• Prevention Services: Thiscomponent provides activities andstrategies that increase awarenessand knowledge of the risks ofsubstance abuse, assist with therecognition of criminal thinkingpatterns, improve life skills andresponsible behavior,. and providetools for change.• Intensive Outpatient Component(Modality 1): This is a four (4) tosix (6) month substance abusetreatment program. Treatmentoccurs for half a day and theseactivities include educational lifeskills, group and individualcounseling. Treatmentinterventions are aimed atchanging behaviors and attitudesthat result in criminal behavior,future victimization and drugabuse. As a part of recoverymanagement strategies, inmatesare encouraged to participate intwelve step support groups such asAlcoholics Anonymous, NarcoticsAnonymous and non-deity basedsupport groups in order toestablish contact with communitybased support groups prior todischarge and prepare for asuccessful transition into thecommunity.• Residential TherapeuticCommunity (Modality 2): This is anine (9) to twelve (12) monthresidential TherapeuticCommunity (TC) program housedwithin an institution or at adesignated community basedfacility. This program is designedto treat individuals who have asignificant substance abuseaddiction and an extensivecriminal history. Program inmatesare housed together in the samedormitory, apart from nonprograminmates. The TC modelemphasizes structure,responsibility, credibility,accountability, discipline,consistency and limit setting withconsequences. As a part ofrecovery management strategies,inmates are encouraged toparticipate in twelve step supportgroups such as AlcoholicsAnonymous, Narcotics Anonymousand non-deity based supportgroups in order to establish contactwith community based supportgroups prior to discharge andprepare for a successful transitioninto the community.• Substance Abuse Transitional Re-Entry Program Centers: Thesecenter offer a continuum ofsubstance abuse services includingprevention, outpatient, intensiveoutpatient, and aftercare servicesas well as education/vocationalservices. The focus is on teaching,developing and practicingreentry/transitional skillsnecessary for a successful drug-freereentry into the community uponrelease from prison. Programservices attempt to instilleducational, vocational and otherwork and social skills. Thisprogram promotes thedevelopment of communitypartnerships, the use of volunteers,and family reunification. Theinmate’s use of these recoverymanagement strategies providesnecessary tools for successfulcommunity reintegration as aresponsible citizen.28

Chapter 2: Plan of Action• Alumni Component: Inmates whocomplete substance abusetreatment are required toparticipate in the on-going Alumnigroups, as long as they are at afacility offering them. Alumnigroups serve as a support group.This component primarily focuseson relapse prevention.Education ProgramsThe Bureau of Institutional Programsaims to provide quality programs toinmates by equipping them with thecompetencies necessary to becomeproductive, crime-free members ofsociety. All correctional educationprograms use a competency-basedinstruction format that allows students toproceed at their own learning pace. Theeducation programs are open-entry, openexitwhich allowstudents to enter orexit the program atany time, therefore,serving more inmatesin need ofeducational services.The Departmentevaluates inmates foracademic, career, andtechnical educationneeds during theinitial receptionprocess and then atleast once every 6 months thereafter.These recommendations are used toprioritize an inmate’s placement intoprograms.Academic EducationAcademic education programs areoperated in 55 correctional facilities. Eachprogram has 1 or more certified academicteachers who provide instruction toinmates of all educational levels. Thisinstruction includes, but is not limited to,mathematics, reading language andworkforce readiness skills. TheDepartment also offers the opportunityfor inmates to receive their GeneralEducational Development (GED)diplomas. In addition, Chapter 944.801Florida Statutes, requires any inmate whohas 2 or more years to serve on her/hissentence and who has a Test of AdultBasic Education (TABE) battery scorebelow a 6.0 grade level to complete atleast 150 hours of sequential instruction ina correctional adult basic educationprogram.Academic Education Programs forExceptional StudentsTwenty-one (21) of the 55 institutionalacademic education programs are staffedto provide special education services toexceptional students in accordance withfederal law, know as“The Individuals withDisabilities Act(IDEA).” In additionto AcademicTeachers, theseprograms are usuallystaffed withEducationSupervisors,Placement &TransitionSpecialists, SpecialEducation Teachers,and Teacher Aides. ASpeech and Hearing Therapist is alsoavailable to assist staff in providingservices to students with appropriateexceptionalities. Special educationservices are extended to inmates whomeet eligibility requirements, are underthe age of 22 years old, and have notattained a high school diploma.Close Management ProgramsCertified Academic Teachers provide closemanagement inmates, including inmates29

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionwith disabilities, both cell-front andcorrespondence-study instruction inmathematics, reading, language, andworkforce readiness skills, as well as theopportunity to secure general educationaldevelopment (GED) diplomas. Closemanagement education programs areoperating at Santa Rosa CI, Union CI,Florida State Prison, Lowell Annex, andCharlotte CI.Inmate Teaching Assistant (ITA)ProgramsThe Department provides academiceducation services to inmates atinstitutions without academic education(ABE/GED) programs, by using trainedInmate Teaching Assistants (ITAs)working under the direction andsupervision of a certified AcademicTeacher. Inmate Teaching AssistantPrograms are operating in 25 institutionsand annexes.In fiscal year 2006-07, the FloridaLegislature provided the Department$500,000 to establish and/or enhanceeducational programs that use computertechnology to teach reading to inmates.These funds were used to establishcomputer-based reading and assessmenttesting laboratories in 18 inmate teachingassistant academic education programs.Local Education Agency (LEA)-OperatedProgramsLocal Education Agency (LEA) programsare federally funded adult educationprograms operated by county schooldistricts and community colleges. Theseprograms are currently operating atDaytona Beach Work Release Center,Pensacola Work Release Center,Reception and Medical Center WorkCamp, St. Petersburg Work ReleaseCenter, Tomoka CI and Tomoka WorkCamp.Career and Technical EducationThe Department has 87 career andtechnical education courses in 36 distinctcareer and technical education trades.These courses are offered at 34 ofFlorida’s facilities. All vocational teachersare certified and each program uses anapproved Department of Education (DOE)curriculum framework.The Department also operates career andtechnical training courses funded by theSpecter grant program. The Grants toStates for Workplace and CommunityTransition Training for Incarcerated YouthOffenders (Specter) program is a federalgrant that provides postsecondaryvocational training for youthful offenders25 years of age and under, have GED orhigh school diplomas, and are within fiveyears of release from prison. Participantsreceive postsecondary vocationalcertificates upon successful completion ofthe training. This program assists inmateswith the transition process by providingthe job skills training necessary to obtaingainful employment upon release. Six (6)technical centers, colleges and universitiesprovide training programs in 7institutions. In fiscal year 2007-08, 670inmates enrolled in Specter-fundedprograms earned 490 certificates.Specter Re-Entry Seminars are offered toSpecter participants to provide valuableinformation regarding employmentopportunities, community providers,social services, housing, food, and otherresources available within their respectivecommunities to ensure a smoothtransition upon release. Federal, state andlocal entities are invited into the prisonsto provide inmates with specificinformation relating to the services theyoffer. Re-Entry Seminars are heldannually at each Specter site.30

Chapter 2: Plan of ActionPRIDE EnterprisesPrison Rehabilitative Industry andDiversified Enterprises (PRIDE) is a stateauthorized,private, not-forprofit,internationallyrecognized inmatetraining companyoperating generalmanufacturing andservices facilitiesin correctionalinstitutionsthroughout theState of Florida.Since 1981, when the Florida Legislatureauthorized the company to manage andoperate the state’s correctional industries,PRIDE has trained thousands of prisoninmates and has provided them withmarketable and accredited job skills.PRIDE is supported by a strongpartnership with the Florida Departmentof Corrections. PRIDE’s work programsare designed to provide vocationaltraining, to improve prison security, toreduce the cost of state government, andto promote the rehabilitation of stateinmates. Over the next five years, theDepartment intends to support theexpansion of PRIDE programs to all Re-Entry Centers. Currently, there arePRIDE programs at both Re-EntryCenters, Demilly CI and Baker CI. (Formore information on other existingPRIDE programs, please see Chapter IV.)Work ReleaseWork Release is a portion of theCommunity Release Program that allowsselected inmates to work at paidemployment in the community during thelast months of their confinement. WorkRelease provides an inmate with a gradualreintegration back into the community,gainful employment, accumulation ofsavings from paid employment, andpreservation of family and communityties.Within two weeks of admission to thecommunity work release program, awritten Personalized Program Plan isdeveloped for each inmate. This planincorporates the inmate’s individual needsand provides a positive framework forprogram participation (i.e., orientationand intake, employment, furloughs,personal budget, substance abusecounseling, academic and vocationaleducation, mental health, and medicalrehabilitative programs). The planincludes program objectives to beaccomplished while an inmate is assignedto the community work release program.Measurable criteria are established indetermining completion of the objectives,along with a reasonable time schedule toachieve each goal and a progress reviewfor evaluating progress toward objectives.Transitioning Back Into theCommunityThe release process begins 180 days priorto an inmate’s anticipated release date.During this time, Release Managementnotifies other departments that the inmateis nearing release and that he or she isscheduled for necessary appointments andprograms, such as medical appointmentsand the 100-Hour Transition TrainingPlan. The initial release interview isconducted which addresses inmate releaseneeds, such as housing, employment andmedical, identification, and post-releaserequirements (e.g., detainers, supervisionand registration,). This information iscaptured in the Inmate’s Release Plan.100-Hour Transition TrainingProgramThe 100-Hour Transition TrainingProgram is a statutorily mandatedcomprehensive transition program that31

Chapter 2: Plan of Actioncovers job readiness and life managementskills, including goal setting; problemsolving and decision making;communication; values clarification;living a healthy lifestyle; family issues;seeking and keeping a job; continuingeducation; community reentry; and legalresponsibilities. This training (or anapproved equivalent) is provided to allinmates within the 12 month period priorto their release.It is important that inmates have access toinformation and resources to facilitatetheir successful transition to thecommunity. As part of the 100-HourTransition Training Program, a reentryresource center has also been created.Each resource center maintains a libraryof resource materials and directories, aswell as a suggested list of resourcesavailable in the community.Re-Entry SeminarsRe-Entry Seminars are conductedthroughout the state to provide inmateswith valuable information regardingemployment opportunities, communityresources, social services, housing, andfood to ensure a smooth transition back totheir respective communities. Federal,state and local entities are invited into theprisons to provide inmates with specificinformation relating to their services.Transitioning Inmates withMedical CareIndividual healthcare needs may pose asignificant barrier to the successfulreentry of inmates leaving prison.Inmates have a constitutionallyguaranteed right to access the carecomparable to what is available in thecommunity while they are incarcerated.However, there is no right to careguaranteed to citizens of Florida or theUnited States, so patients may be deniedneeded care based on their ability to payfor services once released from theDepartment of Corrections.Healthcare costs may create strain forlow-income or indigent inmatestransitioning back into the community.To lessen the strain, the Department hasrecommended that inmates, upon release,be given a waiver for a 90-day automaticenrollment into Medicaid to ensure theopportunity to continue care in thecommunity. This waiver will giveoffenders enough time to apply andpossibly enroll in the Medicaid programwithout any gaps in treatment coverage.Inmates currently receive a 30-day supplyof medications and necessary suppliesupon release from prison. TheDepartment believes that the mostimportant contribution it can make forensuring continuity of care is toappropriately share information and workto link inmates with communityhealthcare providers. Inmates have aright to keep personal health informationprivate under federal and state law, andthe Department will continue to protectthat right, while assisting inmates in theirefforts to successfully reintegrate backinto their communities.Aftercare planning for inmates withmental illnesses begins within 180 days ofrelease. The Department of Correctionshas a cooperative agreement with theDepartment of Children and Family32

Chapter 2: Plan of ActionServices (DCF) to automatically transferinformation (unless the inmate refuses)relating to an inmate’s mental healthtreatment. The Department works tomake an initial appointment at acommunity mental health center close towhere the inmate will reside. This systemallows staff from the Department, DCF,and community health providers to send,track, and receive referrals from the pointof referral to the time when the inmatearrives for their mental healthappointment. The Department ofCorrections will seek to renew thisagreement, and will continue to worktoward strengthening this importantpartnership.Veteran AffairsThe Florida Department of Correctionscontinues to work in partnership withboth state and federal representativesfrom the Department of Veterans Affairs.This relationship allows releasing inmateswho are veterans to make initial contactwith a Veterans Affairs representative.The representative in turn assists theinmate access various goods and servicesavailable to them upon release.Future InstitutionalRecidivism ReductionPlanningThe Department of Corrections has takena progressive approach to recidivismreduction by creating a system of reentry.This system will increase inmates’ chancesof successfully transitioning back intosociety by coordinating efforts to ensure aseamless delivery of services. TheDepartment believes that changes canbest be made to the current system byemphasizing evidence-based reentrystrategies that have proven to besuccessful.ReceptionTarget PopulationConsiderable research reveals thatprograms targeting offenders who are at ahigher risk to recidivate are more effectivein reducing recidivism than those that donot. 39 The Risk-Needs-ResponsivityPrinciple (RNR) refers to predicting whichinmates have a higher probability ofrecidivating, and treating thecriminogenic needs of those higher riskinmates with appropriate programmingand services based on their level of need 40 .Criminogenic needs are those factors thatare associated with recidivism that can bechanged (e.g. lack of education, substanceabuse, criminal thinking, lack ofmarketable job skills, etc.). Offenders arenot higher risk because they have aparticular risk factor, but, rather, becausethey have multiple risk factors.Accordingly, a range of services andinterventions should be provided thattarget the specific crime producing needsof offenders who are higher risk.The Department is currently revising itsoperations to conform to the RNR41Principle. The existing Risk and Needssystem is being modified to better serveinstitutions and the inmates who areunder its custody. First, the Departmentis developing a Recidivism Index (RI)which assesses an inmate’s or offender’slikelihood to reoffend. The RI is made upof both static (factors that do not changeor change in only one direction, i.e. age atfirst commitment) and dynamic (factorsthat do change, i.e., drug use,employment) factors that are associatedwith recidivism.An inmate’s RI score will determine his orher priority for intervention and services.The Recidivism Index will beadministered twice during an inmate’sincarceration depending on sentencelength – once at reception and once again33

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionat 42 months. The RI will feed into theCorrectional Integrated Needs AssessmentSystem (CINAS). CINAS is the improvedversion of the Needs portion of theexisting Risk and Needs System. It isdesigned to allow for a flow of informationbetween Community Corrections andInstitutions.For instance, when an inmate is receivedat a Reception Center, the staff will haveaccess to detailed information about anyprior supervision. Likewise, if an inmateis released to community supervision,Probation Officers will have access to anoffender’s incarceration history andrelevant release information. Thisinformation will be used to better servethe offender and prepare them forsuccessful transition back into thecommunity.The Department’s use of the RecidivismIndex and CINAS will allow fordevelopment and implementation ofprograms that will increase the likelihoodof successful transition. The Departmentwill match factors that influence aninmate’s responsiveness to different typeof services with programs that are provento be effective within an inmatepopulation. This involves selectingservices that are matched to the offender’slearning characteristics and then to theoffender’s stage of change readiness. 42 Byapplying this principle, the Departmentavoids focusing resources on individualsill-equipped to handle specific behaviorproblems, and ensures the mostappropriate treatment-setting possible isbeing assigned, based on an inmate’scharacteristics.Realign Placement of ExistingResourcesThe Department will review alleducational, vocational, substance abuseand transitional resources in order torealign them to most effectively meet theneeds of inmates. This action will allowthe Department the opportunity to openRe-Entry Dorms in several parts of thestate; expand the use of volunteers, faithbasedentities and community resourcesin programming and release services; andwill include an element that involves thefamily in the reentry process.Prioritize Program TransfersWhen the CINAS is implemented,reception centers will continue to transferinmates based on security level, bed spaceand medical needs. However, once aninmate arrives at the permanentinstitution, he or she will be evaluated forjob or program placement at that facility.. In the future, if the institution cannotmeet the inmates needs, a subsequenttransfer will be considered.In-Prison ProgramsRe-Entry CentersThere is a growing recognition bycorrectional leaders, academics and publicpolicy makers that success of the reentrydepends on a seamless delivery of servicesand program interventions that begin atreception and continue through to the endof sentence. The Department willimplement reentry centers in each regionthat will service groups of inmates withsignificant needs. These centers are beingstrategically placed in counties where adisproportionate number of inmates andoffenders are returning. The Departmentis attempting to site these centers withinthe top 10 counties receiving returninginmates. This program will be modeledafter the Columbia Annex SubstanceAbuse Transitional/Re-Entry Program.Inmates within 9-12 months of release willparticipate in intensive Life Skills,Substance Abuse, Mental Health, andEducation and Vocational programmingfollowing a holistic approach. Programparticipants will be selected based on their34

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionrisk to reoffend. This model of selectionwill be accomplished by using theCorrectional Integrated Needs AssessmentSystem (CINAS).Inmates will be housed in either an openbay dorm or a secure housing unit,depending on the location selected. Onehousing unit will be selected in eachinstitutional region. The housing/programunit will be separate from other housingunits by partition fences and the inmateswill remain separated from the generalpopulation until they are released.The program will be similar to thetherapeutic community concept, with theaddition of a vital component—community support. Selecting inmatesfrom the area in which the institution islocated will allow for supportive family,friends and mentors to participate morefrequently in the rehabilitative process.Each program will also have staffdedicated to working with the inmates ontheir housing, employment and otherimportant social service needs as theyprepare for release. Currently, theDepartment operates two institutions thatfit this model: Demilly CorrectionalInstitution and Baker CorrectionalInstitution.Demilly CorrectionalInstitutionDemilly Correctional Institutionoperates as a lower custody facilityproviding programming and workexperience necessary for successfulreentry into the community.Demilly C.I. is located in PolkCounty, Florida. In fiscal year2007-08, 2,095 inmates returnedto Polk County; only theHillsborough, Broward, andMiami-Dade areas received moreinmates. Demilly CI houses lowercustody inmates expected to bereleased within a shorter period oftime, allowing for programmingand movement into the communitywork release program in an effortto improve the prospect of reentryinto the community.Baker CorrectionalInstitutionBaker Correctional Institutionserves inmates being released toDuval and surrounding counties.In fiscal year 2007-2008, 1,864inmates returned to Duval County,which ranks sixth out of the 67Florida counties in terms of inmatereleases. Baker C.I. is located inSanderson, Florida and housesvarious custody inmates. Thefacility will provide comprehensiveservices that focus on cognitivebehavioralmodel and evidencebasedpractices with the aim ofreducing recidivism. Inmatesreleased from Baker C.I. will beconnected to the JacksonvilleSheriff’s Office Portal of Entry.This Portal of Entry is apartnership between theDepartment and the JacksonvilleSheriff’s Office that will includevarious reentry services to bettertransition inmates back into thecommunity.Faith-Based Institutions andVolunteersThe Department of Corrections usesvolunteers to engage with inmates andoffenders and transform their lives for thebetter. Scarce rehabilitative resourceshave forced institutions to reduce theamount of programming made availableand increased the waiting time foravailable programming slots. The faithcommunity can assist in filling the gaps ininstitutional programming by workingwith the Department to effectivelyimplement new faith-based programs.35

Chapter 2: Plan of ActionHowever, in order for this to be achieved,the culture within institutions mustsupport and encourage communityvolunteers.Incorporating faith-based practices andtheir volunteers should in no way negatethe need to have professional paid staff atcorrectional institutions. The use ofvolunteers supports and reinforces thededicated work of Department staff. Inaddition, volunteers can help provide thenecessary emotional and mentalencouragement for inmates to cope withlife experiences on the inside and uponrelease. Volunteers provide motivationalsupport by acting as mentors to inmates.The Department will, wherever practical,use faith-based programs that addressdocumented criminogenic needs. A “callto action” moment will be initiated as away to create awareness among the faithcommunity of the needs of inmates andwill highlight avenues in which citizenscan get involved. More importantly,efforts will be made in the short-term toinform the faith community of the needsof ex-offenders and to highlight volunteeropportunities that are available.An important link in achieving this goal isto identify the leaders among the faithcommunity. Staff within the Departmentwill be used to accomplish this by usingexisting organizations, groups, andestablished relationships. Additionally,this opportunity of faith-based expansionmust be extended to faith groups of allkinds. To achieve this large-scalecollaboration, the Department will add aneasily visible section to its public web sitefor the faith community that identifiesdifferent programming opportunities forvolunteers. The section will containvolunteer opportunities linked to specificcommunities, including contactinformation for volunteer coordinationwithin certain correctional institutions.Victim AwarenessThe Department of Corrections has aVictim Assistance Office whose primaryfunction is to assist victims of crimescommitted by inmates in theDepartment's custody or under oursupervision, and to notify victims prior toan inmate's release. The office alsoprovides referral services to victims withspecific needs, such as counseling,support groups, crimes compensation,and crisis intervention.The Department offers a toll-freeautomated inmate information andnotification service. Victim Informationand Notification Everyday (VINE) Serviceis available 24 hours a day, seven days aweek. Any person may call the toll-freenumber and receive an inmate’s currentlocation and tentative release date.Individuals may also register to receive anautomated notification when an inmate isreleased, transferred, escapes, is placed ina work release facility, transferred toanother jurisdiction, returned to theDepartment's custody, or dies while incustody. The VINE Service is anonymousand confidential.Additionally, the Department offersVictim Awareness classes for inmates.Victim awareness classes are educationalprograms designed to teach inmates about36

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionthe individual consequences of crime.Offenders are taught about how crimeaffects victims, their families and friends,and their community. These classes alsoaddress the personal consequences ofcrime on inmate families, friends andcommunities. The Department’s goal inoffering these classes is to teach inmatesabout trauma victimization and to helpthem accept responsibility for their pastcriminal actions.Responsible Family ProgrammingPrison life disrupts family life on manylevels and creates hardships on allinvolved. An inmate must deal not onlywith the forced separation betweenparents, spouse, children and extendedfamily, but also with the anger and shamefelt by these family members. Uponreturning to family and community, thereleased offender often faces rejectionfrom the support system needed the most.The Department seeks to develop andimplement a program that engagesimmediate family members in theprogramming process that focuses onfamily issues and needs as the inmate oroffender prepares for reentry. Theprogram will incorporate content relatingto responsible parenting, social andemotional concerns that may impact thefamily support and offender adjustmentduring the transition from incarcerationto the community. Participation of familymembers in the offender’s programregimen will provide offenders withtangible family support and assistance asthey plan for their reentry.Mentoring InitiativeIt is the goal of the Department to developand implement mentoring programs thatwill aid the participant in his or herpersonal development. A partnership willbe created between the community, theGovernor’s Mentoring Initiative, and theDepartment of Corrections. Thispartnership will play a vital role inensuring that each individual offender hasa positive and proactive partner in theirquest towards successful reintegration.As time passes, the mentoring initiativewill allow opportunities for past programparticipants to give back by volunteeringtheir experiences and successes to futureparticipants. These mentors will provideeach participant with a tangible “realworld” accounts of what will be necessaryto carry the successes they experience inthe program into the communities inwhich they will soon reside.Transitioning Back Into theCommunity100-Hour Transition TrainingProgramThe 100-Hour Transition Program iscurrently being improved to moreeffectively address inmate transitionneeds. Two versions of the curriculum arebeing developed: one for live instructionand one for self-study. Staff will use theinmate’s recidivism index score todetermine whether an inmate will receivelive instruction or will be placed on selfstudy.This change will ensure thatinmates receive the appropriate level ofprogramming.Inmate-At-A-GlanceThe current release process is beingenhanced to facilitate a comprehensiveapproach to reentry. The Bureau ofAdmission and Release is involved in thecreation of the Correction IntegratedNeeds Assessment System (CINAS) toensure continuity of release planning fromreception through release. The currentInmate Release Plan is being revised tocapture additional information that willallow Release Officers to better assessinmate release needs and staff’s ability to37

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionmake more appropriate referrals. Anadditional enhancement of this process isthe implementation of the Inmate-At-A-Glance. The Inmate-At-A-Glance will actas a central repository of vital informationabout the inmate’s release needs, whichcan then be accessed by both Institutionaland Community Corrections staff at anypoint in time.Web-Based Needs Assessment andRelease PlanDevelopment of a Needs Assessment andRelease Plan, using information obtainedon the Web-based Resource Directory,will allow for information via web pageoverlay to populate a multitude of OBISscreens currently used to input aninmate’s Release Plan. The use of thisweb-based program will allow ReleaseOfficers to complete a Needs Assessmenton an inmate, and based on theinformation provided, be able to create aReferral and Release Plan using a “clickand shop” format based on needs.Additional plans are being developed forinmates who have supervision to followtheir incarceration to allow forinformation to be sent directly to theirsupervising Probation Officer. Thiscritical information will outline theinmate’s needs, institutional behavior,and special concerns to be accessed byProbation Officers in order to gain a betterunderstanding of an offender’s pastbehavior.Community Resource DirectoryThe existing Community ResourceDirectory is being expanded to be more“user-friendly” for release officers and willprovide more up-to-date services bycounty and type of services for inmaterelease plans. The Resource Directory willinclude various community organizationsthat offer services to ex-offenders (e.g.,housing, employment, transportation,child support, etc.). Departmental staffwill have access and be able to provide upto-datedetailed services by county and bytype of service for inmate release plans.The Directory will be available on thepublic web site, providing additionalinformation for ex-offenders to assist withtheir reintegration into society.Administrative GoalsThe two-pronged approach of CommunityCorrections and Institutional RecidivismReduction has specific goals andobjectives that are unique to theiroperations. However, there are fouradditional goals that must beaccomplished by both sides. These fourgoals are designed to change the public’sperceptions regarding offender reentryand to strengthen staff support of thereentry mission at the Florida Departmentof Corrections.Goals• Market and expand opportunitiesfor media outlets to highlight andarticulate the work of recidivismreduction.• Increase legislative and publicsupport for recidivism reductionefforts.• Maintain a well-trained andeffective workforce.• Foster partnerships to assist inproviding prevention, interventionand diversionary services to at-riskindividuals, offenders and exoffenders.Media CampaignFor the Recidivism Reduction Plan to besuccessful, public perceptions mustchange. Without strong public support,our work to reduce recidivism will erodeand increases in public safety will not be38

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionsustained. Citizens are unfamiliar withthe reentry process, and the role agenciesplay in providing services to inmates andoffenders. Also, the stigma attached toinmates reentering society oftendiminishes work toward developingpolicies and local programs to improvereentry efforts.The Department of Corrections mustpromote a broader public understandingof reentry. The elements that are essentialto successfully lowering the rate of crimemust be laid out and discussed in order togain full support for this initiative. Inaddition, support must be solicited from avariety of media outlets. Informationtransferred from media outlets (television,radio, print media, and the internet) playa powerful role in shaping policy debates.The Department’s ability to articulate theplan for reducing recidivism can behindered by an inability to reach large,receptive audiences on a regular basis.The use of the media can assist us incarrying our message that investing in anddeveloping new reentry efforts will lead toincreased public safety and decreasedvictimization. Whenprovided with a clearmessage, the media hasthe power and the abilityto persuade the public tofully support our strategy.One recent example ofhow media can positivelychange perceptions, andincrease the safety ofcitizens was theDepartment ofCorrections’ 10-20-LIFEad campaign. When themedia campaign wascreated more than 10years ago, it was madeevident to all Floridiansthat criminals who use afirearm during the commission of a crimewill be faced with strict and lengthy prisonsentences. Using a wide-range of mediaforms, the public began to understand theimportance of the initiative and quicklygot behind it. This was achieved in partbecause of media saturation, and the factthat the message was framed as a crimeprevention initiative that eventuallycaused perceptions to change.Legislation to Support ourReentry MissionPublic safety is government’s top priority.As we progress with the implementationof our plan to reduce recidivism, we mustalways be looking for opportunities tosupport and assist with the passage oflegislation that can strengthen our work.Providing public safety is an evolvingprocess that needs to be reviewed on aconstant basis. Our elected officials mustbe continually updated on theadvancement of our reentry plan, and howit is impacting public safety in theircommunity. The updates we provide toelected officials, and to their staffs, willoffer them insights abouthow our plan is working,and will allow them anopportunity to offerfurther solutions toimprove our plan ofaction.This type of collaborativeeffort between theDepartment ofCorrections and theFlorida Legislature willpermit all good ideas to bediscussed, debated andpossibly implemented.Assisting lawmakers withthe passage of soundpublic safety legislationwill support our law39

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionenforcement officers by protecting scarefunding resources, and over time increasecrime prevention measures like substanceabuse treatment, education and vocationaltraining. Without unwavering supportfrom the Legislature to assist in offeringdirection, and funding for our plan ofaction, progress toward our desired endstate cannot be realized.Staff Support of Our ReentryMissionBefore media campaigns can beundertaken, and before new legislationcan be passed, the Department ofCorrections must first make internalchanges to its own operations in order tohave a positive impact on reducingrecidivism. In May 2007, the Departmentrevised its mission statement to includereentry of inmates and offenders. Then inthe fall of 2008, the Department made ashift in its internal structure to create theOffice of Re-Entry. This office nowcoordinates reentry services for inmatesand offenders to ensure successfultransition back into their communities.It will not be enough, however, for theDepartment to only highlight theorganizational changes it has made toimprove reentry outcomes. Support fromall levels of staff must be received, andevery employee must get behind the workof reentry in order to achieve success.Leadership at the Department mustconsistently communicate to employeesthat the Department’s role is to bothprotect the public and to assist in thereentry of inmates and offenders. It mustbecome common knowledge thatrecidivism reduction efforts are not just aseries of initiatives, but are the standardoperating procedures for the Department.Historically, correctional policies inFlorida have focused on incarceratingcriminals, and releasing them back intoour communities with minimal to norehabilitation. We now know that policyhas only increased the safety and securityof our communities to a degree. To fullysustain reductions in the rate of crime, theDepartment must now support publicsafety laws that reflect sound correctionalpolicies to assist in the rehabilitation andtransition of a larger population ofinmates and offenders on communitysupervision who are ready for analternative to a life of crime andincarceration.Department operations can begin toadjust as leadership continues to explainhow our plan of reducing repeat criminalbehavior will benefit all who are involved.Stating our intentions and publishing ourstrategy is only the beginning. There is acritical need to properly train all staffmembers on the principles of successfulreentry. The Bureau of StaffDevelopment, in coordination with theOffice of Re-Entry, will create andimplement a comprehensive yearlytraining program for all personnel at theDepartment. This program will providestaff with the necessary skills toadequately address inmates’ andoffenders’ needs as it relates to reentry.The work of reentry will also be a part ofan employee’s yearly performanceevaluation to assess their ability tosupervise, and when appropriate, assistwith the reentry of inmates and offenders.In addition, the Recidivism ReductionPlan will not just be a plan of action forsenior level management in Central Officeto review and implement. It will be theresponsibility of all levels of theDepartment, to include all Wardens,Circuit Administrators, Bureau Chiefs,Correctional Officers, Probation Officers,Classification Officers, support andcontracted staff, to work together fromthis unified plan. For sustained success inimproving public safety, it will be the duty40

Chapter 2: Plan of Actionof all staff to understand how their roleimpacts the overall success of theDepartment’s plan to reduce recidivismand prevent future crime victimization.Each day Correctional Officers in ourprisons, Probation Officers on our streets,and the support staff who make it possiblefor both sides to do their jobs safely, laborunder the most difficult conditions. TheRecidivism Reduction Plan has beencreated to reinforce their work by buildingupon the systems that are currently inplace to allow officers to securely maintainthe custody and care of those in theircharge and for officers to safely superviseoffenders in our communities. When fullyimplemented, this plan will aid all staff byholding inmates and offendersaccountable, and at the same time,provide the necessary training, life skillsand education to end an offender’s cycle ofcrime.41

Chapter 3:Measuring SuccessOverviewThe Department’s plan of action for reentry outlines the previous steps that have been takento reduce recidivism, and future planning and measures that will be needed to increasepublic safety. In order for us to receive the necessary support to move the RecidivismReduction Plan forward we will have to measure - and our measures must be meaningful.Circumstances are constantly changing and our plan must be able to adapt when times callfor change.Our performance measures gauge progress in achieving our long term goals of increasingpublic safety, reducing recidivism, and enabling released offenders to successfully transitionback into their communities. The overarching goal is to reduce offender recidivism from itscurrent level of 32.8 percent to 20 percent by 2014. From this central goal of reducing theoverall rate of recidivism, several subsets have been created to measure specific actions thatwill be necessary to ensure the reduction in recidivism is accomplished.Recidivism can be measured and assessed in multiple ways. The Department ofCorrections measures recidivism over a three-year time period for inmates andoffenders who are released and are then subsequently returned to the Department(either for a new arrest or for a violation of their release) during that timeThe objectives, tasks, performance and process improvement measures provided weredeveloped using information gathered during FDC’s Re-Entry Summit, Re-Entry AdvisoryCouncil and FDC’s Seven Re-Entry Work Groups. Each entity prepared a series ofrecommendations that guided the Recidivism Reduction Plan development. Theserecommendations, with modest revisions, were subsequently incorporated into the presentdocument.Our Core PrinciplesOur work must be directed by a set of core principles that guide our efforts. These threeprinciples are:Principle 1: Be balanced, inclusive, and research-based in both of our approaches(Community Corrections and Institutions) to reduce recidivism.Principle 2: Maintain positive, accountable and crime-free relationships that willplay a fundamental role to combat repeat criminal behavior.Principle 3: Set high goals, continually gauge progress and always be responsible forperformance at every level.Performance MeasuresIn an effort to carry out the plan outlined in this document, the Department will measureprogress using accurate, comprehensive data that will be collected about our operations andthe offenders and inmates we supervise. The following measures are the outcomes we willachieve to reach our goal of lowering the state’s recidivism rate to 20 percent.42

Chapter 3: Measuring SuccessReduce offender recidivism from its current level of 32 percent to 20 percent by 2014.Baseline FY 2009-10 FY 2010-11 FY 2011-12 FY 2012-13 FY 2013-1432.8% 30.8% 28.8% 26.4% 23.4% 20%Community Corrections Performance MeasuresObjective 1: Increase successful outcomes by using evidenced-based practices.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASUREOUTPUTTIMELINE1(a). Use Motivational Interviewing 1(a). Train staff on Motivational Interviewing 1/15/20092(b). Implement IndividualizedSupervision Plans (ISP)2(a). Complete ISP with offenders within 60 daysof supervisionOngoingObjective 2: Expand outreach and partnership efforts with the community(volunteers, mentors and office interns).TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1(a). Regional Directors andCircuit Administrators work toexpand partnerships with localprovidersOUTPUT1(a). Regularly meet with community leaders todiscuss opportunities to partner with theDepartment of Corrections.TIMELINEOngoingObjective 3: Increase the number of offenders who successfully complete courtordered treatment (substance abuse, mental health, sex offender andProbation Restitution Centers).TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1(a). Provide enhanced field staffregarding treatment systems andprocedures2(b). Improve communicationbetween courts, probation andtreatment providers3(c). Work with field staff andcontracted treatment providers toidentify obstacles and barriers tosuccessful treatment completionand effectuate necessary changes.OUTPUT1(a). Facilitate meetings to coordinate bestpractices2(a). Facilitate meetings to coordinate bestpractices3(a). Solicit input from field staff in a regular andformalized manner.3(b). Annually meet with contracted treatmentproviders and follow up on recommendedchanges.TIMELINEOngoingOngoingOngoing43

Chapter 3: Measuring SuccessObjective 4: Increase and document referrals that address offender needs(employment, education, and other self-improvement programming).TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1(a). Use IndividualizedSupervision PlansOUTPUT1(a). All offenders will have documented ISPs byOctober 2009. From that date forward, all newoffenders on community supervision will haveISPs completed within the 1 st 60 days ofsupervision.TIMELINEOngoingObjective 5: Enhance continuity of care and services to address offenders’needs after release from prison/jail.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1(a). Coordinate with ReleaseManagement to enhance inmatereleased with supervision to follow2(b). Office of Health Services willwork to expand opportunities forinmates to receive medical careupon releaseOUTPUT1(a). Regularly hold meetings to coordinate anddisseminate best practices.2(b). Continue to work with DCF and otherproviders to create expanded opportunities forreleased inmates to receive necessary treatmentand medication upon release.TIMELINEOngoingOngoingInstitutional Performance MeasuresObjective 1: Develop a validated, automated, integrated classification systemthat identifies risk, needs and strengths for all inmates/offenders at intake.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Research risk/need practices inother states.2. Review evidence-based researchon risk/need/responsivityprinciple.3. Assess current risk/needpractices in Florida.4. Develop Recidivism Index (RI)to identify inmates/offenders riskto recidivate.OUTPUT1(a). Complete literature review.1(b). Make recommendations.2(a). Complete literature review.2(b). Make recommendations.TIMELINE12/15/200812/18/200812/15/200812/18/20083. Review existing OBIS risk/need system. 12/18/20084(a). Compare existing information againstvalidated risk/needs assessments.12/15/20084(b). Create 1 st generation RI. 1/8/20094(c). Test RI for predictability.4(d). Create 2 nd generation RI based dynamicplaceholders.1/29/200944

Chapter 3: Measuring Success4(e). Test RI-2 for predictability. 1/29/20094(f). Create 3 rd generation RI based on desireddynamic factors.2/10/20094(g). Pilot 3 rd generation RI for predictability. 9/15/20095. Incorporate evidence-basedpractices into new CorrectionalIntegrated Needs AssessmentSystem (CINAS).5(a). Develop plan for implementing changes tocurrent system.2/5/20095(b). Add 3 rd generation RI to system plan. 2/5/20095(c). Create factor scoring. 2/15/20095(d). Develop logic program. 2/25/20095(e). Submit CINAS requirements to OIT. 3/31/20096. OIT build CINAS program. 6. Build CINAS program. 8/31/20097. Pilot CINAS with sample ofinmate/offender population.7(a). Select sites. 9/1/20097(b). Train staff. 9/15/20097(c). Implement CINAS. 10/1/20097(d). Collect and analyze data. 11/15/20097(e). Revise if necessary. 12/1/20098. Launch CINAS. 8. System fully operational. 1/2/2010Objective 2: Ensure inmates are identified and placed in appropriate programslots.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Review and assess existingresources.2. Realign to effectively andefficiently meet the needs of thetargeted population.OUTPUT1. Complete review of current programavailability.2. Consolidate existing programs in centralizedlocations.TIMELINE9/15/20091/15/2010Objective 3: Increase the number of Re-Entry Centers/Dorms.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASUREOUTPUTTIMELINE1. Create Re-Entry Centers/Dorms. 1(a). Identify sites.1(b). Identify eligible target populations.1(c). Realign programming and staff to meetreentry mission.1(d). Open site.1(e). Move inmates into site.6/15/2009OngoingOngoingVariesOngoing45

Chapter 3: Measuring SuccessObjective 4: Create or enhance pre-release reentry services.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Review current literature andpractices to determine bestapproaches to programming andperformance outcomes.2. Provide inmates who do nothave GEDs with opportunities toenroll in academic educationprograms prior to release.3. Provide inmates who do nothave current economy-basedemployment skills withopportunities to secure career andtechnical education training priorto release.OUTPUT1(a). Complete review.1(b). Make recommendations.1(c). Develop plan to incorporate evidence-basedprograms.2(a) Submit legislative budget requests to securestate funding for additional academic teachers toincrease enrollment capacities.2(b). Revise academic needs scoring to prioritizeacademic placements for inmates within 5 yearsof release.2(c). Create monthly audit report to identifynoncompliance with priority ranking.2(d). Implement quarterly TABE, PreGED andGED testing program.2(e). Implement graduation ceremony for GEDgraduates and permit offenders’ families to attendwhen security requirements permit it.2(f). Establish volunteer literacy programs toenable inmates to secure academic instructionduring off-duty hours.2(g) Award 60 days of educational incentive gaintime to 85%’ers for securing a GED.2(h) Encourage and/or facilitate local educationagencies in establishing academic educationprograms.2(i) Ensure that students are available to attendclasses for at least 3 hours per day.2(i) Do not assign/transfer inmates who do nothave GEDs to institutions that do not haveacademic education programs.3(a) – Submit legislative budget requests tosecure state funding for additional vocationalteachers to increase enrollment capacities.3(b). Revise vocational needs scoring to prioritizevocational placements for inmates within 3 yearsof release.3(c). Create monthly audit report to identifynoncompliance with priority ranking.TIMELINEOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoing1/1/20109/1/2010 andmonthlythereafterOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoing1/1/20109/1/2009 andmonthlythereafter46

Chapter 3: Measuring Success4. Increase effectiveness of slotutilization by targeting inmatescloser to release for substanceabuse treatment.5. Enhance current ResourceDirectory (s) and develop webbasedutilization.3(d). Prioritize vocational training in fields the USDepartment of Labor and/or the Agency forWorkforce Innovation have identified as highdemand occupations in the State of Florida.3(e). Review current vocational programlocations and transfer programs to maximizeinmate participation based on vocational needsscore.3(f). Revise Work Assignment Technical Manualto eliminate barriers to enrollment.3(g) Ensure that students are available to attendclasses for at least 6 hours per day.3(h). Award 60 days of educational gain time to85%’ers for completing vocational program.3(i). Encourage and/or facilitate partnershipswith local education agencies, businesses, andindustry/trade associations in establishingvocational programs.3(j). Increase PRIDE program slots.3(k) Do not assign/transfer inmates who needvocational training to institutions that do not havevocational training programs.4(a). Adjust substance abuse priority rankingsystem from ranking inmates who are within 6 sixyears of release to ranking inmates within 3 yearsor less of release.4(b). Create monthly audit report to identifynoncompliance with priority ranking.5(a). Collect and verify current resource providerinformation.5(b). Create e-mail mailbox to collect serviceprovider information.5(c). Incorporate Community Corrections andOBIS directories into master list.5(d). Enter information into an acceptable formatfor web-based directory.5(e). Create web linkages to easy navigation.5(f). Create web-overlay pages to be used byRelease Officers in creation of InmateRelease/Transition Plan.5(g). Maintain resource provider information.AnnuallyAnnuallyOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoing1/15/20106/15/2009Ongoing6/15/20091/15/20101/15/2010Ongoing2/15/2010Ongoing47

Chapter 3: Measuring Success6. Complete and submit SSI/SSDIapplications for at least 90% ofinmates with severe and persistentmental illness and psychoticdisorders.7. For those inmates with mentalillnesses, schedule aftercareappointment for at least 95% ofinmates.8. Increase the number of Re-Entry Seminars provided.9. Revise and enhance the 100-Hour Transition Training Programcurriculum.6(a). Provide SSI/SSDI application training tomental health reentry staff.Ongoing6(b). Establish aftercare coordinators. 2/15/20106(c). Maintain relationships with SSA.Ongoing7(a). Establish aftercare coordinators. 2/15/20107(b). Maintain MOA with Department ofChildren & Families7(c). Foster supportive relationships withcommunity providers to improve aftercareplanning.8(a). Create service provider list.8(b). Train institution staff to provide local Re-Entry Seminars.8(c). Create partnerships with non-departmentalagencies/organizations to offer Re-EntrySeminars.8(d). Develop policy and procedures to allowwork release inmates to attend CommunityCorrection job fairs.8(e). Create OBIS code to track number ofinmates attending non-departmental andCommunity Corrections job fairs.OngoingOngoingOngoingOngoingOngoing1/15/20109/15/20099(a). Create and form focus groups. 9/15/20099(b). Compile information received from focusgroups.11/15/20099(c). Incorporate changes into curriculum. 1/10/20109(d). Train coordinators and facilitators in newcurriculum.2/15/20109(e). Create a self-study workbook. 6/15/20109(f). Provide instruction for self-study course. 8/1/20109(g). Update and enhance curriculum as needed.OngoingObjective 5: Coordinate efforts with state agencies whose responsibilitiesintersect with reentry.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Identify agencies that impactreentry.OUTPUT1(a). Review needs of exiting inmates.1(b). Determine corresponding agencies and theirservices.TIMELINEOngoingOngoing48

Chapter 3: Measuring Success2. Develop partnership agreementswith agencies that impact reentry.2(a). Determine what partnership agreements arecurrently in place.2(b). Determine what partnership agreementsare needed.2(c). Establish relationship with various agencies.2(d). Develop needed partnership agreements.3/1/20093/1/2009OngoingOngoingObjective 6: Partner with faith-based and other non-profit organizationsacross the state that are actively engaged in the continuum of providing neededservices to the targeted population.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Identify service providers thatimpact reentry.2. Develop partnership agreementswith service providers that impactreentry.OUTPUT1(a). Review needs of exiting inmates.1(b). Determine corresponding service providersand their services.2(a). Determine what partnership agreements arecurrently in place.2(b). Determine what partnership agreementsare needed.2(c). Establish relationship with various serviceproviders.2(d). Develop needed partnership agreements.TIMELINEOngoingOngoing9/1/200910/1/2009OngoingOngoingAdministrative Performance MeasuresObjective 1: Market and expand opportunities for media outlets to highlightand articulate the work of recidivism reduction.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Develop external reentryawareness.OUTPUT1(a). Create information sheet for Legislature onreentry.1(b). Create Helping Hands Handout forLegislature.1(c). Highlight reentry efforts on Departmentpublic website.TIMELINE1/9/20091/9/20092/28/20091(d). Create reentry handouts/ brochures. 3/15/20091(e). Hold DeMilly CI press conference. 3/20/20091(f). Develop and implement reentry survey toevaluate public perception.10/15/200949

Chapter 3: Measuring SuccessObjective 2: Increase legislative and public support for recidivism reductionefforts.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Shift legislative, judicial andpublic opinion to support reentryand justice reinvestment.2. Track progress and provideinput to the Correctional PolicyAdvisory Council.OUTPUT1. Continually update legislature and their staffthat reentry is a Department priority.TIMELINEOngoing2. Continually follow-up with key stakeholders. OngoingObjective 3: Maintain a well-trained and effective workforce.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Develop internal staff awarenessand training about reentry.OUTPUTTIMELINE1(a). Develop reentry video seminars. 12/15/20081(b). Incorporate reentry measures into staffperformance evaluations and positiondescriptions.2/1/20091(c). Create Office of Re-Entry Intranet website. 2/1/20091(d). Create a close management/protectivemanagement reentry video2/1/20091(e). Create reception video. 2/15/20091(f). Develop reentry logo, slogan, pamphlets andposters.3/1/20091(h). Create Secretary’s Leadership video. 6/1/20091(g). Create “Reality Re-Entry” section in theCompass.6/15/2009Objective 4: Foster partnerships to assist in providing prevention, interventionand diversionary services to at-risk individuals, offenders and ex-offenders.TASKS TO ACHIEVEMEASURE1. Increase the number and type ofdiversionary program available toJudges for alternative sentences.OUTPUT1(a). Advocate for statutory changes regardingalternative sentences.1(b). Target and meet with Judicial Circuits andoffer program alternatives.1(c). Update Probation and Restitution CentersDepartment Rule 33-504.101.1(d). Develop request for proposals for Probationand Restitution Centers services.TIMELINEOngoingOngoing9/15/2009Ongoing50

Chapter 4:ConclusionThe Florida Department of Correctionswill be the leader in coordinating andimplementing changes to improveinmates’ and offenders’ chances of livingcrime-free lives. The methods used toincrease public safety will be fact-based.Community Corrections and InstitutionalRecidivism Reduction approaches willwork in a coordinated fashion and will begiven equal weight. Both approaches willbe flexible and adaptable when changesoccur with the dynamics of either inmatesor offenders in the community.The Department, however, cannot be themajor catalyst in reducing recidivism inour communities. That responsibility willultimately rest with the individual.Comprehension of morality and valuesmust be instilled by families first, andthen supported by the communities inwhich they live. Adults who wait untiltheir children are older to guide themaway from drugs, crime and violence allowdelinquent peers to have more of aninfluence on their children’s decision tolive a life of crime.Gaining an understanding of personalresponsibility from accountable familymembers will increase our youth’schances of staying out of the criminaljustice system. This can only happen iffamily members step forward and take amore positive role in their children’supbringing. For those individuals whohave fallen, and are now a part of thecriminal justice system, positive familysupport and guidance will be necessary inorder to break the cycle of crime.Neighborhoods and communities mustalso set the right tone by not toleratingrepeat criminal behavior and beingsteadfast in their support of lawenforcement’s efforts to keep our sharedcommunities safe. Family members,community leaders, and Department staffcan offer assistance to individuals whohave had enough of the drugs, violenceand criminal actions that have led them totheir current plight. When an inmate oran offender fails, there will be support, butthat support will be contingent uponchange and accepting of personalresponsibility.The Department will increase its role byforming strong partnerships and attainingthe necessary support to get more inmatesand offenders linked to the necessarysupport resources they will need to besuccessful after they leave our system.However, it will be up to the individual totake the lessons they have learned, theskills they have earned, and to put them togood use back in their neighborhoods.Citizens’ support for reducing recidivismwill begin to build once our plan of actionbegins to show results. The taxpayers ofFlorida will demand a return for theirsupport and investment in recidivismreduction efforts, and that will occur bywitnessing less crime and a reduction inour rate of repeat criminal behavior. Thiswill be no easy feat, and must be realizedthrough our coordinated plan of action.We will continually highlight what stepsare being initiated and what programs areattaining successful results. Ourplanning, and subsequent performancemeasurements, will be keys to sustainingthe support necessary to ensure our workdoes not become just a temporarymeasure, but enduring crime prevention.51

Appendix A:Re-Entry Advisory CouncilIn June 2008, the FDC created the Re-Entry Advisory Council comprised of state and localleaders, representatives of relevant agencies, service providers, non profit organizations,and other key stakeholders. Chaired by Secretary Walter A. McNeil, the Council was taskedwith the development of a Re-Entry Strategic Plan that will guide the State of Florida(Appendix B). The goal of the Re-Entry Advisory Council was to develop and implement acoordinated and comprehensive continuum of care for those who need assistance tosuccessfully reintegrate back into society.The Council recommended policy and other changes leading to a coordinated effort that willprovide risk and needs assessments, support accountability and promote self-sufficiency,encourage family and community participation in the individual reentry process. It is alsotasked with examining ways to more efficiently use resources that promote lower recidivismrates for returning offenders.Secretary Walt McNeilChairVicki Lopez LukisVice-ChairRandy Ball forJerry McDanielRobert BlountNAMECatherine J. ChadeayneAllison DeFoorSenator Paula DockeryChairman Fred DunphyEmery Gainey forAttorney General Bill McCollumKevin GayRaeanne HanceOffice/TitleSecretaryFlorida Department of CorrectionsExecutive DirectorGirls Advocacy Project, Inc.CoordinatorPublic Safety UnitPresidentAbe Brown MinistriesRe-entry CoordinatorJacksonville Sheriff’s OfficeStatewide CoordinatorEarthbalanceSenatorFlorida SenateChairmanFlorida Parole CommissionDirector of Law Enforcement RelationsVictims Services & Criminal Justice ProgramsOffice of the Attorney GeneralExecutive DirectorOperation New Hope, Inc.Executive DirectorPrison Fellowship52

Appendix A: Re-Entry Advisory CouncilGretchen HowardNAMERepresentative Kurt KellyFrank KopczynskiThomas Lanahan IIIThe Honorable Steve LeifmanHenree MartinThe Honorable Melanie MayNewton SanonTom Pierce forSecretary George SheldonLois ScottBernadette WoodyOffice/TitlePresidentFlorida Network of Victim Witness ServicesRepresentativeFlorida House of RepresentativesChairmanPinellas Ex-Offender Re-entry Coalition (PERC)Community Job Development CoordinatorBroward Sheriff’s DepartmentAssociate Administrative JudgeSpecial Advisor on Criminal Justice & Mental HealthDeveloperDeveloper’s Realty & Investment Properties, IncJudgeFourth District Court of AppealExecutive DirectorOIC of Broward County, Inc.DirectorOffice on HomelessnessDepartment of Children and FamiliesManagerAgency for Workforce InnovationDirectorGainesville Housing Authority53

Appendix B:Re-Entry Advisory Council RecommendationsThe Re-Entry Advisory Council was comprised of four workgroups that met over severalmonths to develop key recommendations to guide development of the FDC’s RecidivismReduction Plan. In addition the Council provided recommendation that focused on victimissues, public relations/media and other important topics. Their recommendations areprovided below.Victim IssuesRecommendation 1: Increase victim safety through comprehensive inmate planning thatincludes victim issues.a. Provide introduction letters to all registered victims to include information about thestatus of the offender, the offender’s location, and the projected release date. Theletter should also include person(s) or agency(ies) to contact if they have questions orconcerns; protective order application and issuance; available medical and mentalhealth services; restitution; and conditions of the offender’s release.b. Develop procedures that allow the victim, at their request, a dialogue with an inmate.This should include utilizing trained staff and community volunteers to facilitate theprocess.c. Develop and implement a victim awareness program utilizing the NationalAssociation of Victim Assistance model.d. Develop partnerships with communities that provide inmates opportunities forsupportive services to reduce their chance of recidivism.Workgroup 1: Mental Health, Substance Abuse, and Co-Occurring DisordersRecommendation 2: Create sentencing structures and re-entry programs to moreeffectively transition offenders with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders fromprison to the community.a. Create new statutory provisions for re-entry supervision.b. Amend existing statutes to provide for modifications to conditional release eligibilityand drug offender probation.c. Create re-entry programs targeting individuals with mental illnesses in particular.Recommendation 3: Improve screening and assessment procedures, at reception, toensure early identification of inmates with mental health and/or substance abuse treatmentneeds.a. Utilize evidence-based procedures to screen inmates for mental illnesses and/orsubstance use disorders upon admission to the Department of Corrections.b. Utilize standardized referral mechanisms for follow-up mental health and/orsubstance abuse assessments and evaluations.c. Define procedures to develop comprehensive and individualized service plans basedon results of assessments and evaluations.54

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendationsd. Develop interagency information systems that will facilitate early identification ofinmates with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders, as well as continuityof care across treatment settings and systems, while preserving state and federalprivacy requirements.Recommendation 4: Provide inmates necessary pre- and post-release services to ensureadequate availability of appropriate mental health and/or substance abuse treatment.a. Implement specialized training for correctional staff targeting the unique needs andcircumstances of incarcerated individuals experiencing mental health and/orsubstance use disorders.b. Develop evidence-based and best practices programs that correspond to the assessedneeds of inmates with mental illness and/or substance use disorders.c. Provide ongoing review of individual service plans, to occur at least every six (6)months.d. Create a risk assessment screening tool to be administered six (6) months prior torelease for use in re-entry planning and placement determination.e. Ensure that treatment is received at the optimal time prior to the inmate’s reentryinto the community.f. Utilize a hotline assistance program to support offenders with substance abuse,mental health, and co-occurring disorders as the re-enter the community.Recommendation 5: Provide early and efficient linkages to community based servicesfor inmates with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders returning to thecommunity.a. Screen for history of benefits upon admission to the Department of Corrections totarget individuals who need benefits reinstated, as opposed to initially applied for,upon release.b. Begin the Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance(SSDI), and Medicaid benefit application process prior to release for all eligibleinmates.c. Provide assistance to inmates in completing applications necessary to access benefitsand services prior to release.d. Support efforts to “suspend” rather than “terminate” benefits for incarceratedindividuals to facilitate reinstatement upon release.e. Support efforts to establish programs to provide upfront gap funding for individualsawaiting approval of SSI/SSDI benefits, pre-screened to meet eligibility criteria.f. Provide inmates with access to consumer information and education regardingmental illnesses and/or substance use disorders and effective treatments so that theycan better understand and manage their illnesses.g. Employ the use of reentry support vouchers to allow offenders access to neededservices.55

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendationsh. Link offenders eligible for Veterans services with the appropriate facility and ensurenecessary paperwork is completed as part of the transition plan.Recommendation 6: Reduce recidivism by supporting the creation of additionaltreatment capacity targeted to serve offenders with mental illnesses and/or substance usedisorders.a. Increase the number of inmates and offenders who receive comprehensive mentalhealth and/or substance abuse treatment prior to release from prison or completionof their term of community supervision by funding and increasing the number ofavailable treatment slots/beds.b. Increase community-based re-entry service capacity to provide mental health and/orsubstance abuse treatment and support services immediately upon release fromprison.c. Support efforts to create a system of post-release “follow-up” for inmates withmental illnesses and/or substance use disorders returning to the community toensure successful linkages to and ongoing engagement in necessary services andsupports, including but not limited to, housing, medications, treatment, and casemanagement.d. Upon passage and implementation of the Supreme Court Mental Health Initiative(see Recommendation 8 below), ensure that all inmates with serious mental illnessesor co-occurring serious mental illnesses and substance use disorders, who meetprogram criteria, are released to placements that provide enhanced levels of servicesand supports.e. Support efforts to expand the use of clubhouses using the International Center forClubhouse Development (ICCD) model.f. Increase the number of peer-led support groups to address health, mental health,substance abuse and co-occurring disorders.Recommendation 7: Increase available funding for mental health and substance abusetreatment through the Criminal Justice Mental Health and Substance Abuse ReinvestmentAct.a. Expand the use of, and increase appropriations for, grant programs to include reentryinitiatives specifically targeted for felony offenders on community supervisionor felony offenders released from prison.b. Appropriate funds for grants to plan, implement and enhance holistic re-entryinitiatives that include mental health treatment, substance abuse treatment,education, vocation and transition programming for felony offenders/inmates.Recommendation 8: Reduce parole/probation violations and recommitments to prisonby expanding and enhancing community supervision for offenders with mental illnessesand/or substance abuse disorders, and reducing barriers to compliance with and successfultermination of parole/probation.a. Increase drug offender, and create mental health, probation officers.56

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendationsb. Support efforts to implement specialized probation officers with reduced case loads,trained specifically to monitor the needs of ex-offenders with mental illnesses and/orsubstance abuse disorders.c. Train all probation officers on appropriate re-entry evidenced-based and bestpractices initiatives and incorporate training as an annual requirement.d. Support efforts to implement local mapping strategies to identify communities wherelarge numbers of parolees and probationers reside, to ensure the availability andaccessibility of parole/probation offices.e. Develop interagency information systems that will facilitate information sharing,while preserving state and federal privacy requirements.Recommendation 9: Support efforts to implement recommendations from the SupremeCourt of Florida Mental Health Initiative to ensure effective and sustainable communitybasedsystem of mental health and substance abuse treatment (Mental Health:Transforming Florida’s Mental Health System, November 14, 2007).a. Support efforts to focus on individuals entering the forensic mental health system,and divert those not presenting significant public safety risks to less expensivecommunity-based services incorporating enhanced levels of services for individualswith mental illnesses or co-occurring mental illnesses and substance use disorders.b. Support efforts to develop collaborations between communities, jails, the prisonsystem, and state mental health facilities to support community re-entry.c. Support efforts to reinvest general revenue appropriations allocated to the stateforensic system into community-based mental health and substance abuse servicestargeting individuals at risk of criminal justice system involvement.d. Support efforts to create incentives to prevent individuals from inappropriatelyentering the justice system, and to quickly respond to individuals who do becomeinvolved in the justice system.e. Support efforts to establish a Statewide Leadership Group to provide administrativeoversight and facilitate technical assistance with the development of state and localplans.HealthRecommendation 10: Develop a continuum of care for inmates transitioning back intothe community with complex medical issues.a. Develop a process that will assist acute and/or chronic medically ill inmates withaftercare placement.b. Develop a comprehensive discharge plan for inmates with acute and/or chronicmedical illness who are difficult to place due to their offense and are within six (6)months of end of sentence.c. Provide case manager(s) for each region of the state to assist institutions with releasemanagement of those inmates with complex medical issues.d. Expand the Department of Health and Department of Corrections interagencyagreement to provide HIV-STD services to inmates while incarcerated.57

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendationse. Identify and develop a directory of health organizations in the community to providereferral resources.Workgroup 2: Education, Vocation & Post-Release EmploymentEducationRecommendation 11: Increase the number of General Educational Development (GED)certificates received by inmates.a. Develop a plan to determine which inmates have education levels below the ninthgrade requirement so as they can participate in GED programs.b. Expand the Department of Corrections Reading Initiative to inmates with a TABEscore of seventh grade or lower.VocationRecommendation 12: Improve the number of post-release employment opportunitiesthrough pre-release vocational programming.a. Develop a vocational training plan that correlates with those professions included inthe Agency for Workforce Innovation labor market studies.b. Provide vocational assessments at intake that identify appropriate placement invocational programming as early as possible.Recommendation 13: Align PRIDE mission with the Florida Department of CorrectionsRe-Entry Strategic Plan.a. Research educational/vocational training programs throughout the country toascertain if PRIDE is the best provider for these services.b. Request the Legislature to review the PRIDE Vocational Training program todetermine whether it best suits the needs of Florida.c. Complete assessment of PRIDE products to determine how to best market theproducts produced.d. Develop programs to increase sales of PRIDE products to State Agencies in Florida.e. Increase the number of inmates that participate in PRIDE programs.f. Support expansion of the PRIDE transition program.g. Support legislation to amend PRIDE statutes to transfer PIE certificates to theDepartment of Corrections.Post-Release EmploymentRecommendation 14: Increase the number of successful post-release employmentplacements.a. Enhance partnerships with Florida’s workforce system and develop partnershipswith employers to provide pre-release support and preparation.b. Obtain statutory authority to empower the Department of Corrections to issue valididentification cards to all released inmates, which would be acceptable to other StateAgencies.58

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendationsc. Assist inmates with obtaining Florida Identification Cards and Social Security Cardsprior to release.d. Assist inmates with job search and placement prior to release.e. Provide inmates and potential employers with Federal Bonding and Tax Creditinformation.f. Amend Florida Statutes that address statutory requirements and authority forimposing restoration of rights requirements for public employment and licensure.g. Enact a law that defines a proper screening process for applicants with a criminalhistory to provide public safety while affording offenders employment opportunities.h. Develop partnerships with Florida’s Community College system to secure vocationaltraining and potential financial aid for ex-offenders.Recommendation 15: Increase the number of inmate’s eligible for Work Release.a. Review Work Release eligibly criteria and modify if appropriate so as more inmateshave the opportunity to participate in Work Release.b. Increase the number of available Work Release beds to accommodate the number ofeligible inmates.c. Develop work release centers in communities in which the greatest numbers exoffendersreturn home.Workgroup 3: Criminal Thinking & Mentoring WorkgroupCriminal ThinkingRecommendation 16: Develop a mandatory minimum standard for the 100-HourTransition Training program and alternative programs.a. Provide information regarding Criminal Thinking tenets to community-basedorganizations involved in ex-offender transitional services.b. Include a mandatory component of Criminal Thinking to the 100-Hour TransitionTraining program and alternative programs.MentoringRecommendation 17: Expand faith- and character-based institutions and/or dorms, tothe maximum extent possible.Recommendation 18: Develop Departmental policy that incorporates mentors into thepre-release planning for inmates.a. Improve the coordination and communication between FDC staff and mentors toensure post-release planning goals are approved and supported.b. Develop a Departmental policy that limits transfers, when possible, for inmatesparticipating in a Mentor Program.c. Develop a Departmental policy that establishes a statewide timeframe for allowingvolunteers and mentors into the institutions (i.e., any policy would be dependent onavailable staff to escort inmates safely to program areas).59

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendationsd. Revise Departmental policy to allow former inmates to mentor and be used asmotivational speakers to current inmates, as is the case with the FloridaInternational University (FIU) Transition Program.Recommendation 19: Establish a Faith-Based Consortium to coordinate mentors forinmates and offenders reentering the community.Workgroup 4: Housing, Offender Supervision / Programs & Civil RightsRestoration WorkgroupCivil Rights RestorationRecommendation 20: Reduce the timeframe for processing Restoration of Civil Rightscases (RCR).a. Request additional positions to address the pending RCR cases.b. Network with Universities and Community Colleges to utilize interns for additionalassistance in processing RCR cases.c. Disseminate RCR information and provide training to county jails, CommunityCorrections field offices, community-based organizations, and federal, state andcounty agencies.d. Restore funding for two bilingual employees to answer the RCR toll free number.SupervisionRecommendation 21: Increase the percentage of offenders who successfully completesupervision.a. Revise FDC procedures to include early termination criteria similar to provisions inSection 948.04, Florida Statutes. Use early termination and reduced reportingrequirements to the court or Parole Commission as incentives for offenders to complywith conditions of supervision.b. Expand existing programs (i.e. Probation and Restitution Center, Day ReportingCenters, other community programs) to incorporate non-residential services toprovide the judiciary a means to address offenders who do not require residentialservices, but may need other programming.c. Train all Community Corrections staff and selected community-based organizations onMotivational Interviewing techniques.d. Increase information sharing between community-based programs and FDC relatingto offenders under supervision and ex-offenders.e. Implement an Individualized Supervision Plan (ISP) for all offenders who are admitted tosupervision.f. Measure ISP completion as it relates to the outcome of supervision and identify the keyelements necessary for successful reintegration.Recommendation 22: Propose legislation that authorizes probation/parole officers toemploy/impose graduated sanctions in lieu of filing a violation of probation/parole.60

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council RecommendationsHousingRecommendation 23: Increase housing resources available for offenders on supervisionand/or ex-offenders.a. Request funding for additional 300 beds in Faith- and Character-Based ResidentialPrograms.b. Expand FDC outreach to include a variety of Faith Based Organizations to provideresidential programming.c. Request funding for a pilot project to develop a re-entry strategy with communitiesthat have the most need for ex-offender housing by collaborating with State, County,and community agencies.d. Conduct a study to identify barriers to housing for ex-offenders (e.g., including upfrontcosts, rent subsidies, exclusionary housing policies, and mental and physicaldisabilities) and provide recommendations to eliminate those barriers.e. Conduct a study on the impact of housing restrictions for sex offenders andrecommend solutions.f. Enact a law that establishes residency distance limitations for sex offenders whichsupersedes those included in any municipal or county ordinances.ProgramsRecommendation 24: Develop and implement to ensure a seamless and successfultransition/re-entry system for offenders under supervision and ex-offenders.a. Provide evidence based transition/re-entry programs that foster personal growth,accountability, self-reliance, education, treatment, life skills, work place skills, andthe maintenance of family and community relationships.b. Develop and strengthen formal partnerships with state, county, and communitystakeholders to coordinate re-entry efforts and provide a linkage for inmates prior torelease.c. Establish virtual case managers that will be available, via phone or e-mail, to assistthe ex-offenders with specific questions regarding services in their community.Recommendation 25: Establish programs that increase pre-release family involvementincluding connections with children of the incarcerated.a. Develop a procedure at intake for those inmates with current child support ordersthat will allow them to suspend / modify child support obligations duringincarceration.b. Consolidate debt, fines and fees (along with child support) into reasonable paymentschedules.i. Consider revising the Court Ordered Payment System to permit paymentsupon on conclusion of regular supervision period for costs other thanrestitution, which should be paid prior to end of supervision.61

Appendix B: Re-Entry Advisory Council Recommendationsii.Establish an advisory role with the courts to share employment challengesthat ex-offenders face that prohibit them from paying substantial awards thatcreate false hope to victims of re-payment.c. Develop a set of correctional and re-entry results and a set of outcomes to measuresystems performance.Recommendation 26: Improve and maintain the Computer Assisted Reception Process(CARP) and Inmate Based Information System (OBIS) that assesses inmates fortransition/re-entry program needs and assign inmates accordingly.Public Relations / Community EducationRecommendation 27: Educate the public regarding offender needs during re-entry, and thevalue of community support to impact public safety, save tax dollars, and reduce recidivism.Recommendation 28: Coordinate and encourage FDC staff to participate in: Statewide, City orCounty re-entry coalitions or task forces, neighborhood crime watch meetings, local lawenforcement intelligence meetings, and criminal justice coordinating council meetings to discussreentry issues, offender issues and ways to prevent crime.Recommendation 29: Educate State and Local leaders to obtain and or enhance their supportfor re-entry programs.OtherRecommendation 30: Establish regional Re-Entry Centers to provide comprehensivetransitional services, including, but not limited to, faith- and character-based components.Recommendation 31: Restore funding for Transition Assistant Specialists (TAS) at eachinstitution to ensure coordination and continuity of re-entry services.i. Require TAS to provide specified resources and assistance to inmates being releasedto the community. Inmates preparing to return to the community need extensiveassistance with valid identification, employment skills, education skills, jobplacement, food, clothes, housing, appropriate medical/mental health care,substance abuse treatment along with many other vital links to the community atlarge.Recommendation 32: Support efforts to reduce the effect of court associated fees onindividuals re-entering their community.a. Support a proposal that would impose a moratorium on new court fees levied againstcriminal defendants until their impact on reentry is fully understood.b. Support a proposal that permits a waiver of financial obligations based onindigence.c. Support a proposal that limits the use of driver’s license suspension to enforce courtdebt obligations.62

1 Florida Department of Corrections. (2009) Bureau of Research and Data Analysis2Florida Department of Corrections. (2009) Bureau of Research and Data Analysis3 Office of Program Policy Analysis and Government Accountability. (1995). Policy Review of Reincarceration inFlorida’s Prisons. Report No. 95-06, September 1995.4 Jeremy Travis, Amy Solomon and Michelle Ward, “From Prison to Home, The Dimensions and Consequences ofPrison Reentry,” June 2001, Washington D.C., The Urban Institute, p. 6.2 OPPAGA Report: Higher Priority Should Be Given to Transition Services to Reduce Inmate Recidivism, Report No.07-17, February 2007.6 OPPAGA Report: Policy Review of Inmate Idleness Reduction Activities Administered by the Department ofCorrections, Report No. 95-27, January 1996.7 OPPAGA Report: Review of the Department of Corrections, Report No. 00-23, December 2000, Revised April 2001.3 OPPAGA Report: Alternative Placements for the Correctional Education Program Would Be More Costly, ReportNo. 08-16, March 2008.4 OPPAGA Progress Report: Corrections Program Still Challenged by Inmate Idleness, Prison Planning, and FleetMaintenance, Report No. 04-60, August 20045 MGT of America, Agency-Wide Operational Analysis Summary, at 3-8.11Travis, J., Solomon, A. & Waul, M. (2001). From Prison to Home. Urban Institute Justice Policy CenterWashington, DC. Retrieved from http://www.urban.org/pdfs/from_prison_to_home.pdf12Florida Senate: Committee on Criminal Justice. (2008). Breaking the Cycle of Crime: The Department ofCorrections and Re-Entry Programming. Issue Brief 2009-313.13Ibid.14Ibid.15 Cullen, F.T., & Gendreau, P. (2001). From nothing works to what works: Changing professional ideology in the 21 stcentury. The Prison Journal, 81(3), 312-337.16 Cullen, F.T., & Gendreau, P. (2001). From nothing works to what works: Changing professional ideology in the 21 stcentury. The Prison Journal, 81(3), 312-337.17 MacKenzie, D.L. (2000). Evidence-based corrections: Identifying what works. Crime & Delinquency, 46, 457-471.18Ibid.19 Florida Department of Corrections, Office of Re-Entry FY2007-08 Community Substance Abuse Programs FactSheet20Bureau of Substance Abuse (2008). In-Prison Fact Sheet, Substance Abuse FY2007-08. Florida Department ofCorrections.21 Gaes, G.G. et al (1999). Adult Correctional Treatment, in Michael Tonry and Joan Petersilia (eds.), Prisons.Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.22 OPPAGA Report: Higher Priority Should Be Given to Transition Services to Reduce Inmate Recidivism, ReportNo. 07-17, February 2007; OPPAGA Report: Alternative Placements for the Correctional Education Program WouldBe More Costly, Report No. 08-16, March 2008; OPPAGA Progress Report: Corrections Program Still Challenged byInmate Idleness, Prison Planning, and Fleet Maintenance, Report No. 04-60, August 2004Gaes, G.G. et al. (1999).Adult Correctional Treatment, in Michael Tonry and Joan Petersilia (eds.), Prisons Chicago, IL: University of ChicagoPress; Hull, K.A. et al. (2000). Analysis of Recidivism Rates for Participants of the Academic/Vocational/TransitionEducation Programs Offered by the Virginia Department of Correctional Education. Journal of CorrectionalEducation, 51(2): 256-61; Adams, K. et al. (2001). A Large-Scale Multidimensional Test of the Effect of PrisonEducation on Prisoners' Behavior. The Prison Journal, 74(4): 433-449.23Wilson, D, Gallagher, C. and MacKenzie, D. (2001). A Meta-Analysis of Corrections-Based Education, Vocation, andWork Programs for Adult Offenders. Journal of Research in Crime and Delinquency, 37: 347-68.24 Bushway, S. (2003). Re-entry and Prison Work Programs (paper presented at the Urban Institute's Re-entryRoundtable; Hull, K.A. et al. (2000). Analysis of Recidivism Rates for Participants of theAcademic/Vocational/Transition Education Programs Offered by the Virginia Department of Correctional Education.Journal of Correctional Education (51)2: 256-61; Steurer, S., Smith, L. and Tracy, A. (2001). Three-State RecidivismStudy. Lanham, MD: Correctional Educational Association.25Ibid.26OPPAGA. (2007). Higher Priority Should Be Given to Transition Services to Reduce Inmate Recidivism. Office ofthe Florida Legislature. Report No. 07-17.27Washington Department of Corrections. (2007). Offenders in Work Release Less Likely to Re-Offend, Study Finds.Retrieved from http://www.doc.wa.gov/news/pressreleases/2007/OffendersinWorkReleaseLessLikelytoRe-OffendStudyFinds1203.asp63

28 Navetta, L. (1994). Larger Jail Network Bulletin. 1994 Annual Issue. Retrieved fromhttp://www.nicic.org/pubs/1994/period108.pdf29 Marta Nelson and Jennifer Trone, (2000). Why Planning for Release Matters. New York: Vera Institute of Justice.30 Francis T. Cullen and Paul Gendreau. (2001). "From Nothing Works to What Works: Changing ProfessionalIdeology in the 21st Century," Prison Journal 81 no. 3: 313-338; Robert Ross and Paul Gendreau (eds.), Effectivecorrectional treatment (Toronto: Butterworths Publishing, 1980); Paul Gendreau and Robert Ross,” Revivification ofRehabilitation: Evidence from the 1980s," Justice-Quarterly 4, no. 3 (1987): 349-408.31 Ibid.32 Lori Golden. (2002) Evaluation of the Efficacy of a Cognitive Behavioral Program for Offenders on Probation:Thinking for a Change Dallas: University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center; citing Steve Aos et al., TheComparative Costs and Benefits of Programs to Reduce Crime: A Review of National Research Findings withImplications for Washington State (Washington State Institute for Public Policy, 1999), doc. no. 99-05-1202.33Florida Statues, Section 944.012(6)(e)34 Florida Statues, Section 944.09(4)(e)35 Office of Program Policy Analysis & Government Accountability. (2007) Department of Corrections Zero TolerancePolicy Increases Offender Scrutiny But Is Not Based on Risk to Public Safety. Report No. 07-13.36Miller, W.R. & Rollnick, S. (2002). Motivational Interviewing: Preparing People for Change. New York: TheGuilford Press.37 Levenson, Jill. (2005). Sex Offender Residence Restrictions: A Report to the Florida Legislature.http://www.nacdl.org/sl_docs.nsf/issues/sexoffender_attachments/$FILE/Levinson_FL.pdf38 Ibid.39 Andrews, D.A., Bonta, J., and J.S. Wormith (2006) The Recent Past and Near Future of Risk and/or NeedAssessment. Crime & Delinquency 52:140 Taxman, F.S. & M Thannner (2006) Risk, Need, and Responsivity (RNR): It all depends. Crime & Delinquency 52:141 It is important to note that the Risk part of Risk and Needs refers to institutional risk, used in the management ofthe inmate population. It is different from the RNR risk, which is an inmate or offender’s risk to recidivate.42 Joplin, L., Bogue, B., Campbell, V., Carey, M., Clawson, E., Faust, D., Florio, K., Wasson, B., and W. Woodward.(2004) Using an Integrated Model to Implement Evidence-based Practices in Corrections. International CommunityCorrections Association and American Correctional Association.64