'85 percent' jail-time law too costly

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http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/pop/facility/index.html

With the retirement of Michael Moore, finding a qualified replacement to be secretary of the Florida Department of Corrections will be a most difficult task. Secretary Moore has had to work under the wrong directives. It was thought that making felons serve more of their sentences would be a deterrent to crime; instead it has cost many millions of dollars, and Florida is faced with one of the highest recidivism rates in the nation. This policy is not working.

The 85 percent law is draining Florida's budget. For every extra year that an inmate is incarcerated, it costs taxpayers an additional $24,000. Research and statistics show that money used in education and rehabilitation will reduce the overall cost, by reducing the return to crime; adversely, additional years in prison increase the probability of recidivism, especially among our young adults.

I applaud Jeb Bush for enacting the law that stopped the flood of juvenile offenders from being placed in adult prisons. They will have a better chance at a productive future.
However, the current budget cuts are taking a heavy toll on the young adults trying to survive incarceration.

The educational departments and programs have been slashed, vocational and job training programs have been cut, drug programs have been nearly eliminated, there is overcrowding due to the 85 percent law, and there is a shortage of things like underclothing and toilet paper. Services are diminished, from the amount and quality of food to the morale of officers, staff and prisoners, and the availability of dental and mental- health care for prisoners. There is little preparation and help for an inmate's return to society, making it more likely he or she will return.

Other states are questioning the application of this law and acknowledging that it hasn't worked. Citizens haven't been told this plan is an expensive failure.

Randy & Marlene Nolte
The writers are, respectively, headmaster and director of the StarCoast-Academy in Bradenton, whose correspondence secondary and post-secondary education programs include assisting inmates.

Last modified: December 06. 2002 12:00AM