Prison problems continue, as Senators hear of significant staff shortfalls

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Criminal and Civil Justice is hearing a familiar message of recurrent resource deficiencies in Florida’s prison system. And the gap between needs and money to address them will present problems for the foreseeable future.

Corrections Secretary Ricky Dixon told Senators of “staffing challenges” even amid “historical support in the last few years.”

“Massive turnover” is an issue, with roughly 27,000 inmates coming in and out of the system annually, Dixon said.

The 88,000 inmates in the system are up 8,000 since January 2021, but staff levels are roughly flat at 24,000, leading to the opening of 53 housing units “on the backs of existing officers and additional overtime,” supplemented by National Guard troops that will be repurposed later this year.

Another 3,000 inmates are expected in the next couple of years, further exacerbating overtime issues.

Education buildings have opened up, Dixon said, but with security brought over from housing units. The problems are especially acute in North Florida and the Panhandle, with traveling staff brought in to deal with shortages.

Tenure, or lack thereof, is also an issue.

“Fifty-eight percent of our staff have less than two years experience. Seventy percent have less than three years. The inmates have more experience than the officers,” Dixon said.

Post-COVID offenders are more violent than those from before the pandemic, which requires a more “intense” staffing, Dixon said.

And man hours are up 93% since 2019 for hospitalization of inmates, further increasing overtime hours.

“We are at a fork in the road,” Dixon added.

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