Florida Department of Corrections

History

Governor Harrison Reed established Florida's first penitentiary in 1868 at the U.S. arsenal property at Chattahoochee (later the Florida State Hospital). The two-story brick building was originally the officer’s quarters of the Chattahoochee Arsenal before becoming Florida’s first prison. The building was previously the officer’s quarters of the Chattahoochee Arsenal and had also been used to muster confederate troops during the Civil War. At first, the prison was governed as a military operation under the supervision of the Florida Adjutant General. In 1871, the state legislature passed a law making the prison a civil organization rather than a military post. The Warden was paid $6 a day while watchmen were paid $2 a day. In 1877, supervision of inmates was placed under the control of the Commissioner of Agriculture. In 1895, the legislature passed a law allowing the Governor to appoint the first prison inspector at $125 per month.

Convict leasing system

Governor George Franklin Drew took office in January of 1877 and found the state in deep debt from Reconstruction. The Governor argued that prisoners should be economic assets to the state, beginning the convict lease system. Under this system, prisoners were leased to private corporations and individuals to work for them. The state was paid a fee from the leases and the private corporation or individual had to clothe, feed, house and provide medical care for the prisoner.

The program was initially very popular. People wanted criminals to be punished for their actions and earn their keep while incarcerated. Additionally, it was commonly believed at the time that hard work served as a deterrent against future crimes. The practice started slowly and became increasingly popular in the late 19th century as demand for cheap labor grew and because most people were unaware of the conditions and treatment of inmates in the convict lease system.

Main Article: Martin Tabert

In December of 1921, 22-year-old Martin Tabert was arrested in Leon County for vagrancy. Tabert was ordered to pay $25 or spend three months at hard labor. His family immediately sent him $25 plus an additional $25 so he could return home, but through mishandling, the Leon County court never received the money. Tabert was sent to the Putnam Lumber Company in Dixie County as a part of the convict lease system, where he worked in the swamps cutting and clearing timber. In his time working for the Putnam Lumber Company, Tabert was subjected to physical abuse by the whipping boss, Walter Higginbotham, on a daily basis. When Tabert could no longer work due to injury and exhaustion, Higginbotham propped him up on his swollen feet and flogged him an estimated 50 times with a 5-foot leather strap. Tabert died that night.

In the aftermath of his death, Tabert's parents brought the case to the attention of those in charge in Tallahassee. The story gained national newspaper coverage and Higginbotham was tried for first-degree murder, but he was later acquitted. The Florida legislature immediately ordered a joint House-Senate committee to investigate Tabert's death and conduct a thorough investigation of all convict camps where cruelty had been charged. In a 31–1 vote held on April 20, 1923, the convict lease system was officially abolished. About a month later, the Senate passed a bill prohibiting the use of corporal punishment on county convicts. Governor Cary Hardee signed both bills into law.

Leadership of Leonard Chapman

In 1932, Leonard Chapman was appointed as the new warden at the State Prison Farm in Raiford, Florida. Chapman held this position for 25 years and implemented numerous reforms. Under his leadership, he introduced changes concerning improved health services, education, working habits, and contact with the community. Chapman forbade the word "convict" and instead encouraged the use of the term "inmate" for those in custody. He also introduced staff uniforms and grade school, including courses in carpentry, millwork, and plumbing. Solid barriers are also replaced by Chain-link fences so that inmates could see the outside world. By the end of the 1930s, horizontally striped inmate uniforms are also discontinued and all institutions are equipped with plumbing systems and electricity. In 1936, all wardens began fingerprinting inmates upon entry.

Florida Parole and Probation Commission

In 1941, an amendment to the Florida Constitution established the Florida Parole and Probation Commission (today the Florida Commission on Offender Review). The commission was created due to the limitations of the pardon system and was given the responsibility for granting paroles, supervising state probationers and parolees, and providing investigative services to the courts. The commission, consisting of a three-member board, replaced the existing State Board of Pardons, which had been previously chaired by the Governor. For the first time in the history of the United States, the Merit System was used to select the members of the commission.

World War II support

To aid the United States' war effort during World War II, inmates addressed and mailed ration books to Florida citizens. Additionally, they contributed $12,000 toward the purchase of war bonds. During this time period, the prison population significantly decreased as crime rates also decreased during the war. Several staff members were also called into military service, and the war contributed to some difficulty in securing materials needed in the operation of the state's prisons. In 1945, the use of leg irons for inmates as a form of discipline was prohibited.

Evolution into the Division of Corrections

In 1957, Governor LeRoy Collins, the State legislature, and correctional staff worked together to overhaul the state’s corrections system. As a result, the legislature enacted five major proposals totaling over $18 million. The most significant change resulting from the new Correctional Code was the establishment of the Division of Corrections, a centralized authority to oversee the entirety of the state’s corrections system. R.O. Culver was appointed as the first Director beginning on July 1, 1957. Under his leadership and the new Correctional Code, the general philosophy shifted from punishment to correction and rehabilitation. Also in this year, the first Classification Staff were hired at Florida State Prison and a card system for inmate records was implemented. The next year, the use of sweat boxes was prohibited as a form of punishment.

On July 2, 1959, H.G. Cochran, Jr. was appointed to succeed Culver as Director of the Division of Corrections. During his tenure, the state’s corrections system continued to modernize and introduce more professional practices. In 1959, the first Transition Officers were hired to help inmates with placement after they were released. In 1960, a new six-digit numbering system to identify inmates was implemented. In 1961, the official newsletter for the Division of Corrections, the Correctional Compass, debuted. Also that year, complete control of the state’s Road Prison operation was transferred from the State Road Department to the Division of Corrections.

Death Row Operations

Male inmates on death row are housed at either the Florida State Prison or Union Correctional Institution, while female inmates on death row are housed at the Lowell Correctional Institution Annex. At some point the Broward Correctional Institution housed female death row inmates, but the female death row was moved to the Lowell Annex in February 2003. Unlike other prisoners, inmates on death row wear orange over shirts but still wear the same blue trousers worn by other inmates.

Florida administers executions by electric chair or lethal injection. The three-legged electric chair was constructed from oak by Department of Corrections personnel in 1998 and was installed at Florida State Prison in Starke in 1999. The executioner is a private citizen who is paid $150 per execution. State law allows for his or her identity to remain anonymous.

Inmate population statistics

Pursuant to F.S. 944.151(3), the Department of Corrections must annually report their maximum capacity, current population, and condition of their facilities' infrastructure to identify specific needs, if any, to the state legislature and the Governor.

Demographics

As of June 30, 2022, 93.6% of inmates in Florida were male and 6.4% were female. Of the male inmates, 48.5% were black, 38% were white, and 13% were Hispanic. Of the female inmates, 63.8% were white, 28.4% were black, and 0.7% were Hispanic.

Recidivism

The Florida Department of Corrections defines recidivism as a return to prison, as the result of either a new conviction or a violation of post-prison supervision, within three years of their prison release date. The Department began releasing annual recidivism reports in 2012. According to the Department's most recent report, the recidivism rate for the 2019 release cohort was 21.2%.

Juveniles

As of October 2023, there were between 50 and 60 inmates under the age of 17 in the custody of the Department of Corrections. Female juvenile delinquents are housed at Lowell Correctional Institution and males at Suwannee Correctional Institution.

Budget

According to the 2023 Criminal Justice Impact Conference, it costs approximately $28,855 per year to incarcerate an inmate in Florida. This includes $2.32 per day for 2,800 calorie meals. According to §960.293, Florida Statutes, inmates may be charged $50 for every day of their sentence or $250,000 for a life sentence.

2011 budget cuts

In first quarter 2011, the State of Florida announced the closing of 6 institutions in order to save up to $30 million. Three prisons, two bootcamps, and a road prison were closed. Brevard Correctional Institution, which is a youthful offender prison, Lowell Boot Camp, a youthful offender female boot camp, Sumter Basic Training Unit, a youthful offender male boot camp, Hendry Correctional Institution, the female prison Hillsborough Correctional Institution, and Tallahassee Road Prison were the institutions that were closed. No inmates were released as a result of the closing, and the employees of the closing institutions were offered jobs at other prisons. The institutions began moving inmates on April 1, 2011, and finished as of June 30, 2011. Hillsborough Correctional Institution and Sumter BTU were not closed.

Governor Rick Scott ordered a second group of prisons to be closed. The Department stated that aside from the financial reasons, they were being closed due to a declining prison population. The following prisons were closed:

Broward Correctional Institution

Demilly Correctional Institution

Gainesville Correctional Institution

Hillsborough Correctional Institution (large amount of pleas caused closing to be postponed after the initial announcement)

Indian River Correctional Institution

New River Correctional Institution (both units)

River Junction Work Camp

Caryville Work Camp

Hendry Work Camp

Levy Forestry Camp

Staffing

As of June 30, 2022, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) had a total of 23,525 employees. The department had 17,498 certified criminal justice officers in institutions or probation/parole offices. Florida Correctional Officers start at $48,620. Recruits are paid while they attend recruit training, and Officers can transfer anywhere in the State with FDC. Opportunities include K9 Team, Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT), Rapid Response Team (RRT), and Institutional Inspectors.

The Florida Department of Corrections is constantly hiring to fill its ranks due to retirements, and turnovers. Due to staffing shortages after the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Florida National Guard was brought in to fill vacancies at institutions across the state. Governor Ron DeSantis initially issued the order in 2022, but he extended it four times. The National Guard stayed until the summer of 2025, when it was announced that staffing levels at the Department had reached a stable level.

Ranks, insignia, and uniforms

In 2017, Florida Corrections Officers changed the traditional Light Brown shirts and dark brown trousers to Gray shirts and black trousers. The polo shirt was discontinued and FDC went back to gray button up shirts with breathable backs. In 2020 the polo shirts with embroidered badges and names were again authorized in a dark gray for Officers and Sergeants, and white for Lieutenants and Captains.

Agency Administration and Organization

Agency Administration

The Department is led by Secretary Richard Comerford, who has held the position since July of 2026. Comerford was previously Deputy Secretary, but the position is currently vacant. The Chief of Staff is Michelle Glady, the General Counsel is Dan Johnson, and the Inspector General is Kenneth Sumpter.

Agency Organization

The Department is organized into four regions that cover the entirety of the state. Each region has its own director to manage operations within their jurisdiction. Within each region, jurisdictions are further organized into circuit offices, of which there are 20 in the state. These circuits align with the state's twenty judicial circuits. All offices report to the Central Office in Tallahassee, which provides support, policy, and oversight through the regional directors and their staff to all the facilities.. The Department directly oversees 135 facilities statewide, including 49 major institutions, 16 annexes, 7 contractor operated facilities, 28 work camps, 2 re-entry centers, 2 road prisons/forestry camps, 1 basic training camp, 9 FDC operated work release centers along with 21 work-release centers operated by various private vendors. As of October 1, 2023, these contracts are executed and managed by the Department.

The headquarters of the agency are in the Doyle Carlton Building in downtown Tallahassee, known as Central Office. Some offices are in the Southwood Office Complex in Tallahassee. In 2011, the department moved into its current headquarters and office buildings. The Department's headquarters were previously at 2601 Blair Stone Road in Tallahassee.

Fallen officers

Since the establishment of the Florida Department of Corrections, 39 correctional officers have died in the line of duty. Corrections Officers are frequently placed in dangerous situations where officers have lost lives. The Department has a standing memorial to officers who have died in the line of duty at the Wakulla Correctional Institution where the names of the fallen are carved into the memorial.

Criticism

There have been several recorded cases of corruption and prisoner abuse in the Florida Department of Corrections.

In 2007, the state faced lawsuits alleging "excessive as well as 'malicious and sadistic' use of pepper spray," and "that its prisons subject too many inmates, including the mentally ill, to a prisoner 'warehousing' culture of unlawfully extreme isolation and deprivation, usually with little or no rehabilitation efforts to prevent recidivism."

In 2010, there was a 10-count federal indictment against sixteen individuals connected with the FDC, eleven of whom were corrections officers at the Glades Correctional Institution. The charges included "nine counts of attempting to possess cocaine with intent to distribute." The indictment alleges that the defendants "allegedly agreed to transport and did in fact transport on multiple occasions what they believed to be multi-kilo quantities of cocaine from the undercover warehouses in Miami-Dade County to locations in West Palm Beach", and that the defendants allegedly received a combined total of $145,000 through the drug scheme.

In 2010, two correctional officers at the Lancaster Correctional Institution were charged with malicious battery and cruel or inhumane punishment after an inmate collapsed in the exercise yard during routine drills. An investigation discovered that the correctional officers forced the inmate to perform strenuous exercises in the sand, heat and provided no water breaks while denying his request for medical help and failed to call for emergency help after the inmate collapsed. The inmate was in critical condition, but has since recovered.

In 2014, a series of investigative reports from the Miami-Herald revealed that in June 2012, a mentally ill prisoner was forced into a locked shower by staff at Dade Correctional Institution. After more than an hour in the hot water, Darren Rainey died from his injuries. In 2017, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle chose not to charge the correctional officers involved, citing the results of the autopsy and inconsistent witness statements. Nonetheless, FDC and the State of Florida settled with Rainey's family for $4.5 million in 2018.