Security and Institutional Management

Other Sections

Other sections within the Office for Security and Institutional Management:

• Chaplaincy Services
• Inmate Labor
• Specialized Training
• Victim Services

Victim Services

Contact: Mark Lazarus, Asst. Admission and Release Administrator
(850) 488-9166, SC 278-9166

The Victim Services Section notifies victims of crime, the sheriff, state attorney, and sentencing judge in the jurisdiction where the inmate was sentenced of an offender's pending release. This section, located in the Bureau of Population Management, also maintains the inmate Court Ordered Payments database to ensure that victims receive court ordered restitution, and that fines and court costs are paid.

In FY 96-97 Victim Services:

• Changed its mail out procedures regarding Notice of Release, resulting in cost savings.

• Automated several notification procedures that enhanced productivity within the section.

Specialized Training

Contact: Carol Butler, Training Programs Administrator
(850) 410-4585, 210-4585

The Specialized Training Section develops and teaches training programs adapted to meet the specific needs and requirements of the diverse areas of institutional management. Staff developed and continues to develop training programs for the following areas: Sentence Structure; Sentence Specialists Certified Training; Reception Center Training Programs for Receiving Officers and Commitment Coding Staff; Overview of Sentence Data for Central Office Staff; Comprehensive Classification Training and Regional Administrators. This section also uses the Corrections Distance Learning Network to train in the interpretation and use of FCIC/NCIC and the Court Ordered Payment System. The Specialized Training section staff also teaches outside agency Offender Based Information System (OBIS) classes and basic Correctional Probation Officer recruit training. Outside Agency OBIS training is a service provided to state law enforcement/criminal justice agencies requesting access to the Department of Corrections Offender Based Information System. This training includes security, confidentiality and an overview of designated offender program screens. This office has trained more than 1,000 users from areas including the Office of the Attorney General, and the Departments of Motor Vehicles, Labor, Revenue, Juvenile Justice, and Law Enforcement, the Governor's Office, members of the Florida Senate, House of Representatives, circuit courts, state attorneys, public defenders, county sheriff's and local police departments.

• This office provides a report to law enforcement agencies to assist in their search for possible suspects based upon information in OBIS, which matches criminal history and physical attributes with descriptions provided by the local agency. This office has had several successful "hits" enabling law enforcement agencies to solve these cases.

Chaplaincy Services

Contact: Tyrone Boyd, Corr Chaplaincy Services Administrator
(850) 488-9865, SC 278-9865

Chaplaincy Services is responsible for conducting or supervising multiple weekly worship services and religious studies to meet the religious needs of inmates; and recruiting, training and supervising citizen volunteers and church organizations. Chaplains are actively involved in counseling, crisis notifications, inmate orientation and visitation, as well as responding to the concerns of inmate family members. Overall, chaplains advocate for a healthy environment in which positive change can occur.

In FY 96-97, Chaplaincy Services:

• Initiated a study to evaluate the impact of Kairos, a religious program active in over 20 institutions, on inmates at Union Correctional Institution. Results indicate a lower recidivism rate for inmates who attended Kairos and remained active in follow-up programs (9%) compared to those who did not attend follow-up programs (16%). The control group (non-Kairos group) re-offended at a rate of 28 percent.

• Recruited and trained 1,978 new citizen volunteers during FY 96-97.

• Conducted the first statewide Department of Corrections' Chaplains Conference entitled "Making Ministry Meaningful." Six tracts were delivered as in-service training for pastoral care providers.

Inmate Labor

Contact: Ken Snover, Management Review Specialist Coordinator
(850) 410-4572, SC 210-4572

The Inmate Labor Office, located in the Bureau of Security Operations, is responsible for managing the Community Work Squad Program; contract management with the Departments of Transportation, and Agriculture and Consumer Services; management of inmate work; assignment quotas for work and programs; monitoring inmate utilization and issues of inmate idleness; rule and policy development; and legislative bill analysis.

In FY 96-97, this office:

• Created 700 additional inmate work stations with general revenue work squad officer positions appropriated by the l996 Legislature.

• Public work squads were established at Everglades CI in partnership with the South Florida Water Management District to perform work removing melaleuca and other exotic, invasive plants in support of the district's environmental efforts.

• Community work squads at 30 existing locations incorporated new assignments into their schedule to assist the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles at driver license offices and Florida Highway Patrol stations statewide.