Institutions

Bureau of Classification
and Central Records

S. Fred Roesel Bureau Chief (850) 488-9859 SunCom 278-9859 Additional Contact Information

The Bureau of Classification and Central Records is responsible for the overall classification system in the department, including the reception of inmates into the department, development of the inmate management plan, appropriate facility assignment, custody assessment and assignment, disciplinary process, identifying and monitoring inmate security threat group activity, monthly gain time awards, work and program assignment, monitoring contracts and local agreements for utilization of inmate labor, transition planning, coordination with the Immigration and Naturalization Services and the release clearance process. Additional responsibilities include maintaining active and inactive inmate record files, responding to public record and court requests regarding information contained in the inmate file, coordinating the Corrections Offender Network and Internet Website, managing a caseload of inmates serving Florida sentences in other jurisdictions, coordinating the development of rules, policies, procedures and automating information management systems to facilitate more efficient classification for the department.

"Rusty" McLaughlin
Correctional Programs Administrator
(850) 410-4379
SunCom 210-4379

The Release Management Unit is responsible for the oversight and management of transition and release including: final review of inmate records; authorization of releases; processing law enforcement detainers and pickups; coordinating deportation hearings for alien inmates with the Executive Officer of Immigration Review and releases to the Immigration and Naturalization Service; provision of pre-release transition programs; coordination of post-release services; and identification of inmates eligible for civil commitment under the Jimmy Ryce Act.

Cory A. Godwin
Correctional Programs Administrator
(850) 410-4581
SunCom 210-4581

The Security Threat Intelligence Unit coordinates the identification of individual inmates and groups that pose security threats within the Florida prisons or under community supervision. These include traditional prison gangs, street gangs and inmates with special skills resources (computer hackers, military training, escape risk, etc.). The unit assists in maintaining safe and secure operations for staff, visitors, and offenders by identifying and monitoring the activities of security threat individuals and groups. Intelligence gathering techniques include phone monitoring, mail monitoring, link analysis, and review of outside associates which aid in this effort. All intelligence is shared with appropriate criminal justice agencies and through community awareness and training efforts.

Ken Snover
Correctional Programs Administrator
(850) 410-4572
SunCom 210-4572

The Inmate Labor Unit is responsible for managing the Community Work Squad Program, contracts with the Departments of Transportation and Agriculture and Consumer Services, inmate work, assignment quotas for work and programs, as well as monitoring inmate utilization and issues of inmate idleness, rule and policy development, and legislative bill analysis (see Inmates at Work section for details on the types of work accomplished by inmates).

Carol J. Butler
Central Records Administrator
(850) 410-4585
SunCom 210-4585

The Central Records and Specialized Services Unit is comprised of three sections and is responsible for the maintenance of Central Office inmate files, the Inmate Records Imaging Systems, and instructional programs relating to sentence structure and institutional management.

The Central Records Section maintains the active and inactive commitment records in several formats. Other responsibilities include: the department's general information phone lines; handling Florida Public Records Law applications and services; assisting department staff and Florida Parole Commission in accessing offender records; generating Affidavits of Release and general sentence structure information; completing Criminal History background checks and research; certifying and/or cross-exemplification of documents for criminal justice agencies and courts throughout the nation; preparing Penitentiary Packets for law enforcement and criminal justice agencies; and reproducing offender record information from logbooks, cardex, paper, reel, microfiche and most recently, digital images for historical research for authors, media and genealogical requestors.

The Inmate Records Imaging System Section implemented the first phase of the department's Inmate Records Imaging System by eliminating the need for establishing hard-copy files for all offenders received on or after May 1, 1999, and discontinued filing new mail material into the existing offender files. This new process allows immediate desktop access to an offender's record by remote users or simultaneous use by multiple users. Phase two will include the conversion of existing hard copy files into digital images and phase three will involve the conversion of previously stored inactive documents from microfiche and reel-to-reel to the new digital image system.

The Specialized Services Section is responsible for the development and maintenance of unique instructional programs adapted to meet the complex needs and requirements of institutional management. The program areas include: sentence structure; release date computations; interpretation of statutes, rules and case law; responding to grievances, affidavits, inmate requests and general correspondence; and security, confidentiality and interpretation of the Offender Based Information System. This section also develops, coordinates and maintains an up-to-date instructional program for outside law enforcement, judicial, criminal justice and other federal, state and local governmental agencies regarding the use and interpretation of specially developed programs on the Offender Based Information System and the department's websites. Also, historical research services are provided to law enforcement agencies throughout the country, assisting in criminal investigations based on criminal history and physical attribute information provided by local agencies for offenders incarcerated and released prior to the implementation of the department's website.

• The Automated Discipline and Integrated Offender System was completed in October 1998, enhancing the present inmate discipline system to make more information available on-line.
• A National Institute of Corrections' grant was awarded to the department as one of five states to develop an Internal Prison Classification System. The grant includes technical assistance for development of the system with a sophisticated method of assessment and decision making for such issues as work and program assignment, housing, and supervision.
• A Risk and Needs Assessment System was implemented in November 1, 1998, as a method of assessment in such areas as work and program assignment, housing, and level of supervision. Inmates are assessed at the time of reception into the department and, every time changes are needed, the inmate's assessment is updated. This automated system which alerts staff of the need for new assessments, is designed to better match the needs of the inmate to program availability while providing placements suitable to the security needs of the inmate.
• The Internet Corrections Offender Network was enhanced to include facility profiles. With the assistance of the Office of Information Technology, this site provides detailed information on each correctional facility, such as location, staffing, budget, and available programming. This site will provide families, victims, and the public with easy access to facility information.
• An Automated Transition Process was designed and implemented providing a fully automated needs assessment and integrated referral system. This was accomplished through an Innovative Investment grant awarded by the Department of Management Services. Transition assistance officers use the database for essential data on identified post-release needs and post-release community resource information. The community resource database contains more than 4,700 service agencies throughout Florida that are selected and stored as referral agencies with a simple keystroke.
• The Jimmy Ryce Act system was implemented for identifying inmates eligible for civil commitment proceedings pursuant to the Jimmy Ryce Act - Involuntary Civil Commitment for Sexual Violent Predators. As of June 30, 1999, Release Management staff throughout the state identified more than 3,000 inmates for review.