Recommendations

• Increase the percentage of secure housing units commensurate with the increase in violent and disruptive inmates.

• Conduct formal risk and needs assessments for all offenders sentenced to prison.

• Expand the work assignments for all inmates available for work.

• Expand the current scope of intelligence gathering to include individuals who present security threats based on selected criteria to include: special skills (computer hackers); military training; escape history; ex-law enforcement; and threats to officials.

• Participate in the statewide gang database GangNet, administered by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.

• Fully implement the Institutional Classification Committees and the Statewide Classification Committee.

• Automate all inmate records on the Inmate Record Identification System, eliminating the two existing hard-copy files resulting in one automated record for use by appropriate staff.

• Expand institutional transition programs and post-release services through the collaboration of institutional and community corrections staff to increase the opportunities of a successful reentry of inmates into the community.

• Centralize the inmate visitation approval and disapproval system, improve visiting park facilities to provide a more congenial atmosphere for inmate visitation, and automate the visitation registration process to reduce registration time resulting in increased time for visiting.

• Develop and participate in a pilot project with Brevard County to receive electronic transmission of sentencing data from the county of conviction.

• Contribute to the reduction of the recommitment rate of released offenders by providing effective education programs, drug treatment services, and job training opportunities while they are incarcerated and expand post-release employment services.

• Increase funding available for use of GPS on all sex offenders under community control and post-release supervision and increase the amount of electronic monitoring fees paid by offenders under community supervision.

• Contribute to the reduction of recidivism through the expansion of faith-based programs and the increased use of religious volunteers in all areas of the institution, including confinement.

• Expand program infrastructure in youthful offender institutions with extended day curriculum supported by use of volunteers to reduce the recommitment rate of youthful offenders.

• Standardize the treatment programs for female and elderly offenders and fully implement the female offender curriculum project.

• Begin digital photographing of all offenders on community supervision.

• Successfully complete ACA accreditation.

• Establish a statewide Risk/Needs assessment system to most effectively utilize limited supervision resources.

• Increase the department's ability to retrieve and manage data critical to public safety and agency cost-effectiveness.

• Reduce the rate of assaults and other felony crimes committed by offenders in prison.

• Develop seamless delivery of substance abuse treatment services.