Florida Department of Corrections
Michael D. Crews, Secretary
| FY 2000-2001 Release Report |
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Prison Releases Fiscal Year Report
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Prepared By:
Florida Department of Corrections Bureau of Research and Data Analysis Michael W. Moore, Secretary Direct questions to: Maria Toscano or Bill Bales (850) 488-1801 or SC 278-1801 2601 Blair Stone Road Tallahassee, Florida 32399-250 |
Executive Summary
This report documents permanent releases from Florida's prisons. For a detailed definition of a permanent release, please see the Appendix at the end of the report.Overview
In Fiscal Year 2000-01 26,805 offenders were released from Florida’s prisons. The majority of these releases, 16,610 (62.0%), were released by expiration of their sentence, followed by conditional release, 4,708 (17.6%) and expiration of sentence to probation/community control, 4,429 (16.5%). In June 2001 offenders released from Florida’s prisons were serving an average of 82.8% of their court-imposed sentence. It should be noted that offenders with offense dates on or after October 1, 1995 are required to serve a minimum of 85% of their court-imposed sentence prior to their release.Profile of a Release
The majority of offenders released from Florida’s prisons in Fiscal Year2000-01 were black, 14,418 (53.8%) and male, 24,522 (91.5%). Most of the
releases were between the ages of 35-49, 10,646 (39.7%) and were violent
offenders, 9,348 (34.9%). Broward county received the largest number of
prison releases, 2,835 (10.6%) followed by Dade, 2,357 (8.8%); Hillsborough,
2,136 (8.0%) and Orange, 1,740 (6.5%). The average time-served for all
offenders released in Fiscal Year 2000-01 was 36.8 months or 82.1% of their
court-imposed sentence. Violent offenders served an average of 49.7 months
or 78.1% of their court-imposed sentence.
FAQ: A common question asked when comparisons in percentage of sentence served are made across different crime types is:
"Why do violent offenders have lower percentages than non-violent offenders?"
The reason for this current reality is as follows:
When sentencing and gaintime laws change in Florida, they are effective based on the date that the criminal offense was committed. Therefore, when one examines a group of inmate releases, one must also look at the time period in which the offense was committed as some cases were sentenced under policies in which the percentage of sentence served was lower than others.
The major changes to the percentage of sentence served occurred, first, for sentences for crimes committed on or after January 1, 1994. Basic gaintime, which reduced an inmate's sentence by 33%, was no longer allowed and minimum percentage of sentence served increased from 40% to 60%. Next, came the minimum 85% of sentence served law which affected sentences for all crimes committed on or after October 1, 1995.
Violent offenders tend to have longer sentences than non-violent offenders and, in general, do serve longer periods of time in prison. In the future, more of the violent offenders leaving prison will also have a higher percentage of sentence served as they will have been sentenced under the newer laws which allow significantly less gain time.
Links to charts:
1A.-4J. General Releases
5A.-9B. Special Offender Releases
| 5A | Table | Offenders Age 50+ At Time of Release |
| 5B | Chart | Offenders Age 50+ At Time of Release |
| 6A | Table | Female Offender Releases |
| 6B | Chart | Female Offender Releases |
| 7A | Table | Violent Offender Releases |
| 7B | Chart | Violent Offender Releases |
| 8A | Table | Drug Offender Releases |
| 8B | Chart | Drug Offender Releases |
| 9A | Table | Sex Offender Releases |
| 9B | Chart | Sex Offender Releases |
| FY 2000-2001 Release Report |
