Our Criminal Law class visitor of August 29, 2008, Judge O.H. Eaton, provided Birdsong the following Florida information to consider when we discuss crime and punishment.
Thanks Judge.
Department of Corrections Information Sheet
FY 2006-2007
https://www.dc.state.fl.us
1.) Florida has the third largest prison system in the United States, having passed New York in
prison population in 2003. Only Texas and California have larger prison populations.
2.) Florida has 60 major correctional institutions, 40 work camps located adjacent to major
correctional institutions and stand alone work/forestry camps, 30 community correction centers
(work release), 1 treatment center, and 5 road prisons for a total of 137 State correctional facilities.
3.) The total inmate prison population on June 30, 2007 was 92,777. That number represents
an increase of 15,428 in the past five years.
4.) The Department of Corrections Operating Budget for 2006-2007 was $2,130,186,564.00.
5.) The average per diem cost to house an inmate is $52.90 or $19,308 per year.
6.) The Department of Corrections served over 70 million meals last year at an average cost of
$1.18 per meal.
7.) The Department of Corrections employs over 25,000 people, or about 20% of the State work
force.
8.) Over 48% of the inmates admitted during 2005-2006 were on their second or higher
commitment.
9.) A total of 37,864 inmates were admitted to the Department of Corrections in 2006-2007. The
number of inmates released that year was 35,337. 43.3% were on their second or higher
commitment.
10.) Over half (56.2%) of the inmates admitted in 2005-2006 were under 35 years of age.
11.) Seven counties (Broward, Dade, Duval, Hillsborough, Orange, Pinellas and Polk) account
for 40.1% of the prison admissions. Seminole County accounts for 1.1%, or 408.
12.) Over half of the inmate population (59.5%) have a sixth grade education or less.
13.) The current incarceration rate in Florida is 481/100,000. The incarceration rate in Florida
and in the United States is higher than it ever was in the Soviet Union, the People’s Republic of
China or Nazi Germany.
14.) On June 30, 2007, there were 380 inmates housed on Florida’s three death rows.
15.) On June 30, 2007, there were
153,692.
15.) On June 30, 2007, there were
153,692.