With the prison population down for the third consecutive year, the state will begin to close the first of seven state prisons and four work camps by the end of this month.
The move is part of a statewide consolidation plan that is projected to save $14.9 million this year and $75.8 million in the next fiscal year.
The Florida Department of Corrections plan calls for the elimination of 1,293 full-time employee positions, from correctional officers to medical and kitchen staff, and will further impact numerous contractors providing services to the facilities.
It is one of the more difficult things Ive ever had to do in a management capacity, said Secretary Ken Tucker.However, you cant make the case that it is something we should not do. It would be just like a manufacturing company --if the contracts and orders are down, youre not going to maintain all the employees until the contracts come back.
He added that his goal is to find currently vacant positions at nearby prison facilities and to work with other state agencies that may have vacant positions for as many employees as possible.
The announcement on Thursday follows a directive from Gov. Rick Scott in his proposed $66.4 billion budget for the next fiscal year that sought to save nearly $100 million, in part through eliminating 4,500 empty prison beds and closing six prisons.
To further cut costs, corrections is moving guards to 12-hour shifts.
Some legislators questioned the decision, particularly those in their communities.
Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, called the correctional institutions vital to their rural communities.
The closure of River Junction Work Camp in Chattahoochee, which is located within Florida House District 8 that I represent, and the closure of Jefferson Correctional Institution, an employer for many residents of my district, are especially troubling to me, Williams stated in a release.
Williams would prefer the governors staff reconsider how the closings were handled.
Rather than fully closing all seven of these facilities, I wonder if it wouldn't be more appropriate to consider restructuring the facilities, or even taking a closer look at the state's privatized prisons, Williams stated.
"In his State of the State speech earlier this week, Governor Scott talked about protecting jobs and producing a job-friendly business climate for Florida. Sadly, his rhetoric doesn't match the reality shown by his decision to close these institutions.
Tucker said a correctional work group considered a number of factors in deciding which facilities to close -- including costs per inmate, maintenance and construction costs, community impact, employee impact, security and proximity to similar facilities.
We approached it as a business model, Tucker said. There was no other recourse to take than what is the bottom line.
The prisons being closed are:
| Correctional Institution | Location | Closure Date | Number of Employees | Savings |
| Broward CI | Fort Lauderdale | May 1 | 60 | $2.7 million |
| Demilly CI | Polk City | June 1 | 118 | $6.1 million |
| Gainesville CI | Alachua County | Feb 1 | 150 | $9 million |
| Hillsborough CI | Riverview | March 1 | 115 | $10.1 million |
| Indian River CI | Vero Beach | May 1 | 155 | $8.6 million |
| Jefferson CI | Monticello | April 1 | 177 | $11.9 million |
| New River CI | Raiford | March 1/April 1 | 281 | #21.6 million |
| River Junction Work Camp | Chattahoochee | Feb 1 | 65 | $5.2million |
| Caryville Work Camp | Washington County | June 1 | 74 | $4 million |
| Hendry Work Camp | Immokalee | Feb 1 | 31 | $2.3 million |
| Levy Forestry Camp | Ocala | Feb 1 | 77 | $5.7 million |
Corrections doesnt plan to sell the land, as some of the facilities may be mothballed in case there is an uptick in inmates.
No inmates will be released early as a result of this decision, Tucker said.
The state had 100,334 prison inmates as of Jan. 10, down 5 percent from a year ago, with space for 112,000.
The prison closing follows efforts last year to privatize 29 correctional facilities across South Florida.
A Leon County circuit judge has ruled the manner in which the state Legislature approved the privatization plan in the 2011 session violated Florida's Constitution.
The state has appealed the decision, which halted private bidding on the jails that the state estimated would have saved $11 million in the current fiscal year.
The correctional facilities targeted for privatization are located in: Manatee, Hardee, Indian River, Okeechobee, Highlands, St. Lucie, DeSoto, Sarasota, Charlotte, Glades, Martin, Palm Beach, Hendry, Lee, Collier, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
