×
You've used up your 3 free articles for this month. Subscribe today.
Florida Provides Lesson in How Not to Privatize State Prisons
by David M. Reutter
When Florida lawmakers used a backdoor approach to try to privatize almost 30 state detention facilities in 2011, they likely did not anticipate the outcome. By the time the political dust had settled, the union representing prison employees had successfully sued to stop the privatization plan, …
When Florida lawmakers used a backdoor approach to try to privatize almost 30 state detention facilities in 2011, they likely did not anticipate the outcome. By the time the political dust had settled, the union representing prison employees had successfully sued to stop the privatization plan, …
Full article and associated cases available to subscribers.
As a digital subscriber to Prison Legal News, you can access full text and downloads for this and other premium content.
Already a subscriber? Login
More from this issue:
- Florida Provides Lesson in How Not to Privatize State Prisons, by David Reutter
- Israeli Study Shows Parole Decisions May be Affected by Whether Board Members are Hungry
- Alaska Medical Care Reimbursement Statute Extends to Former Prisoners; State Refuses to Pay Part of Medical Malpractice Judgment, by Mark Wilson
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Prisoners Contribute to Flood Control Efforts in Louisiana
- Business is Booming for Prison Profiteers, by James Kilgore
- Colorado CCA Prison Uprising: New Details of Unheeded Warnings Emerge in Epic Lawsuit, by Alan Prendergast
- PLN Settles Censorship Suit Against South Carolina Jail; County Agrees to Pay $599,900 and Change Policies
- New York City Jail Considered Serving Spoiled Meat, by David Reutter
- Doctors Propose Changes to Fix Flaws in Compassionate Release Programs, by Michael Brodheim
- Alaskan Private Prison Promoter Arrested in Mexico, Extradited to U.S. on Child Sexual Abuse Charges
- California Governor Cozies up to Prison Guards and Crime Victim Advocates
- GEO Group Ends Florida PAC
- Some States Resist Implementing Adam Walsh Act Requirements
- Fight Brewing Between County Jails and Private Prisons in Kentucky
- Oregon Discontinues Failed Prisoner Deportation Program
- Rikers Island Guards File Suit Alleging Cancer-Causing Toxin Exposure, by Mark Wilson
- Private Equity Firms Profit Handsomely from Prison Phone Services
- Mother Questions Her Son’s “Natural” Death in Colorado CCA Prison, by Alan Prendergast
- Head of Missouri Jail Sentenced for Beating, Arranging Attacks on Prisoners
- CDCR Pays $12,000 to Settle California Prisoner’s Pro Se Caging Suit
- Settlement in New York City Jail Mental Health Services Case Still Alive
- Texas Prisoner on Idaho Presidential Primary Ballot in 2008, by Mark Wilson
- Washington DOC Employee Faces Ethics Complaint for Running Non-Profits on State Time Using State Resources, by Matthew Clarke
- Audit Recommends Cost-Saving Measures for Minnesota Sex Offender Program
- BOP Settles Prisoner Rape Suit for $625,000, by Brandon Sample
- Videotaped Assault at Idaho CCA Prison Sparks FBI Investigation, by Mark Wilson
- Texas Towns Saddled with Empty, Expensive Privatized Prisons and Jails, by Matthew Clarke
- Homeless New Mexico Sex Offender Arrested for Moving Out of Dumpster
- Massachusetts: Guards Suspended, Accused of Threatening to Kill Escaped Prisoner in Scheme to Generate Overtime
- FBI Looks into Relationship between GEO Group and Former Florida House Speaker, by David Reutter
- Federal Probation Officer Sexually Abused Clients, Sentenced to Ten Years, by Mark Wilson
- Prison Phone Rates Under Scrutiny by Louisiana Regulatory Agency
- New Mexico Continues to Let Understaffed Private Prisons Slide on Most Contract Violations, by Matthew Clarke
- Agreement Between Florida DOC and DOT Steals 1,000 Freeworld Jobs, by David Reutter
- Washington Prisoner Killed During Prison Industries Escape Attempt
- Oregon’s Attorney General Accused of Botched, Abusive Prosecutions, by Mark Wilson
- California Pays $10,000 to Settle Sex Abuse Suit Brought by Transgender Prisoner
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Credits Sentence with Time on Appeal Bond
- Ninth Circuit Applies Turner Test to Evaluate First Amendment Interest in Prisoners’ Receipt of Unsolicited Publications, by Michael Brodheim
- Arizona Ranchers Use Prison Labor to Construct Erosion-Prevention Dams
- Former Oregon Prison Official Faces Ethics Probe
- Study Reports on Undiagnosed HIV Infections in New York City Jails, by Matthew Clarke
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Rules Against Parole Board on Imposition of Sex Offender Restrictions on Non-Sex Offenders, by Matthew Clarke
- Colorado Prison Murder Prosecutions Include Coerced Witnesses, Withholding of Evidence
- California: Prison Visitor Settles Slip-and-Fall Suit for $175,000
- News in Brief:
More from David Reutter:
- Eight Circuit Reverses Denial of Partial Qualified Immunity in Detainee’s Pepper Ball Claim, Remands Excessive Force Claims, Sept. 1, 2026
- Nevada Prisoners, Families Call Out Predatory Tablet Program, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit: Error in Granting Judgment Prior to Adjudging Spoliation Motion, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Strip Searches Resulting from Anonymous Tips, Sept. 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit: Colorado Governor Unentitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity on Claim Related to DOC Religious Policies, Aug. 1, 2026
- Michigan Appeals Court: Witnesses Cannot be Forced to Wear Jail Clothes at Trial, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of State-Law Qualified Immunity in Scabies Case, Aug. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Revives Disabled Prisoner’s Claim for Denial of Out-of-Cell Exercise Time, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- GAO Report on ICE Jail in Fort Bliss Finds Independent Failures, Sept. 1, 2026. Contractor Misconduct, Overcrowding, Security Systems, Americans with Disabilities Act, Immigration Detention.
- North Carolina’s “Iryna’s Law” Leads to Jail Overcrowding, Sept. 1, 2026. Overcrowding, State Legislation, Pretrial Detention and Detainees, Bail/Pretrial Release.
- Idaho Legislature Moves to Hide Execution Protocol from Judicial Scrutiny, Sept. 1, 2026. Disclosure of Records, Discovery, Public Records, State Legislation, Method of Execution.
- New ICE Detention Standards Appear Designed to Help GEO Group Avoid Paying Wages, Sept. 1, 2026. GEO Group/Wackenhut, Contractor Misconduct, Prison Labor, Immigration Detention.
- Report Highlights Repeated Overdoses at Florida County Jail, Sept. 1, 2026. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Contractor Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Drug Overdose.
- Mental Health Diversion from New York State Jails Varies Widely by County, Sept. 1, 2026. Criminal justice system reform, Alternative Sentencing, Mental Health, State Legislation.
- The GEO Group Pays California $104,510 to Settle Workplace Safety Charges at ICE Detention Facility—Where Local Cops Won’t Investigate Crimes, Sept. 1, 2026. GEO Group/Wackenhut, Contractor Misconduct, Prison Labor, Work Conditions/Safety, Police/Govt Misconduct.
- New Connecticut Law Changes PREA Standards, Sept. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Administrative Exhaustion, Prison Rape Elimination Act, State Legislation.
- $75 Million CoreCivic Contract to Reopen Minnesota Private Prison Creates Resistance from Activists and Lawmakers, Sept. 1, 2026. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Protests, Advocacy, State Legislation, Immigration Detention.
- Airconditioning Failure at Troubled ICE Detention Center in New Jersey, Aug. 1, 2026. GEO Group/Wackenhut, Food, Water, Sanitation, Exposure to Heat.

