All 50 States Report Prison Understaffing by Brian Sonenstein by Brian Sonenstein, Shadowproof Every state in the nation has reported prison staffing shortages since 2017, according to research by Shadowproof. This is concerning because “staff shortages” are historically used to push for greater investments in prison systems, oftentimes riding reform …
Audit: Privatizing Florida’s Prison Health Care Was Costly and Deadly Mistake by David Reutter by David M. Reutter When former Florida Gov. Rick Scott took office in 2011, he pushed to privatize health care for Florida prisoners. He promised the move would save taxpayers millions of dollars and it did, …
Florida Lowers Minimum Age for Prison Guards But Fails to End Staff Shortages by David Reutter by David M. Reutter A new law that reduces the minimum age to be a Florida prison guard has not helped resolve “critically low” staffing levels. Effective July 1, 2019, the minimum age to …
GEO Group, Largest Private Prison Contractor, Cranks Up Political Contributions During Trump Years by Michael Fortino, Ph.D by Michael Fortino, Ph.D. In August 2016, just after an Obama administration decision to stop contracting with for-profit private prisons sent its stock price tumbling, GEO Group, Inc., the country’s largest private prison …
Major Outbreak of Legionnaires’ at Coleman Women’s Work Camp by Kevin Bliss by Kevin Bliss The women’s work camp at Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumter County, Florida, reported 18 confirmed cases of Legionnaires’ disease in early February of this year. The Bureau of Prisons (BOP) said it was working with …
What’s It Like Inside? Early Snapshots from Prisons During the Coronavirus Pandemic by Ken Silverstein by Ken Silverstein As we are putting together the April issue of PLN, the situation with the novel coronavirus is changing by the hour, if not the minute. In the United States, the number of …
Thomas v. Edwards, FL, Complaint, Wrongful Death, 2020 16-2020-CA-001960-XXXX-MA Div: CV-D Filing# 105701494 E-Filed 03/31/2020 07:54:15 PM IN THE CIRCUIT COURT FOR THE FOURTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT IN AND FOR DUVAL COUNTY, FLORIDA CASE NO. : 16-2020-_ _-cv-_ _ __ DIVISION: CV- --- CAROL E. THOMAS, as Personal Representative of the …
In Re Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections, Petition for a Writ of Mandamus, Conditions of Confinement, 2020 Case: 20-10650 Date Filed: 03/30/2020 Page: 1 of 1 UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE ELEVENTH CIRCUIT ELBERT PARR TUTTLE COURT OF APPEALS BUILDING 56 Forsyth Street, N.W. Atlanta, Georgia 30303 David …
Release of Certain Pretrial Detainees to Mitigate Threat of COVID-19, FL, Administrative Order, 2020 IN THE TIDRTEENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, FLORIDA ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER S-2020-018 RELEASE OF CERTAIN PRETRIAL DETAINEES TO MITIGATE THREAT OF COVID-19 Both Florida law and the Florida rules of court authorize a chief judge to remove …
$850,000 Settlement in Florida DOC Prisoner’s Gassing Murder by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter The Florida Department of Corrections (FDOC) agreed to pay $850,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging guards murdered a prisoner at Franklin Correctional Institution (FCI). The suit stemmed from the September 19, 2010, death of …
Florida Prison Isolation Suit Survives Dismissal Stage by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter A Florida federal district court denied a motion to dismiss a lawsuit alleging that the Florida Department of Corrections’ (FDOC) policies and practices related to isolation are unconstitutional. As PLN reported, the Southern Poverty Law …
Attorney Fees and Costs Awarded in HRDC Suit Against Juvenile Solitary Confinement by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter A Florida federal district court has awarded $420,683.53 in attorney fees and costs in a class-action suit challenging the use of solitary confinement and lack of educational opportunities for juvenile …
Video Documentary Reports on Florida Prisons – From the Inside by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter "We finna show y’all some real shit, man, on how we live here that y’all ain’t seen.” With that introduction, a Florida prisoner begins a video that is being proclaimed the first …
Harvard et al. v. Inch et al., FL, order to prevent retaliation against prisoner, 2020 Case 4:19-cv-00212-MW-CAS Document 96 Filed 01/28/20 Page 1 of 4 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE DIVISION JAC’QUANN (ADMIRE) HARVARD, et al., Plaintiffs, v. CASE NO.: 4:19cv212-MW/CAS MARK INCH, Secretary …
Harvard v. Inch, FL, Order Enjoining Dft's and Their Officers, Agents and Employees From Retaliating, Retaliation, 2020 Case 4:19-cv-00212-MW-CAS Document 96 Filed 01/28/20 Page 1 of 4 IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE DIVISION JAC’QUANN (ADMIRE) HARVARD, et al., Plaintiffs, v. CASE NO.: 4:19cv212-MW/CAS MARK …
Florida Women’s Prison Under Scrutiny After Rape by Guard by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter Anquanette Woodall’s third child was born in 2016 – during her third year of a 15-year sentence for burglary and robbery – after she was raped by Florida prison guard Travis Hinson in …
Are Re-Enfranchised Florida Felons More Likely to Vote Republican? by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter During the recent campaign to reinstate the voting rights of 1.4 million disenfranchised Florida felons, Republicans rallied against a constitutional amendment out of fear that former prisoners would vote as Democrats. Jared Kushner, …
Harvard et al. v. Inch et al., FL, motion for protective order to prevent retaliation, 2019 Case 4:19-cv-00212-MW-CAS Document 68 Filed 12/20/19 Page 1 of 14 UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA TALLAHASSEE DIVISION JAC’QUANN (ADMIRE) HARVARD, et al., ) ) ) Plaintiffs, ) ) v. ) ) …
Medical, Mental Health Care Lacking at Florida Jail Despite 43 Years of Court Oversight by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter Despite oversight by a federal court since 1976, the Broward County Jail (BCJ) in Florida does not provide adequate medical or mental health treatment to prisoners. Since 2018, …
Florida Prisoner Left a Quadriplegic After Brutal Beating by Guards by David M. Reutter by David M. Reutter On August 21, 2019, prison guards at the Lowell Correctional Institution (LCI) near Ocala, Florida allegedly beat Cheryl Weimar “to within an inch of her life” because the 51-year-old prisoner – who …
