NCJ Number
104748
Journal
Florida State University Law Review Volume: 14 Issue: 3 Dated: (Fall 1986) Pages: 779-810
Date Published
1986
Length
32 pages
Annotation
The continuing increases in the number of inmates in Florida's overcrowded prisons suggests the need for further legislation to reform the correctional system, possibly based on a mix of deterrence and rehabilitative objectives.
Abstract
A 1983 law requires the governor to declare a state of emergency and to release prisoners if the population exceeds 98-percent capacity. This limit was reached in March 1986, but a slow verification process and other factors delayed releases until June. In 1986, the legislature increased the limit to 99 percent and provided a new program to supervise those released. However, the prison population is climbing faster than before. The 1983 legislation to relieve overcrowding arose from several court cases, particularly Costello v. Wainwright and Arias v. Wainwright. The 1983 correctional legislation has not solved the overcrowding problem, however. Political and public support for community control has declined. One of the new laws passed in 1986 permits double-bunking in county jails, and a continued increase in the State prison population appears likely. Expanding prison industries and establishing local correctional guidelines to lower State incarceration rates is an economic approach to corrections that would help meet expenses, provide deterrence, and appeal to supporters of rehabilitation. 275 footnotes.