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May 2017
An Examination of Florida's Prison Population Trends Prepared for The Florida Legislature by Felicity Rose, Colby Dawley, Yamanda Wright, and Len Engel of The Crime and Justice Institute
~CRJ COMMUNITY RESOURCES FOR JUSTICE
1
TableofContentsExecutiveSummary................................................................................................................2
Introduction...........................................................................................................................3NationalOverview:FloridainContext.........................................................................................................3
OverviewofFloridaAdultCriminalJusticeSystem.................................................................6CrimeRateTrends........................................................................................................................................6FelonyFilingTrends.....................................................................................................................................7SentencingTrends........................................................................................................................................8JailPopulationTrends..................................................................................................................................9PrisonPopulationTrends.............................................................................................................................9CommunitySupervisionTrends.................................................................................................................21
PrisonAdmissions.................................................................................................................23SentencingGuidelinesOverview................................................................................................................23AlternativestoIncarceration.....................................................................................................................27ResponsestoViolations.............................................................................................................................32Year-and-a-DaySentences.........................................................................................................................35EnhancementsandMandatoryMinimums................................................................................................38PropertyOffenses......................................................................................................................................42
Burglary.................................................................................................................................................43Theft.......................................................................................................................................................43
DrugOffenses.............................................................................................................................................46
ElderlyPrisoners....................................................................................................................48
ReleaseandReentry..............................................................................................................52TimeServed................................................................................................................................................52PrisonReleaseTypesandReentryPlanning...............................................................................................55Recidivism..................................................................................................................................................59
Conclusion.............................................................................................................................62
Appendix:DataandInterviewSourcesandMethodology......................................................64
2
EXECUTIVESUMMARYIn2016,theFloridaLegislatureappropriatedfundingfor“acomprehensivereviewofFlorida'scriminaljusticesystem,includingbutnotlimitedtocriminallawandprocedure,lawenforcement,prosecutionanddefenseofcriminaloffenses,thejudicialandcourtssystem,sentencing,andcorrections.”ThisreportaimstoprovideacomprehensiveoverviewoftrendsinFlorida’scriminaljusticesystemoverthelastdecade,andilluminatethosetrendswithdatafromacrossthesystem.After30yearsofgrowth,thelastdecadehasseenFlorida’sprisonpopulationplateauanditscommunitysupervisionpopulationdecline.Twocompetingtrendshaveledtothestabilizedprisonpopulation:adeclineinprisonadmissions,drivenbymajorreductionsincrimerates,arrests,andcriminalprosecutions,balancedoutbylongersentencesforthosewhoaresenttoprison.ThisreportexploreshowFloridasentencingandreleasepolicieshaveshapedthesecompetingtrends,andlooksbeneaththestatewidenumbersatcasesthatdefythesetrends.Keyfindingsinclude:
• Florida’simprisonmentrateis23percenthigherthanthenationalaverage,and10thoverallinthenation.
• Inthelastdecade,Florida’sviolentandpropertycrimeratesanddrugarrestshavealldroppedapproximately30percent,althoughthetotalcrimerateremains15percenthigherthanthenationalaverage.
• Prisonadmissionsdeclined28percentinthelastdecade,drivenbythedeclinesincrimeaswellasdecliningrevocationsfromsupervisionafterFloridaDepartmentofCorrections(FDC)policyshiftsinhowviolationsareaddressed.
• Inthesameperiod,averagesentencelengthincreased22percent,balancingouttheadmissionsdeclineandleadingtoamostlystableprisonpopulation.
• Trendsinadmissionsandprisonpopulationvarywidelyacrossthestate.Ingeneral,southernandeasternFloridacountiessendpeopletoprisonatalowerratethannorthern,central,andwesterncounties.
• Duetomandatoryminimumsentences,sentenceenhancements,andstatutorytimeservedrequirements,prisonersinFloridaservesignificantlylongerperiodsinprisonthaninotherstates,includingfornonviolentcrimes.
• LongsentencesandfewreleaseoptionsarethemaindrivingforceofthegrowthoftheelderlypopulationinFlorida’sprisons.
• Mostoffendersleaveprisonwithlittleornopost-prisonreleasesupervision.
Duetothetimeconstraintsofthisproject,aswellasunavailabilityofdata,thereisstillagreatdealabouttheFloridacriminaljusticesystemthatisunknown.Developmentoforaccesstofurtherinformationoncourtprocessesandsentences,violationsandrevocations,problem-solvingcourts,andcommunitysupervisionareneededtobetterunderstandthesystem.
3
INTRODUCTIONInNovember2016,theFloridaLegislaturereleasedanInvitationtoNegotiateseekinganindependentconsultanttoconductanassessmentofFlorida’scriminaljusticedata.ThisprojectfulfillstherequirementsofprovisolanguageinSpecificAppropriations2654and2655inCh.2016-66,LawsofFlorida,alsoknownastheGeneralAppropriationsAct,passedduringthe2016sessionoftheFloridaLegislaturethatcalledfor“acomprehensivereviewofFlorida'scriminaljusticesystem,includingbutnotlimitedtocriminallawandprocedure,lawenforcement,prosecutionanddefenseofcriminaloffenses,thejudicialandcourtssystem,sentencing,andcorrections.”Afteracompetitivebidprocess,theCrimeandJusticeInstitute(CJI)atCommunityResourcesforJusticewasselectedtoconductthisassessment.CJIbeganworkontheassessmentatthebeginningofFebruary2017withafinalreportdueonMay1,2017.Aspartoftheassessment,CJIidentified,collected,andanalyzedkeydataelementsfromanumberofagencies,includingtheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections(FDC)andtheOfficeoftheStateCourtAdministrator(OSCA).CJIalsoreviewedFloridastatutesandagencypolicies,andinterviewedstakeholdersfromacrossthecriminaljusticesystem.SeetheAppendixforafulllistofdatasourcesusedandinterviewsconducted,aswellasadescriptionofcodingandmethodology.Thisreportcoversabroadrangeoftopicsinadultcorrections,withafocusontheFloridaprisonpopulationanddriversofthatpopulation.First,itreviewsthehistoryofprisonpopulationgrowthinFloridaandtheUnitedStates,followedbyasurveyofhigh-leveldataonthelastdecadeinFloridacriminaljustice,fromcrimeratesthroughsentencing,theprisonpopulation,andfinally,communitysupervision.TheremainderofthereportfocusesonspecifictrendswithintheFloridaprisonsystem,inroughorderofhowanoffendermovesthroughthesystem,beginningwithprisonadmissions,thentakingacloserlookatagrowingportionoftheprisonpopulationmadeupofoffendersage50andolder,andfinallyexaminingtrendsinreleasetypesandlengthofstay.Intheconclusion,thereportreturnstodatagapsandomissionsandmakessuggestionsforfurtherreview.
NationalOverview:FloridainContextAcrossthecountry,stateprisonpopulationsexpandedrapidlystartingintheearly1970s,andstateofficialshavespentanincreasingshareoftaxpayerdollarstokeeppacewithprisoncosts.Fromthemid-1980stothemid-2000s,spendingoncorrectionswasthesecond-fastestgrowingstatebudgetcategory,behindonlyMedicaid.1Nationally,in2015,1in15stategeneralfunddollarswenttocorrections.InFlorida,theequivalentmeasurewas1outof11.2Mostcorrectionsdollarsgotothecapital,security,andhealthcarecostsofprisons.InFiscalYear2015-2016,69percentoftheFDCbudgetof$2.3billionwenttoinstitutionaloperationsand
4
securityandanadditional16percenttohealthservices,comparedtojust9percenttocommunitycorrections.Inthelastdecade,theFDCinstitutionalbudgethasrisen14percentwhilethecommunitycorrectionsbudgethasfallen22percent.After38yearsofuninterruptedgrowth,thenationalprisonpopulationdeclined5.5percentbetween2009and2015.3Withinthisoverallpatternstateshavefollowedverydifferenttrajectories,particularlyinthelasttenyears.Since2009,24stateshavedeclinedtheirprisonpopulationswhile26haveexperiencedgrowth,rangingfroma24percentdeclineinCaliforniatoa21percentincreaseinNorthDakota.Florida’sprisonpopulationhastendedtofollowthenationalpath,withasimilartrajectoryofrapidgrowththrough2010followedbystabilityorminordecline.From2010to2015,theFloridaprisonpopulationdeclinedslightly(threepercent),anditnowhoversaroundthelevelofthemid-2000s.ThisleavesFloridawiththethird-largeststateprisonpopulationinthecountry,afterTexasandCalifornia.Figure1:Florida’sPrisonPopulationGrew373PercentSince1978
Source:BureauofJusticeStatistics,NationalPrisonerSeries
Florida’simprisonmentrate(thenumberofpeopleinprisonper100,000residents)hasfollowedasimilarpattern,butstillhovers23percentabovethenationalaverage.Comparedtootherhigh-populationstates,Florida’simprisonmentrateishigherthanmost(seeFigure2),andis10thhighestoverallintheUnitedStates.
21,436
101,424
0
50,000
100,000
150,000
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
Prison
Pop
ulaW
on
FloridaPrisonPopulaWon,1978-2015
5
Figure2:Florida’sImprisonmentRate23PercentHigherThanAverage
Source:BureauofJusticeStatistics,NationalPrisonerSeries
Thenationalcrimeratehasbeenfallingsincetheearly1990sandisnowatitslowestlevelsince1968.4Florida’scrimeratehasalsofallensignificantly,thoughitremains15percenthigherthanthenationalaverage.Currently,Floridahasthe15thhighesttotalcrimerateandthe11thhighestviolentcrimerateinthecountry(althoughtheFBIcautionsagainstrankings).5Since2010,31states(includingFlorida)havereducedboththeirimprisonmentandcrimerates.6
568503 496
449402 387 360 352
0100200300400500600
Imprison
men
tRatepe
r100,000 ImprisonmentRateinHighPopulaWonStates,2015
6
OVERVIEWOFFLORIDAADULTCRIMINALJUSTICESYSTEMOverthelasttenyears,Florida’sprisonpopulationsizehasremainedfairlystable,butmanyotheraspectsoftheadultcriminaljusticesystemhavechanged.Thissectionreviewshigh-leveltrendsfromcrimeratesthroughcommunitysupervision.Theoverarchingtrendsdescribedherearecoveredinmoredetailinthesectionsthatfollow.
CrimeRateTrendsLiketherestofthecountry,Florida’scrimeratehasplungedprecipitouslyfromitspeakin1988.Inthelasttenyears,thistrendcontinuedfollowingashortlevelingoffperiodintheearly2000s.Since2006,theFloridaviolentcrimeratefell36percentandthepropertycrimeratefell29percent.Figure3:FloridaViolentandPropertyCrimeRatesatLowestPointSinceMid-to-Late-1960s
Source:UniformCrimeRateReports,FederalBureauofInvestigationInthelastyearofavailabledata(2014to2015)therewasatiny(onepercent)uptickintheviolentcrimerateinFlorida.Itremainstobeseenifthisisaone-yearanomalyorthestartofanewtrend.Drugarrestsalsofelloverthisperiod.From2006to2014,drugarrestsinFloridafell26percent.Totalarrestsalsodeclined22percent,alittlelessthanthedeclineinpropertyandviolentreportedcrimes.Thismaybebecausetherearemorearrestsforcrimeswhicharenotincludedintheserious(“index”)crimecountcollectedandreportedbytheFBI,orbecausetherearemorearrestsperreportedcrime.
462.9 461.9
0200400600800
1,0001,2001,400
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015ViolentCrimesper100,000
FloridaViolentCrimeRate,1960-2015
2015:1969:
3068.2 2,813.2
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
1960
1965
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2015
Prop
ertyCrimesper100
,000
FloridaPropertyCrimeRate,1960-2015
1964:2015:
7
FelonyFilingTrendsOver315,000criminalchargeswerefiledinFloridacircuitcourtsin2015,relatedtoalmost168,000defendants.Thesenumbersrepresentsignificantdropsfromadecadeago—an18percentdeclineinchargesfiledanda24percentdeclineinthenumberofdefendants.Theratiooffelonychargestototalarrestsinthestateroseonlyslightlyoverthisperiod(shiftingfrom.42felonychargesfiledperarrestin2007to.46in2014i),suggestingthatthemainreasonforthedeclinewasbecauseoffewercrimesandarrests.In2006,drugcrimesrepresentedthesinglelargestcriminalcategoryinthestate.Aftera31percentdeclineindrugcharges,thetheft,fraud,andforgerycrimecategoryhadtakenthetopspotin2015.Thedeclineindrugchargesfiledaccountsforjustunderone-halfoftheoveralldeclineinfelonyfilings.Thenumberofchargesfortheft,fraud,andforgerygrew.Figure4:FelonyFilingsDeclined18Percent,Drivenby31PercentDeclineinDrugChargesFiled
Source:FloridaTrialCourtStatisticsQueryTool
iThisratioseemedtoriseto.51in2015,howeverthereisapossibilitythatthe2015arrestshavebeenunderreportedwhichwouldartificiallydrivethatnumberup.
0 20,000 40,000 60,000 80,000 100,000 120,000
CapitalMurderNonCapitalMurder
SexOffRobbery
OtherViolentBurglary
Thej,Fraud,ForgeryBadChecks
OtherPropertyDrugsOther
NumberofFelonyFilings
CriminalChargesFiledinCircuitCourt,2006vs2015
2006 2015
8
SentencingTrendsUndertheFloridasentencingguidelinessystem,knownastheCriminalPunishmentCode(CPC)—explainedingreaterdetailbeginningonpage23ofthisreport—everyfelonyconvictionshouldbeaccompaniedbyasentencingscoresheet.ThesentencingscoresheetsfiledwiththeFloridaDepartmentofCorrections(FDC)wereexaminedtounderstandthesentencingtrendsinthestate.Whilethesedataareimperfect(seetheAppendixforadiscussionofmissingdataandmethodology)theyprovideapictureofhowsentencingdecisionshavechangedaccountingforoffenseseverity,criminalhistory,andotherimportantfactorsthataffectfelonysentences.Becauseofthereductioninfelonyfilingsshownabove,thenumberofoverallfelonycasesresultinginasentencehasdeclinedsignificantlyinthelasttenyears.Inparticular,thisdrophasbeenconcentratedamonglower-levelcrimes:thirddegreecrimeswithlowerseveritylevelsasdefinedintheCPC(Figure5).Figure5:25PercentDeclineinSentencingScoresheetsFiledForThirdDegreeFelonies
Source:CJIAnalysisofScoresheetDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Aconvictiontodayismorelikelytoresultinaprisonorcountyjailsentencethanitwastenyearsago(Figure6).ThisisprimarilybecausethepooloffeloniesreceivingsentencesismadeupofmorefirstandseconddegreefeloniesafterthedeclineinthirddegreefeloniesshowninFigure5.Comparingsimilarcrimes,thenumberofstateprisonsentenceshasdeclinedandthenumberofcountyjailsentenceshasincreased,asdiscussedfurtherintheprisonadmissionssectionofthisreport.
94,11370,707
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
140,000
2006 2015
Senten
cingScoresheetsFiled
SentencingScoresheetsFiledbyDegree,2006vs2015
3rdDegree
2ndDegree
1stDegree
9
Figure6:NewFelonyCasesTodayMoreLikelytoResultinIncarcerationSentence
Source:CJIAnalysisofScoresheetDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
JailPopulationTrendsLikecrimerates,arrests,andfelonyfilings,thecountyjailaveragedailypopulationhasfallenoverthelastdecade.AccordingtoreportscompiledbyFDC,thejailpopulationhasfallen20percentsince2007,orabout10,000beds.Figure7:JailAverageDailyPopulationHasFallen20PercentinLastDecade
Source:FloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsReportonCountyDetentionFacilities
Accordingtothesamereports,justundertwo-thirdsofthoseheldincountydetentionfacilitiesarebeingheldpretrial.Thispercentagedeclinedfrom2007to2011beforereboundingslightlyinmorerecentyears.
PrisonPopulationTrendsAllchangestotheprisonpopulationaredrivenbychangestoeitheradmissions(whocomesinthedoor),lengthofstay(howlongtheystayinprison),orboth.Whenoneofthesefactorsshowssignificantchange,thereisalikelihoodthatthechangeaffectstheoverallprison
0%10%20%30%40%50%60%
StatePrison CountyJail CommunityControl
Probalon
%ofA
llScoreshe
etsFiled
SentenceType
SentenceType,NewSentencesOnly,2006vs2015
2006 2015
65,215
52,356
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
JailAverageDaily
Popu
laWon
FloridaJailsAverageDailyPopulaWon,2007-2016
10
population.Inotherwords,ifadmissionsareconsistentlydecliningoveramulti-yearperiodthistypicallyresultsinadecliningprisonpopulation.However,thisisnotthecaseinFlorida.InFlorida,prisonadmissionsandlengthsofstayaremovinginoppositedirections;examiningeachseparatelyprovidesaclearerunderstandingofwhytheprisonpopulationhasremainedmostlysteadyinthelastdecadedespitethedeclineincrime,felonyfilings,andsentencestoprison.AdmissionsPrisonadmissionsinFloridaaredownsignificantlyinthelastdecade.Thischangeisdrivenbythereductioninfelonyfilingsdescribedabove,aswellaschangesinFDCpolicyregardingresponsestoviolationscommittedbypeopleoncommunitysupervision.Figure8:PrisonAdmissionsDeclined28PercentinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsandIntakeDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Floridaprisonadmissionsaremadeupofthreedistinctgroups:
• Newlysentencedprisoners:peoplesentenceddirectlytoprisonfortheircrimes• Probationrevocations:peopleputonprobationorcommunitycontrolsupervisionand
laterrevokedeitherforanewcrimeoratechnicalviolation,whichincludesanyallegedviolationthatisnotanewfelonyormisdemeanoroffense,orcriminaltraffickingoffense7
• Releaserevocations:peoplereleasedtopost-prisonreleasesupervisionandlaterreturnedtoprisononatechnicalviolation
Becausedataonreleaserevocationsisincomplete,mostoftheanalysisinthisreportfocusesonnewcourtcommitments,whichincludesbothnewlysentencedprisonersandprobationrevocations.
41,989
30,399
20,00025,00030,00035,00040,00045,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Adm
ission
s
PrisonAdmissionsbyYear,2007-2016
11
Figure9:PrisonAdmissionDeclineDrivenby39PercentReductioninAdmissionsforPeopleAlreadyonSupervision
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsandIntakeDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
OfthetotaldeclineinpeopleadmittedtoFlorida’sprisonsoverthelastdecade,about60percentwascausedbyadeclineinprobationrevocations,whichfell39percentinthisperiod.Thenumberofnewlysentencedprisonersalsofellby18percent.
16,950
10,308
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
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50,000
2007 2016
Adm
ission
s
PrisonAdmissionsbyType,2007vs2016
ReleaseRevocalon
ProbalonRevocalon
NewlySentencedPrisoner
12
Figure10:TheRateofPrisonNewCourtCommitmentsperResidentVariesWidelyAcrosstheState
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsandIntakeDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsTheprisonadmissionsratevariessignificantlyacrossthestate.Figure10showsthenewcourtcommitments(prisonadmissionsexcludingreturnsfrompost-prisonreleasesupervision)per100,000residentsbycounty,rangingfrom55toover600.Ingeneral,southernandeasternFloridacountiessendpeopletoprisonatalowerratethannorthern,central,andwesterncounties.Thesepatternsholdwhenlookingatadmissionsperreportedcrimeoradmissionsperarrest,whichmeansthatthedisparityisnotdrivenbyunderlyingcrimerates.
NewCourtCommitmentsper100,000Residents,2016
13
Figure11:70PercentofFloridaCountiesShowedDeclineinPrisonAdmissionsinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsandIntakeDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsThedeclineinprisonadmissionsinthelasttenyearswasnotuniversalacrossthestate.Overall,47of67countiesexperiencedadeclineinprisonadmissions,while20countiessawanincrease.Withinthesegroupstherewassignificantvariation,withsomecountiescuttingtheirprisonadmissionsbyhalf,whileotherstripledtheirsoverthesameperiod.Florida’ssentencingsystem,discussedingreaterdetailinthefollowingsection,basespunishmentontheprimaryoffense,generallyconsideredtobethemostserious(seethesentencingguidelinessectionformoredetail)withconsiderationgiventoother,lessseriousoffensesrelatedtothecurrentsentenceofrecord.Thisreportmostlyfocusesontheprimaryoffenseassociatedwithagivensentenceorprisonadmission.
PercentageChangeinNewCourtCommitmentstoPrison,2007-2016
14
Whileadmissionsforallprimaryoffensetypesdeclinedinthelastdecade,thelargestdeclinewasfordrugoffenders.In2016,justundertwo-thirds(63percent)ofFloridaprisonadmissionscameinwithanonviolentprimaryoffense.Figure12:46PercentDeclineinDrugNewCourtCommitmentstoPrison
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Lookingatadditionaloffensesandcriminalhistory,justunderhalf(48percent)oftotalnewcourtcommitmentstoprisonin2016hadnocurrentorpriorviolentoffensesontheirrecord.Figure13:48PercentofNewCourtCommitmentstoPrisonHaveNoCurrentorPriorViolentOffense
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Overall,eightofthetoptenprimaryoffensesarenonviolent(Table1).Despitethedeclineindrugoffensescomingintoprison,drugoffensesstillmakeupthreeofthetoptenoffensesat
11,073 10,576 11,829
5,930
9,052 8,8626,379
4,184
0
5,000
10,000
15,000
Violent Property Drugs OtherNew
Cou
rtCom
mitmen
ts
NewCourtCommitmentsbyOffenseType,2007vs2016
2007 2016
NoCurrentorPriorViolent,
13,711
CurrentorPriorViolent,14,616
PrisonNewCourtCommitmentsbyCurrentorPriorViolentOffenses,2016
15
admission.iiThenumberofnewcourtcommitmentsadmittedforthirddegreepossessionofacontrolledsubstancehasdecreasedbymorethanhalfsince2007,thoughitisstillthesecondmostcommonoffenseatadmission,withseconddegreesale/manufacturing/delivery,alsoreducedbyaroundhalf,cominginthird.Meanwhileburglaryofadwellingoranoccupiedstructure/conveyanceisnowthenumberonecrimeatadmissionafterrisingeightpercentinthelastdecade.Traffickinginstolenpropertyisup,whileotherpropertyoffenseshavedeclined.Table1:EightoftheTopTenOffensesatAdmissionareNonviolent
PrimaryOffense 2007 2016 ChangeBurglaryofaDwelling/OccupiedStructure/Conveyance 2,171 2,352 8%PossessionofControlledSubstance(3rdDegree) 4,417 1,965 -56%Sale/Manufacturing/DeliveryofControlledSubstance(2ndDegree) 3,842 1,958 -49%TrafficInStolenProperty 1,327 1,507 14%Felon/DelinquentwithGun/ConcealedWeapon/Ammunition 1,037 1,500 45%BurglaryofanUnoccupiedStructure/Conveyance-orAttempted 1,953 1,194 -39%TraffickinginControlledSubstance(1stDegree) 1,560 1,190 -24%GrandTheft,$300-$5,000 1,389 973 -30%RobberywithaDeadlyWeapon 986 832 -16%Robbery 919 608 -34%Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsandIntakeDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
LengthofStayWhileadmissionshavedeclined,sentencelengthandlengthofstayinprisonhasrisenoverthelastdecade.Thismaybepartiallyduetothereductioninlower-leveloffenderscomingintoprison,althoughthereareindicationsitmayalsobedrivenbyincreasedsentenceswithincertainoffensetypesandoffenses,forexampleburglaryofadwellingoroccupiedstructureandtraffickinginstolenproperty,whichhadbothincreasedadmissionsandaveragesentencelength.Fornewlysentencedoffenders,theaveragesentencelengthhasrisen22percentinthelastdecade.Lengthofstayforthosereleasedfromprisonhasrisen18percent,suggestingthereissomelagbetweenthenew,longersentencescomingintoprisonandwhoisbeingreleased.
iiForthepurposesofdiscussingspecificoffenses,CJIcombinedalldrugcrimesintopossession,sale/manufacturing/delivery,ortraffickingbydegree(thisseparatesdrugswhicharetreateddifferentlyintermsofpenalty,butallowsaclearerviewoftheimpactofacategoryofdrugchargesontheprisonpopulation).
16
Themostcommonmeasureoflengthofstayinprisonisthetimefromadmissiontoreleaseforeveryonewhogetsoutofprison.Lengthofstayiscommonlymeasuredforfirstreleases,oroffenderswhocomeinonanewprisonsentenceratherthanaviolationofpost-releasesupervision.Figure14:TimeServedinPrisonRose18PercentinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Theincreaseinsentencelengthandlengthofstayisnotlimitedtoviolentcrimes.Bothsentencelengthatadmissionandlengthofstayatreleasehaverisenacrossalloffensetypes.Figure15:TimeServedIncreasedAcrossAllOffenseTypes
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
35.241.6
20
30
40
50
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Mon
ths
MeanTimeServedbyFirstReleases,2007-2016(Months)
55.6
31.2 26.4 22.6
62.2
33.5 32.8 30.7
0
20
40
60
80
Violent Property Drugs Other
Mon
ths
MeanTimeServedbyFirstReleasesbyOffenseType,2007vs2016(Months)
2007 2016
17
PrisonPopulationAsaresultofthedecliningadmissionsbutgrowinglengthofstayinprison,theprisonpopulationhasbeenfairlysteadyoverthelasttenyears.Overall,thepopulationhasgrownthreepercentinthelastdecade.Althoughtheprisonpopulationhasdeclinedeachofthelasttwoyearsandisprojectedtocontinuedecliningforthenextthreeyears,itisprojectedbegingrowingagain,albeitslowly,inFiscalYear2020-2021.8Figure16:FloridaPrisonPopulationMostlySteadyOverLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonStatusPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsiii
iiiFigure16showsthecustodypopulationasrecordedinFDC’s“statuspopulationfile”onDecember31ofeachyear2007-2016.Figure1showedthetotaljurisdictionalpopulationinDecemberofeachyearreportedbyFDCtotheBureauofJusticeStatisticsthrough2015.Jurisdictioncountsmayincludeprisonersheldoutsidethestateandprisonersincertaintypesofconfinedcommunitysettingswhoarenotincludedinthecustodypopulationcount.
95,042 97,870
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
120,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Prison
Pop
ulaW
on
FloridaPrisonPopulaWon,2007-2016
18
Figure17:FewerthanHalfofCountiesReducedPrisonBedUse
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonStatusPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsBeneaththesteadyprisonpopulationnumbersliesignificantchangesinthecompositionoftheprisonpopulation.Geographically,moreprisonersarenowcomingfromcountiesincentralandnortheasternFlorida,withsouthernFloridacountiesandmostpanhandlecountiesreducingtheirprisonuse,insomecasessignificantly(seeFigure17).Overall,29of67countiesreducedtheiruseofprison.DuvalCountynowhasthemostpeopleinprisonofanycountyinthestate,up35percentfrom2007,whileMiami-Dade,whichusedtobethetopcontributor,hasreducedthenumberofpeopleinprisonbyeightpercentduetodrasticallycurtailedadmissions.
PercentageChangeinPrisonPopulation,2007-2016
19
Themixofoffensetypeswithintheprisonpopulationhasalsochangedinthelastdecade.Commensuratewiththereductioninadmissionsfordrugoffenses,therearenowfewerdrugoffendersinprisonthanin2007.Atthesametime,thenumberofpropertyandviolentoffendershasgrown.Figure18:TheNumberofPropertyandViolentOffendersinPrisonGrewinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonStatusPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Overall,39percentofthecurrentprisonpopulationdoesnothaveanyviolentcrimerelatedtotheircurrentconfinement.Whenaddinginpastcrimes,29percentoftheprisonpopulationorjustover27,000peopleinprisonhavenocurrentorpriorviolentcrimes.ivFigure19:29PercentofPrisonPopulationHasNoCurrentorPriorViolentCrime
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonStatusPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
ivFourpercentoftheprisonpopulationcouldnotbematchedtopastrecordsandisexcludedfromthiscount.
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
Violent Property Drugs Other
Prison
Pop
ulaW
on
PrisonPopulaWonbyPrimaryOffenseType,2007vs2016
2007 2016
NoCurrentorPriorViolent,
27,212CurrentorPriorViolent,66,667
PrisonPopulaWonbyCurrentandPriorViolent,Dec312016
20
Onereasonthataveragesentencelengthfornewcourtcommitmentshasgrownfasterthanaveragelengthofstayforpeoplereleasedfromprisonisthatoffenderswithlongersentences,includingmanylifesentences,arebeingadmittedtoprisonbutnotbeingreleased.InDecember2016,theaverageprisonerhadalreadyserved71monthsinprisonandhad75monthsremaininguntilhisorhertentativereleasedate,comparedto52monthsservedsofarfortheaverageprisonerinDecemberof2007,and64monthsuntiltentativerelease.Alongwiththisstackingeffectandthegrowthofviolentoffendersinprison,theprisonpopulationhasbecomeolderovertime.Whileoffendersaged35-49makeupthelargestgroupinFlorida’sprisons,“elderlyoffenders,”definedinstatuteasage50orolder,makeupthefastestgrowingportionofthepopulation.Figure20:TheNumberof18-24YearOldsinPrisonHasFallenWhiletheNumberAge50orOlderHasGrown
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonStatusPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Finally,whilethenumberofHispanicinmateshasbeengrowingslightlyoverthelastdecade,blacknon-Hispanicinmatesstillmakeupalmosthalfofthe2016prisonpopulation(47percent)comparedtojust17percentoftheFloridaresidentpopulationin2015.
0
10,000
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50,000
18-24 25-34 35-49 50andOver
Prison
Pop
ulaW
on
AgeCategory
PrisonPopulaWonbyAgeCategory,2007vs2016
2007 2016
21
Figure21:Black,Non-HispanicInmatesMakeUpJustUnderHalfofPrisonPopulation
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonStatusPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
CommunitySupervisionTrendsOverthepastdecade,thestatewidepopulationofindividualsonanykindofcommunitysupervision,includingprobationorpost-prisonreleasesupervision,hasdeclinedgradually,mirroringdeclinesinfelonyfilingsandsentencestoprison.Figure22:CommunitySupervisionPopulationDeclined11PercentinLastDecade
Source:FloridaDepartmentofCorrections2015-2016AgencyStatistics
Similarly,newadmissionstocommunitysupervisionhavedecreasedconsistentlysince2007ataslightlyslowerratethanprisonadmissions(22percentversus28percent).
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
White,Non-Hispanic Black,Non-Hispanic Hispanic
Prison
Pop
ulaW
on
PrisonPopulaWonbyRace/Ethnicity,2007vs2016
2007 2016
153,692
136,956
100,000
120,000
140,000
160,000
180,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
CommunitySupervisionPopulaWonbyYear,2007-2016
22
Figure23:CommunitySupervisionAdmissionsDeclined22PercentinLastDecade
Source:FloridaDepartmentofCorrections2015-2016AgencyStatistics
Thefollowingsectionsofthereporttakeadeeperlookatthetrendshighlightedabove.Theremainderofthereportexamineslaws,policies,andpracticesthathavecontributedtothethesetrends,including:
• exploringthereductioninadmissionsthroughtheuseofalternativestoincarcerationandchangesinrevocationpolicyandpractice,
• howenhancementsandmandatoryminimumsmaybecontributingtothegrowthinsentencelengths,
• sentencinglawsandpracticesforcommonpropertyanddrugcrimes,• furtherinformationaboutelderlyprisoners,and• alookatreleaseandreentryprogramsandrecidivism.
107,203
83,176
50,000
70,000
90,000
110,000
130,000
FY06 FY07 FY08 FY09 FY10 FY11 FY12 FY13 FY14 FY15
CommunitySupervisionAdmissions,FY2006-FY2015
KeyFindings
• Florida’scrimeratehasdeclinedcloseto30percentsinceitspeakin1988• Thedeclineinreportedcrimesandarrestsledtocommensuratedeclinesinfelony
charges,particularlyamongthirddegreefelonies• Prisonadmissionsdropped28percent,drivenbya39percentdeclineinprobation
revocations• 18percentgrowthinlengthofstaybalancedouttheeffectoftheadmissionsdecline
ontheprisonpopulation,leadingtoanoverallstableprisonpopulationinthelastdecade
23
PRISONADMISSIONSInFlorida,sentencingdecisionsaredrivenprimarilybytheuseofthestates’sentencingguidelines,knownastheCriminalPunishmentCode(CPC).Inthissection,wereviewthesentencingguidelinesusedbythestate,alternativestoincarcerationavailabletojudgesandtrendsintheiruse,trendsintheuseofrevocationsfromsupervisionandyearandadayprisonsentences,exceptionsfromtheguidelinesintheformofmandatoryminimumsandenhancements,andsentencesandtrendsforcommonpropertyanddrugcrimes.
SentencingGuidelinesOverviewIn1983,Floridaestablishedsentencingguidelineswiththegoalofensuringuniformsentencingacrossthestate.Sincethesentencingguidelineswerefirstenacted,theyhaveundergonethreemajorrevisionsin1994,1995,and1997.9Inthelastmajorrevisionin1997,theCriminalPunishmentCode(CPC)wasestablished,applyingtoallfelonies,exceptcapitalfelonies,committedonorafterOctober1,1998.10UndertheCPC,everydefendantchargedwithanon-capitalfelonyhasaCPCworksheetcompletedpriortosentencingtodeterminethelowestpermissiblesentencethatcanbeimposedbythejudge.11Thelowestpermissiblesentenceisbasedonthetotalsentencingpointsthedefendantisawarded,whichinturnisbasedontheprimaryoffense,additionaloffenses,thedefendant’scriminalhistory,andotherconsiderationssuchasviolationscommitted,andoffenseorsentencingenhancements.12Eachoffenseisassignedaseveritylevelfrom1to10,andacorrespondingpointvalue.Theoffensewiththehighesttotalsentencingpointsistheprimaryoffense.TheCPCallowsforgreaterdiscretionthantheprevioussentencingguidelinesusedbythestatebutexpandstherangeofdefendantswhocanreceiveaprisonsentence.Underthepreviousguidelines,onlyoffenderswithatotalsentencingscoreof52pointsormorecouldreceiveaprisonsentence.UndertheCPC,it’spossibleforanyfelonyoffendertoreceiveaprisonsentence.13Totalsentencingscoresaregroupedintofourmajorcategoriesbasedontherecommendedsentence.In2009,thestateexpandedtheuseofnon-stateprisonsanctionsthatcanbeorderedbythejudgebutlimitedtheuseofthesesanctionstothirddegreefelonies.Non-stateprisonsanctionsincludeprobation,communitycontrol,drugcourt,andotheralternativestoincarcerationdescribedinthefollowingsection.
24
Table2:SanctionbyTotalPointCategory
PointTotal SuggestedSanction22PointsorLess Presumptivenon-stateprisonsanctionifthedefendantis
convictedofanonviolentthird-degreefelonyvNon-stateprisonsanctionorstateprisonforallotheroffensesatthediscretionofthesentencingjudge
22.1-44Points Non-stateprisonsanctionorstateprisonatthediscretionofthesentencingjudge
44.1-60Points Stateprison,exceptforthefollowingsituations:14• Prisondiversionprogramifthetotalpointsare48or
less(or54pointsorlessandsixpointsareforatechnicalviolationofcommunitysupervision)ANDprimaryoffenseisanonviolentthird-degreefelony
• Post-adjudicatorydrugcourtordrugoffenderprobationifthetotalpointsare60orlessANDprimaryoffenseisathird-degreefelonyorseconddegreedrugpurchaseorpossessionoffense
60.1orMorePoints StateprisonOverthelastdecade,thenumberofscoresheetsfiledwithtotalsentencingpointsinthelowerrangeshasfallen,whilethenumberofhigh-scoringsheetshasremainedsteady(Figure24).Thisisdrivenbythedeclineinfilingsforthirddegreefeloniesdiscussedabove.Figure24:DeclineinFelonyCaseswithLowerSentencingPointTotals
Source:CJIAnalysisofSentencingScoresheetDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
vExclusionsincludeiftheprimaryoffenseisaforciblefelony,eveniftheseveritylevelallowsittofallintothispointrange.Judgescanalsodepartfromthepresumptivenon-prisonsentenceifthenon-prisonsanctioncouldpresentadangertothepublic.
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
22orUnder 23-44 45-60 61orAboveSenten
cingScoresheets
TotalPoints
SentencingScoresheetsbyTotalPointDistribuWon,2006vs2015
2006 2015
25
Adownwarddeparture,orasentencelowerthantherecommendedsentence,canbeorderedbythejudgeuponafindingthatcertainmitigatingfactorsjustifythedeparture.15Mitigatingfactorsthatcanbeusedtojustifyadownwarddeparturearelistedinstatute,howeverthejudgeisnotlimitedtothefactorsspecificallylisted.16Theoneexceptionrelatestoadefendant’ssubstanceabuseaddiction,includingintoxicationatthetimeoftheoffense.Thecourtisprohibitedfromconsideringsubstanceabuseasamitigatingfactorjustifyingdownwarddeparture,exceptwhendeterminingeligibilityforthepost-adjudicatorydrugcourtprogram.17Therecommendedsentenceforoffendersreceiving45ormoretotalsentencingpointsisstateprison,althoughincertaincasesothersanctionsarepermitted(Table2).AsshowninFigure25,manyoffendersfallinginthisrangereceivedlessserioussanctions.In2015,48percentofdefendantsinthe45-60pointrangereceivedprisonsentencesasdid69percentofdefendantsinthe61orabovecategory,meaningthatover30percentofdefendantsinthe61orabovecategorydidnotreceiveprisonsentences.Despitethesedepartures,itisclearthatthesentencingguidelineshaveanimpactonsentencesgiventhecleardifferentiationbetweenthegroups.Figure25:SentencingPointTotalsDriveSentences,WithSignificantDownwardDepartures
Source:CJIAnalysisofSentencingScoresheetDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
UndertheCPC,thelowestpermissiblestateprisonsentenceisbasedonthetotalnumberofsentencingpoints.Themaximumsentenceisbasedonthefelonydegreeassignedtotheprimaryoffense(Table3).However,ifadefendantisbeingsentencedforamandatoryminimum,themandatoryminimumtrumpstheguidelinerecommendation.Floridahasatleast108crimeswithmandatoryminimums,discussedinfurtherdetailinthemandatoryminimumandenhancementssectionbelow.18
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
22orUnder
23-44 45-60 61orAboveSh
areofSen
tenceType
s
TotalPoints
SentenceTypesbyTotalPoints,NewSentencesOnly,2015
Probalon
CommunityControl
CountyJail
StatePrison
26
Table3:FelonyClassifications
FelonyDegree MaximumSentence
LifeFelony Life1stDegree 30Years2ndDegree 15Years3rdDegree 5Years
Averagesentencelengthsforthoseoffenderswhodoreceiveaprisonsentencehavegrown22percentoverthelastdecade,from59.5monthsto72.9months.Thisisalargeincrease,butitispartiallyexplainedbythechangeinwhichtypesofoffendersarebeingsentencedtoprison.Individualssentencedtoprisonin2016are,onaverage,convictedofmoreseriouscrimes.Thesechangesareexploredfurtherinthefollowingsectionsonalternativestoincarceration,yearandadaysentences,andprobationrevocations,allofwhichreflectchangesinhowindividualsaresentencedinFloridacomparedtoadecadeago.
Figure26:ForThoseSentencedtoPrison,theAverageLengthofSentenceIncreased22PercentinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Thechangeinwhoiscomingtoprisondoesnottellthefullstory.Sentenceshaveincreasedforalloffensetypes,andasdiscussedfurtherbelow,forcertainoffenseswheretherewasnoreductioninadmissions.
59.5 72.9
0
50
100
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Mon
ths
MeanTotalSentenceforNewCourtCommitmentstoPrison,2007-2016
27
Figure27:SentenceLengthsRoseforAllOffenseTypes
Source:CJIAnalysisofAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
AlternativestoIncarcerationPrisonadmissionsareoftenreducedbyexpandingtheuseofalternativestoincarceration.Thesealternativesareothersanctions,ofteninvolvingcommunitysupervision,giveninlieuofaprisonsentence.TherearefourmainalternativestoincarcerationsinuseinFlorida:probation,communitycontrol,drugoffenderprobation,orproblemsolvingcourts.
Probationisaformofcommunitysupervisionthatisoftenusedforlow-leveloffenses.Anydefendantconvictedofafelonywhomeetstherequirementsforanon-stateprisonsanction,asdescribedabove,maybeplacedonprobationwhereheorshewillbesupervisedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections(FDC).Iftheoffenderviolatesthetermsorconditionsofprobation,thecourtisauthorizedtoimposeanysentencethatitcouldhaveimposedatthe
102.8
37.5 33.6 32.0
111.9
42.4 38.5 40.2
0
50
100
150
Violent Property Drugs Other
Mon
ths
MeanTotalSentencebyOffenseTypeforNewCourtCommitmentstoPrison,2007vs2016(Months)
2007 2016
KeyFindings
• MostfelonysentencesinFloridaarebasedonsentencingguidelinesthatfactorinprimaryandsecondaryoffenses,criminalhistory,violations,andenhancementstocomeupwitharecommendedsentence
• Inthelastdecade,thenumberofnewsentencesscoringinthelowerpointsrangeshasfallen
• Averagesentencelengthforthoseoffendersreceivingprisonsentenceshasgrown,partially,butnotentirely,drivenbythechangeinfelonycharges
28
defendant’soriginalsentencing.ThisisthemostcommonformofalternativetoincarcerationinFlorida(seeFigures28and30).Communitycontrolisaformofintensivecommunitysupervisionthatistypicallyusedasanalternativetoincarcerationforoffenderswhoqualifyforanon-stateprisonsanctionbutdonotqualifyforprobation.19Itcanalsobeusedasasanctionforindividualswhoviolatethetermsoftheirsupervision.Individualsplacedoncommunitycontrolaretypicallyrestrictedtotheirhomeswiththeexceptionofemployment.Drugoffenderprobationisaformofintensivesupervisiondirectedtowardsoffenderswithachronicsubstanceabuseaddiction.Whilemostofthealternativestoincarcerationarelimitedtothirddegreefelonies,individualsconvictedofasecond-degreefelonyforpurchaseorpossessionofacontrolledsubstancecanbeplacedondrugoffenderprobation.Individualsplacedondrugoffenderprobationaresubjecttoalloftheregularstandardconditionsofsupervisionandsomespecialconditionswhichcanoftenincludeinpatientoroutpatientsubstanceabusetreatment,frequentdrugtestingandcurfewrestrictions.Figure28:RegularProbationistheMostCommonlyUsedAlternativetoIncarceration
Source:FloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsFY2015-2016AnnualReport
Problem-solvingcourtsareintensive,court-focusedformsofsupervisiongearedtowardsspecializedpopulations.Currently,thereare107problem-solvingcourtsavailabletoadultfelonyoffenders:46drugcourts,4DUIcourts,27mentalhealthcourts,and30veteranscourts.Drugcourtsaretheproblem-solvingcourtusedmostofteninFloridaandareavailablebothpre-adjudicationandpost-adjudication.Typicallydrugcourtparticipationislimitedtononviolentoffenderswithanassessedsubstanceabusetreatmentneed.Thereiscurrentlynostandardizedscreeningtooltodeterminethisneedusedstatewide.Whilestate-runalternativestoincarcerationsuchasprobationandcommunitycontrolareavailableacrossthestate,availabilityofproblem-solvingcourtsisinconsistent,withaccess
50,474
9,322 6,064
010,00020,00030,00040,00050,00060,000
Probalon DrugOffenderProbalon
CommunityControl
Adm
ission
s
AdmissionstoCommunitySupervisionPrograms,FY2015-2016
29
dependingoncapacityandfundingwithincourtcircuits.AsFigure29shows,manyofthecountiesthatsendindividualstoprisonatthehighestrateshavelittleornoadultfelonydrugcourtavailability.Thismaybedrivenbythesmallsizeofsomeofthesecountiesandthelackofservicesorfundinginmoreruralareasofthestate.Figure29:CountieswithLowerPrisonAdmissionRatesHaveMoreAdultFelonyDrugCourtAdmissions
Source:CJIAnalysisofProblem-SolvingCourtDataProvidedtheOfficeoftheStateCourtsAdministratorandPrisonAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
DrugCourtAdmissionsvsPrisonAdmissionsper100,000Residents
30
TrendsinUseofAlternativestoIncarcerationOverthelastdecade,Floridahassuccessfullymovedlower-leveloffenders(intermsofoffenseseveritylevelsandcriminalhistorypoints)awayfromstateprisonsentences.Someofthisshiftawayfromprison,asdiscussedabove,istheresultoffewerfelonyfilingsandconvictions.Additionally,therehasbeenareductionintheuseofstateprisonasasanctionforoffenderswithdrugandpropertycrimes.Instead,nonviolentoffendersaremorelikelytobesentencedtoastayincountyjail(Figure30).
Figure30:PropertyandDrugOffendersLessLikelytoBeSentencedtoPrison,MoreLikelytoReceiveJailTime
Source:CJIAnalysisofSentencingScoresheetsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsThescoresheetdataonlyshowsmajorcategoriesofsanctionsandthereforedoesnotfullyfleshoutthepictureofwhichalternativestoincarcerationarebeingusedandhowthathaschangedovertime.Inparticular,problem-solvingcourtadmissionsarenotincludedinthescoresheetdata,likelybecausemanyproblem-solvingcourtsarepre-adjudication.Post-adjudicationproblem-solvingcourtsmaybemarkedasprobationsentences.TheOfficeoftheStateCourtAdministratorwasabletosharedataonadmissionsforcertaintypesofproblem-solvingcourts.Florida’sadultfelonyproblem-solvingcourtsadmittedover6,000offendersin2015.viParticipationindrugcourtshasdeclinedconsiderablysince2010,possiblydrivenbythedecreaseindrugarrestsandchargesdiscussedabove.
viTheOfficeoftheStateCourtsAdministratorwasnotabletoprovideadmissionscountsformentalhealthcourts.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2011 2015ShareofCrimeScoreshe
ets
SentencesasaPercentageofDrugCrimeScoresheets,NewSentences
Only,2011vs2015
Probalon
CommunityControl
CountyJail
StatePrison0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
2011 2015ShareofCrimeScoreshe
ets
SentencesasaPercentageofPropertyCrimeScoresheets,NewSentencesOnly,2011vs2015
Probalon
CommunityControl
CountyJail
StatePrison
31
Figure31:Problem-SolvingCourtAdmissionsDeclineSince2010
Source:CJIAnalysisofProblem-SolvingCourtDataProvidedtheOfficeoftheStateCourtsAdministratorWhilelower-severitycrimesmaybelesslikelytoreceiveaprisonsentenceundertheguidelines,theseoffensesstillhaveanimpactonthestateprisonpopulation.Forinstance,onlysevenpercentofoffenderswithaprimaryoffenseofsimplepossessionofacontrolledsubstancereceivedaprisonsentencecomparedto73percentofoffenderswithaprimaryoffenseoftraffickinginacontrolledsubstance.Becausetheoverallpoolofpossessionoffendersismuchlarger,therewerestillahighernumberofsimplepossessionoffenderssentencedtoprisonundertheguidelinesin2015(929comparedto892fortrafficking20).Figure32:CrimeswithaLowRateofPrisonSentencesCanStillImpactthePopulation
Source:CJIAnalysisofSentencingScoresheetsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
7,565
4,777
195 1731,172
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
Adm
ission
sProblem-SolvingCourtAdmissionsbyCourtType,
2010-2015
AdultDrugCourt DUICourt VeteransCourt
0 2,500 5,000 7,500 10,000 12,500 15,000
Sale/Manufacturing/DeliveryBurglaryofaDwelling/Occupied
SimplePossessionTrafficking
BurglaryofanUnoccupiedStructureFelon/DelinquentwithGunTrafficInStolenPropertyGrandThej,$300-$5,000
NewPrisonSentences
SentenceTypesbyOffense,NewSentencesOnly,2015
StatePrison CountyJail CommunityControl Probalon
32
ResponsestoViolationsIn2016,revocationsfromsupervisionmadeup39percentoftotaladmissionstoprison.Thissectionexamineshowpracticesinthecommunityhaveimpactedthenumberandtypeofrevocationstoprison.Uponplacementonsupervision,offendersarerequiredtoadheretocertaintermsandconditionsorderedbythesentencingjudgeortheFloridaCommissiononOffenderReview(FCOR),formallyknownastheFloridaParoleCommission.Thesetermsandconditionsoftenincluderegularreportingtotheprobationandparoleofficer,maintainingemployment,drugtesting,andcompletingprogrammingandtreatmentrequirements.FDCisresponsibleformonitoringthetermsandconditionsofanindividual’scommunitysupervisionandinformingthecourtorFCORofanyviolationofthesetermsandconditions.Overthelast10years,FDC’sresponsestotechnicalviolationsofthetermsandconditionsofsupervisionhavechangedsignificantly.Priorto2003,FDCparoleandprobationofficersweregiventhediscretiontodeterminewhetheranoffendercommittedawillfulviolationofthetermsandconditionsofsupervisionbeforereportingtheviolationtothereleasingauthority.InMarch2003,inresponsetoafewhighprofilecrimes,FDCimplementedwhatwasknownasthe“zero-tolerancepolicy.”FDC’szero-tolerancepolicyrequiredparoleandprobationofficerstoreporteveryviolationtothecourt,regardlessoftheseverityoftheviolationoriftheviolationwasawillfulviolation.Inaddition,violationreportsthatweresubmittedtothesentencingjudgeorFCORunderthezero-tolerancepolicyoftenrequestedthatawarrantbeissued.21In2006,FDCagainchangeditspolicyregardingrespondingtoviolationsandgaveparoleandprobationofficersdiscretioninrespondingtoviolations,requiringonlywillfultechnicalviolationsbereportedtothecourtorFCOR.Sincethenthenumberofrevocationstoprisonhasdroppedsignificantly.Thenumberofoffenderscominginasprobationrevocationsdropped39
KeyFindings
• Countieswithhigherprisonadmissionrateshavelowerdrugcourtadmissions,possiblyduetotheirsmallsizeandlackofresources
• Thenumberofnewadmissionstodrugcourthasdeclinedsince2010• Drugandpropertyoffendersarelesslikelytobesentencedtoprison,butmorelikely
tobesentencedtocountyjail,thanfiveyearsago• Duetotheoveralllargenumberofconvictionsforcertaincrimes,evenoffenses
whichrarelyreceiveprisonsentencescanimpacttheprisonpopulation
33
percent,whilethenumberofreturnsforviolationsofpost-releasesupervisiondropped36percent.Inbothcasesthemajordropcameintheyearsimmediatelyfollowingthepolicychange.Figure33:RevocationsfromCourtDropped39PercentinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsandIntakeDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Propertyoffendersaremostlikelytoenterprisonasarevocation.In2016,44percentofpropertyoffenderssentencedtoprisonenteredasprobationrevocations,comparedto35percentofdrugoffenders.
Figure34:44PercentofPropertyOffendersAdmittedtoPrisonasProbationRevocations
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections.
Around70percentofscoresheetsfilledoutforoffenderswhowerepreviouslyonsupervisionresultedinsometypeofincarcerationsanction.Fornonviolentpropertyanddrugoffenderswhowerepreviouslyonsupervision,countyjailwasthemostcommonsentencegiven,followedbyprison.Comparedtononviolentoffendersreceivingnewsentences(thosenot
16,950
10,308
2,175 1,4010
5,000
10,000
15,000
20,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Adm
ission
s
PrisonAdmissionsbyType,2007-2016
ProbalonRevocalon ReleaseRevocalon
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
Violent Property Drugs OtherNew
Cou
rtCom
mitmen
ts
NewCourtCommitmentsbyAdmissionTypeandOffenseType,2016
ProbalonRevocalon
NewlySentencedPrisoner
34
previouslyundersupervision),thosebeingrevokedweremorelikelytobesenttoprison(30percentcomparedto20percentofnewsentencesfornonviolentcrimes).Figure35:ClosetoTwo-ThirdsofNonviolentOffendersPreviouslyonSupervisionReceiveSomeIncarcerationSanction
Source:CJIAnalysisofSentencingScoresheetDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Althoughnoneoftheavailabledatadirectlyindicateswhetheraprobationrevocationisforanewcrimeoratechnicalviolation,thenumberofsentencingpointsawardedgivesanindication.Sixpointsareawardedforatechnicalviolationandtwelvepointsareawardedforanewconvictionwhileonsupervision.Ofthe30,000sentencingscoresheetsfiledforthosealreadyundersupervisionin2015,22percenthadnocommunitysanctionviolationpoints,40percenthadsixpoints,andtheremaining39percenthad12ormorepoints.The40percentwithonlysixpointsaremostlikelytechnicalviolations.Ofthosewithsixviolationpoints,23percentweresentencedtostateprison,comparedto46percentofthosewithmorepoints.
Foroffendersservingpost-prisonreleasesupervision,arevocationorreturntoprisonmaybeforashortperiodeitherbecauseitisinresponsetoalow-levelviolationorbecausethereislittletimeremainingonthesesentences.Thatsaid,averagetimeservedamongprisonersre-admittedfollowingtechnicalviolationsofpost-prisonreleasesupervisionhasincreasedconsiderablyoverthepastdecade.
Timeservedforindividualsreturningtoprisonafterconditionalreleaseviolationshasmorethantripledfrom2.5to8.1months,whiletimeservedforotherpost-prisonreleasesupervisionviolations,suchascontrolreleaseorparole,hasmorethandoubledfrom1.6to4.5months.Inbothcases,FCORdeterminestheneedforareturntoprisonandthelengthofstay,subjecttotimeleftontheoffender’ssentence.
Ifanindividualisrevokedfromparole,conditionalrelease,controlrelease,probationorcommunitycontrol,alltimeofftheirsentenceearnedpriortoreleaseisautomaticallyforfeited.However,individualsrevokedbacktoprisonareeligibletoearnnewtimetoreducetheirrevokedsentence.22
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Violent Property Drugs Other
ShareofSen
tenceOutcomes
SentencesGivenforOffenderUnderSupervisionWhenSentencingScoresheetFiledbyPrimaryOffenseType,
2015
Probalon
CommunityControl
CountyJail
StatePrison
35
Figure36:TimeServedforConditionalReleaseViolationsMoreThanTripledinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseandIntakeDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Year-and-a-DaySentencesOneofthereasonsthatadmissionsdeclinedsosteeplywithoutgreatlyimpactingtheprisonpopulationisthatadmissionsfellprimarilyamonglower-leveloffendersservingshortperiodsoftimeinstateprison,whileadmissionswithlongersentencesdidnotdeclineandthelengthsofthosesentencesgrew.Inparticular,39percentoftheoveralldeclineinadmissionswasamongoffendersgiven“yearandaday”sentences.These366-daysentencesaretheminimumstateprisonsentencesomeonecanbegiven.Bythetimeanoffenderisprocessedintostateprisonandcreditedforpretrialjailtime,heorshemayserveonlyafewmonthsinstatecustody.Removingtheseindividualsfromtheprisonpopulationthereforedoesnothaveassignificantaneffectontheprisonpopulationasdivertinganindividualwithalongersentence.
2.5 1.6
8.1
4.5
0
5
10
CondilonalReleaseViolalon OtherPost-ReleaseSupervisionViolalon
MeanTimeServedbyTechnicalRevocaWonType,2007vs2016
2007 2016
KeyFindings
• Revocationstoprisonhavedroppedsignificantly,mostlydrivenbytherepealofthezerotolerancepolicytoviolationsofcommunitysupervision
• Usingaproxyfortechnicalviolations,itappearsthat40percentofsentencesforoffenderspreviouslyundersupervisionhaveonlyatechnicalviolation;ofthese23percentaresentencedtoprison
• Whileviolatorsofpost-prisonreleasesupervisioncomebackintoprisonforshortperiods,thelengthoftheseviolationperiodshasgrownsignificantlyinthelastdecade
36
Theuseofthistypeofsentencehasdeclinedsignificantlyinthelastdecade,bothforprobationrevocationsanddirectsentencestoprison.In2007,17percentofprisonadmissionswerefortheseshortprisonsentences.By2016,thishadfallento8percent.37:67PercentDropin366DaySentencesDroveSignificantPortionoftheAdmissionsDecline
Source:CJIAnalysisofAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Most366daysentencesareforcrimeswithseveritylevelsofsevenandbelowsuchaspossessionofacontrolledsubstance,orlow-valuegrandtheft.In2007,366daysentencesweremostcommonlygiventodrugoffenders,butnowpropertyoffendersaremostlikelytoenterprisononthistypeofsentence.Whilethesesentencesdroppedacrossthestate,twocountiesaccountforasignificantportionoftheshift:HillsboroughandPolkCounties.Bothcountiespreviouslysentover1,000offendersayeartostateprisonwith366-daysentences,andbothnowsendfewerthan400.Figure38showsthechangeinthenumberofyearandadaysentencesadmittedtoprisonin2007vs2016.Eightcountiesinthestatearenowsendingmoreoffendersfortheseshortsentences,althoughthegrowthissmall.
7,059
2,351
010,00020,00030,00040,00050,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Adm
ission
s
PrisonAdmissionsbyYear-and-a-daySentences,2007-2016
Longersentences Yearandadaysentences
37
Source:CJIAnalysisofAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsCountyjailpopulationshavedeclinedinthelastdecade(seeFigure7).Anecdotalinformationsuggeststhatthedeclinein366-daysentencesmaycoincidewiththeavailabilityofspaceincountyjailsaswellastheexpansionofprogramsdesignedtodivertrevocationsandprovidemorelocalservices.Iftheseoffendershaveshiftedtocountyjailsentencesratherthannon-incarcerationsentences,itmayexplaintheuptickinsentencestocountyjaildiscussedabove.
ChangeinYearandaDaySentencestoStatePrison,2007-2016
Figure38:AFewCountiesAccountforMostoftheReductioninYear-and-a-DaySentences
KeyFindings
• Yearandadaysentenceshavedeclinedfrom17percentofprisonadmissionsto8percent
• Twocounties,HillsboroughandPolk,accountformostofthisreduction
38
EnhancementsandMandatoryMinimumsEnhancementsandmandatoryminimumsentenceshaveasignificanteffectontheFloridaprisonpopulation.Almost36,000currentFloridaprisonersweresentencedwithanenhancementormandatoryminimum,up19percentfrom2007.Theseenhancementsprimarilyimpactlengthofstayinprison,leadingtoastackingeffectwhereoffenderscomeintoprisonbutdonotleaveatthesamerate.Figure39:37PercentofOffendersinFlorida’sPrisonsWereSentencedUnderaMandatoryMinimumorEnhancement
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Floridahasanextensivelistofmandatoryminimumsentences.In2016,stafffromFlorida’sSenateCommitteeonCriminalJusticeconductedaninventoryofmandatoryminimumtermsinFloridaandidentified108offensesthatcarryamandatoryminimumsentence.23Examplesinclude:fraudofmotorvehicle,criminaluseofpersonalidentification,andlastlydrugtrafficking,whichcarries47separatemandatoryminimumsentences.24Anyonefoundguiltyoftraffickinginacontrolledsubstancefacesaminimumthreeyearmandatoryminimumtoalifesentencedependingontheoffense,drugtype,andweight.Ofthescoresheetsfiledwithaprimaryoffensecarryingamandatoryminimum,74percenthadaminimumpermissiblesentencebelowthemandatoryminimum,meaningtheymayhavereceivedalowersentenceifsentencedundertheguidelinesalone.Thesecasesdidnotalwaysresultinanenhancedsentence,however;inmanyinstancesmandatoryminimumsandenhancementsareusedasnegotiatingtoolsinpleadealsandthendroppedfromthefinalsentence.Floridaalsohasanumberofadditionalenhancements,includinganenhancementforweaponsoffensesandfivemajorhabitualoffenderprovisionsdetailedbelow.
65,033 62,142
30,009 35,728
0
20,000
40,000
60,000
80,000
100,000
2007 2016
Adm
ission
s
PrisonPopulaWonbyEnhancementorMandatoryMinimum,2007vs2016
EnhancementorMM
NoEnhancementorMM
39
Figure40:SentenceLengthsHighandGrowingforOffendersCominginwithEnhancementsorMandatoryMinimums
Source:CJIAnalysisofAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Onaverage,thosecominginwithamandatoryminimumorenhancementweresentencedto149.5monthsinprison,comparedto64.6monthsforthosecominginwithoutanenhancedsentence.Thisispartiallyduetoenhancedsentencesbeinggivenformoreseriouscrimes,butevenwhenoffensetype,criminalhistory,andotherfactorsrelatedtosentencingaretakenintoaccount,beingconvictedofanoffensecarryingamandatoryminimumorenhancementstillhasalargeandstatisticallysignificanteffectonthetotalsentence.Holdingallelseequal,havingaprimaryoffensethatcarriesamandatoryminimumadds11monthstoanoffender’ssentence,whilebeingconvictedofahabitualoffenderfelonyorviolentenhancementadds31months.Bothenhancedandnon-enhancedaveragesentenceshavegrownoverthelastdecade.Themostcommonenhancementsatprisonadmissionarethehabitualfelonyoffenderenhancementandthemandatoryminimumsforcommittingacrimewithafirearm,otherwiseknownas“10-20-Life.”Thenumberofoffenderscomingintoprisonwithhabitualoffenderenhancementshasfallenoverthelastdecade,whilethenumbercominginwith10-20-Lifesentenceshasrisen(Figure41).10-20-LifeFlorida’s10-20-lifelawrequiresthecourttoimposeamandatoryminimumsentenceifaweaponisusedduringthecommissionofcertainoffenses:2526
• Iftheindividualwasinpossessionofafirearm,thecourtmustimposeatenyearmandatoryminimumsentence.
• Iftheindividualwasinpossessionofasemi-automatic/machinegun,thecourtmustimposea15yearmandatoryminimumsentence.
• Iftheindividualdischargedanytypeoffirearm,thecourtmustimposea20yearmandatoryminimum.
53.5
135.3
64.6
149.5
050100150200
NoEnhancementsorMMs OneorMoreEnhancementsorMMs
Mon
ths
MeanTotalSentencebyEnhancementorMMSentences,2007vs2016
2007 2016
40
• Iftheindividualdischargedaweaponwhichcausedgreatbodilyinjuryordeath,thecourtmustimposea25yearmandatoryminimumtolife.
Figure41:TheMostCommonEnhancementsatPrisonAdmissionareFelonyHabitualOffenderandCrimewithaFirearm(“10-20-Life”)
Source:CJIAnalysisofAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Thesemandatoryminimum(MM)penaltiesareinadditionandconsecutivetothepenaltiesfortheunderlyingfelonyconviction.However,thecourtdoeshavethediscretiontoorderathreeyearmandatoryminimumsentence,insteadofthetenyearmandatory,ifanindividualwasinpossessionofafirearmwhilecommittingtheoffenseofaggravatedassault,possessionofafirearmbyafelonvii,orburglaryofaconveyance.27
Inrecentyears,changeshavebeenmadetoFlorida’s10-20-Lifelawtogivejudgesgreaterdiscretiontodepartfromthemandatorysentenceforaggravatedassault,oneoftheoffensestowhichthe10-20-Lifelawapplies.In2014,theFloridaLegislaturepassedHouseBill89whichallowedthecourttodepartfromthemandatoryminimumforaggravatedassaultifthecourtmakescertainwrittenfindings.Inaddition,in2015,theLegislaturepassedSenateBill228whichremovesaggravatedassaultfromthelistofcrimesinwhichthe10-20-Lifelawapplies.28
HabitualOffenderProvisionsFloridahasfivemajorhabitualoffenderprovisions:habitualfelonyoffender,habitualviolentfelonyoffender,prisonreleaseereoffender,three-timeviolentfelonyoffender,andviolentcareercriminal.Table4summarizeseachoftheseprovisions.
viiIfanoffenderwhoisconvictedoftheoffenseofpossessionofafirearmbyafelonyhasapreviousconvictionofcommittingorattemptingtocommitafelonylistedin775.084(1)(b)1,FloridaStatuteandpossessedafirearmordestructivedeviceduringthecommissionofthepriorfelony,theoffendermustbesentencedtothe10yearmandatoryminimum
2,066
1,3641,547 1,530
0
500
1,000
1,500
2,000
2,500
HabitualFelonyOffenderEnhancement
CrimewithaFirearmMandatoryNew
Cou
rtCom
mitmen
ts
NewCourtCommitmentsforCommonEnhancements
2007 2016
41
Table4:HabitualOffenderEnhancements
Enhancement Summary FelonyDegree Penalty ReleaseEligibilityHabitualFelony29
AnypersonwhohaspreviouslybeenconvictedofanycombinationoftwoormorefeloniesinFlorida,andcommitsafelonywithinfiveyearsofdateofpriorconviction,orreleasefromprison,whicheverIslater.
Lifefelonyor1stdegreefelony
Life Eligibleforgain-timeanddiscretionaryreleaseandconditionalrelease
2ndDegree 30yr3rdDegree 10yr
HabitualViolentFelony30
Anyonewhohaspreviouslybeenconvictedofafelonyoranattemptorconspiracytocommitafelonyandhasoneormorepriorconvictionforcertainviolentcrimes.31
Lifefelonyor1stdegree
Life Eligibleforreleaseafterserving15years
2ndDegree 30yr Eligibleforreleaseafter10years
3rdDegree 10yr Eligibleforreleaseafterserving5years
PrisonReleasee32
Anyonewhocommitsorattemptstocommitacertainoffensewithinthreeyearsofbeingreleasedfromprison,whileservingaprisonsentence,whileonescapestatusfromprison.33
Life Life Ineligibleforgain-time;mustserve100percentofsentence
1stDegree 30yrMM2ndDegree 15yrMM3rdDegree 5yrMM
Three-TimeViolent34
Anypersonwhohaspreviouslybeenconvictedasanadulttwoormoretimesofafelony,oranattempttocommitafelony,andtwoormoreofsuchconvictionswereforcommitting,orattemptingtocommitanyoffenseorcombinationofcertainviolentoffenses35
Life Life Ineligibleforgain-time;mustserve100percentofsentence
1stDegree 30yrMM2ndDegree 15yrMM3rdDegree 5yearMM
ViolentCareerCriminal
AnypersonwhohasbeenconvictedasanadultthreeormoretimesofanoffenseinFloridaoranyotherqualifiedoffensefromalistofviolentoffenses.36
Lifefelonyor1stdegreefelony
Life Ineligibleforgain-time;Eligibleforconditionalmedicalrelease2ndDegree 30yrMM
3rdDegree 10yrMMPropertyoffendersarethemostlikelytobesentencedunderthehabitualfelonyoffenderenhancement.Propertyoffendersadmittedtoprisonunderthisenhancementin2016receivedanaverage90monthsentence,131percenthigherthanthe39monthaveragesentencefornon-habitualpropertyoffenders.Thisisthelargestproportionaldifferenceinsentencelengthforanyoffensetype.Violentoffendersreceivingahabitualfelonyoffenderenhancementweresentencedto53percentlongerthanthosewhodidnotreceivetheenhancement.
42
Figure42:FelonyHabitualPropertyOffendersReceive90MonthAverageSentenceComparedto39MonthforNon-Habitual
Source:CJIAnalysisofAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
PropertyOffensesAlmost9,000propertyoffenders,or31percentofnewcourtcommitments,weresentencedtoprisonin2016.Whilethenumberofpropertycrimesreportedinthestatehasgonedown21percentinthelastdecade,thenumberoffelonyscoresheetsfiledonthesecrimeshasactuallyincreasedfourpercentandthenumberofdirectprisonsentenceshasremainedfairlysteadyfrom2006to2015.ThenextsectionreviewsthesentencinglawsandpracticesforthemostcommonpropertycrimesinthestateofFlorida.
108.7
39.2 36.9 38.4
166.2
90.3 81.5 72.4
0
50
100
150
200
Violent Property Drugs Other
Mon
ths
MeanTotalSentencebyHabitualFelonyOffenderEnhancementandOffenseType,2016
NoHabitualOffenderEnhancement HabitualOffenderEnhancement
KeyFindings
• 37percentofcurrentprisonersinFloridaweresentencedundereitheramandatoryminimumoranenhancement
• Floridahasatleast108mandatoryminimumsandfivedifferenthabitualoffenderenhancements,manyofwhichoverlapandimpactthesamepopulation
• Themostcommonmandatoryminimumsandenhancementsarethehabitualfelonyoffenderenhancement,whichmostcommonlyisappliedtopropertyoffenses,andthe10-20-Lifemandatoryminimumforuseofafirearmincommissionofacrime
43
Burglaryviii
Offenderswithaburglaryprimaryoffensemakeup16percentofbothnewcourtcommitmentstoprisonandtheprisonpopulation.Generally,propertyoffensesmakeupasmallerportionoftheprisonpopulationthanadmissionsbecauseofshorterlengthsofstaycomparedtoviolentcrimes.Thefactthatburglaryofadwellingoroccupiedstructureisthemostcommoncrimeinprisonandthatburglaryasacategorytakesupsomanybedsindicatesthatthesecrimesaresubjecttolongpenalties.Thismaybedrivenbythelargenumberofenhancementsandmandatoryminimums,includingseveralhabitualenhancementsaswellas10-20-Life,forwhichmostburglarycrimesareeligible.Moreoffendersarecomingintoprisonforburglaryofadwellingthanadecadeago,andwithlongersentences.Thenumberofadmissionsforburglaryofanunoccupiedstructure,however,hasfallen.Thiscouldindicateashiftinprosecutorialchargingpractices,giventhatburglariesoverallaredowninthestate.
Theft
Traffickinginstolenpropertyisthefourthmostcommoncrimeatprisonadmission,andthenumberofnewcourtcommitmentshasgrown14percentinthelastdecade.Thenumberofnewcourtcommitmentsforrepeatpetitthefthasrisen36percentinthelastdecade.Sentencelengthsfortraffickinginstolenproperty,grandandpetittheft,andgrandtheftofamotorvehiclehaverisenoverthelastdecade,includinginsituationswherethenumberofadmissionsalsogrew.Thissuggeststhatthegrowthinsentencelengthisnotsolelyduetocarvingoutlessseriousoffendersfromtheadmissionspool.Floridahasoneofthelowestfelonytheftthresholdamountsinthecountryatjust$300.37Thisfelonythresholdamounthasnotbeenincreasedsince1986,whenitwasraisedfrom$100to$300.FloridaistiedwithHawaiiforthefourthlowestfelonytheftthresholdamount,followedbyMassachusettsat$250,andNewJerseyandVirginiaat$200.38Anydefendantwhoischargedwithgrandtheftintheamountof$300to$20,000facesathirddegreefelonywithapenaltyofuptofiveyearsinprison.However,themajorityofindividualssenttoprisonforgrandtheftfallwithinthelowerthresholdamountof$300to$5,000.Tables5and6,onthefollowingpages,includeinformationonthemostcommonoffenseswithintheburglaryandtheftcategories,theirfelonydegrees,severitylevels,primaryoffensepoints(withinthesentencingguidelines),enhancementsthatapplytothoseoffenses,thenumberofscoresheetsfiledin2015(asaproxyforthenumberoffelonydefendants),themediannumberofsentencingpointsearnedbythosedefendants,thetotalpercentageofdefendantsreceivingastateprisonsentence,thenumberofnewcourtcommitments(NCC)toprisonin2016,andfinally,theprisonpopulationin2016.
viiiFDCclassifiesburglarywithanassaultasaviolentcrimebutburglaryofadwellingoroccupiedstructureorconveyanceasapropertycrime.
44
Table5:CommonBurglaryOffenses
Offense FelonyDegree
SeverityLevel(PrimaryOffensePoints)
Enhancements/MandatoryMinimums
ScoresheetsFiled2015
MedianSentencingPoints
PercentSentencedtoStatePrison
NCCsin2016
PrisonPopulationin2016
MeanSentenceLengthforNCCsin2016(Months)
Burglary,ArmedwithExplosiveorDangerousWeapon
1st 8(74) HabitualFelonyHabitualViolentFelony(MM)PrisonReleasee(MM)3-TimeViolent(MM)10-20-Life(MM)
512 114 78% 474 2,885 111
BurglaryofaDwelling/OccupiedStructure/Conveyance
2nd 6/7(36/56) HabitualFelonyPrisonReleasee(MM)10-20-Life(MM)
4,267 77 55% 2,352 8,210
59
BurglaryofanUnoccupiedStructure/Conveyance-orAttempted
3rd 4(22) HabitualFelony10-20-Life(MM)
5,062 34 25% 1,194
1,946 30
Source:CJIAnalysisofDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
KeyFindings
• Burglaryofadwellingoroccupiedstructureisthemostcommoncrimeatprisonadmissionandintheprisonpopulation
• Themostcommonburglaryoffensesarealleligibleforthe10-20-Lifeenhancement,includingburglaryofanunoccupiedstructureorconveyance
45
Table6:CommonTheftOffenses
Offense FelonyDegree
SeverityLevel(PrimaryOffensePoints)
Enhancements/MandatoryMinimums
ScoresheetsFiled2015
MedianSentencingPoints
PercentSentencedtoStatePrison
NCCsin2016
PrisonPopulationin2016
MeanSentenceLengthforNCCsin2016(Months)
TrafficInStolenProperty
2nd 5(28pts)
HabitualFelony 4,488 41 22% 1,507
2,815 35
GrandTheftMotorVehicle
3rd 4(22pts)
HabitualFelony 1,794 32 17% 429 524 25
GrandTheft,$300-$5,000
3rd 2(10pts)
HabitualFelony 8,947 16 8% 973
1,195 25
PetitTheft/3rdConviction
3rd 1(4pts) HabitualFelony 2,849 19 14% 505 645 22
Source:CJIAnalysisofDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
KeyFindings
• Manycommontheftoffenseshavegrowingnumbersofadmissionstoprison,includingtraffickinginstolenproperty(14percentgrowth)andpetittheft,3rdorsubsequentconviction(36percentgrowth)
• Floridaistiedforthefourthlowestfelonytheftthresholdsat$300,andithasn’tbeenchangedsince1986
46
DrugOffensesDrivenbythereductionindrugarrestsacrossthestate,felonydrugfilings,sentences,andprisonadmissionsdeclinedsignificantlyinthelastdecade.Yet,drugoffensesstillmakeupsomeofthemostcommoncrimesatprisonadmissionandwithintheprisonpopulation.Thelargedeclineindrugcaseswasdrivenbyadeclineinfelonysimplepossession.Thenumberofscoresheetsfiledforthiscrimedeclined35percentfrom2006to2015,althoughthisnumberhascreptbackupinrecentyears.Figure43:DrugPossessionScoresheetsFiledDeclined35PercentinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofSentencingScoresheetsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Whilepossessionofacontrolledsubstanceisstillthemostcommondrugcrimeatprisonadmission,traffickingisthemostcommondrugcrimeintheprisonpopulation,followedbyseconddegreesale/manufacturing/deliveryofacontrolledsubstance.Whilethefelonydegreesassignedtodrugoffensesvarygreatly,seconddegreesale/manufacturing/deliverymostlycoversscheduleIandIIsubstancesix,whilefirstdegreesale/manufacturing/deliverycoversthosesamesubstanceswithinaschoolzone,church,orotherstatutorilydesignatedarea.Drugtraffickingoffenseshavetheirownmandatoryminimums,aswellasbeingsubjecttoenhancementsunder10-20-Lifeandhabitualenhancements.Ofthedrugtraffickersinprisonnow,73percentareservingamandatoryminimumorenhancedsentence.Thenumberofnewcourtcommitmentswithaprimarydrugoffenseandamandatoryminimumrose34percentinthelastdecade,from941in2007to1,264in2016.
ixIncludingheroin,GBH,opium,cocaine,fentanyl,methadone,andmethamphetamine.
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 30,000
SimplePossession
Sale/Manufacturing/Delivery
Trafficking
OtherDrugCrime
SentencingScoresheetsFiled
SentencingScoresheetsbyDrugCrimeType,2006vs2015
2006 2015
47
Table7:CommonDrugOffenses
Offense FelonyDegree
SeverityLevel(PrimaryOffensePoints)
Enhancements/MandatoryMinimums
ScoresheetsFiled2015
MedianSentencingPoints
PercentSentencedtoStatePrison
NCCsin2016
PrisonPopulationin2016
MeanSentenceLengthforNCCsin2016(Months)
TraffickinginControlledSubstance(1stDegree)
1st 7-9(56-96) HabitualFelony10-20-Life(MM)
1,375 84 75% 1,190
4,949
71
Sale/Manufacturing/DeliveryofControlledSubstance(1stDegree)
1st 5-7(28-56) HabitualFelony
661 92 76% 538 1,953 57
Sale/Manufacturing/DeliveryofControlledSubstance(2ndDegree)
2nd 3-6(16-36) HabitualFelony
4,613 42 38% 1,958 3,767 32
PossessionofControlledSubstance(3rdDegree)
3rd 3(16) N/A 19,028 23 11% 1,965
2,128 22
Source:CJIAnalysisofDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
KeyFindings
• Thirddegreesimplepossessionisstillthemostcommondrugoffenseatprisonadmission,andthethirdmostcommonintheprisonpopulation
• Firstdegreesale/manufacturing/delivery,whichmostlycoversenhancedoffensessuchasschoolzoneorchurchoffenses,hasalmostdoubletheaveragesentenceforseconddegreesale/manufacturing/delivery(57monthsvs32months)althoughbyandlargetheycoverthesamesubstances
48
ELDERLYPRISONERSOneofthestrikingdemographicstoriesinFlorida’sprisonsystemisthegrowthofprisonersage50andolder,definedaselderlyinFloridastatute944.02.39In2016,elderlyprisonersmadeup23percentoftheprisonpopulation,upfrom14percentin2007.Inrawnumbers,thisismorethan23,500offendersage50orolderinFlorida’sprisons.Thisnumberhasgrown65percentinthelastdecade.Figure44:NumberofPrisonersAge50orOverGrew65PercentinLastDecade
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Asdiscussedintheoveralltrendssection,growthintheprisonpopulationcanbedrivenbytwothings:howmanypeoplecomein,andhowlongtheystay.Inthiscase,thelatteristhemaindriverofgrowthinthisportionofthepopulation.Overall,13percentofnewcourtcommitmentstoprisonareage50andoveratthetimeofadmission.Thenumberofprisonadmissionsforoffender’soverage50hasgrownonlyfourpercentinthelastdecade.Bycontrast,lengthofstayinprisonforelderlyprisonershasgrownsignificantlyoverthatperiod.
14,251
23,542
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016
Prison
ers
PrisonersAge50andOver,SnapshotPopulaIon2007-2016
49
Figure45:FourPercentGrowthinNumberofElderlyPrisonersAdmitted
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonAdmissionsDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Theaveragesentenceforcurrentprisonersage50andoveris313months,comparedto184monthsforprisonersunderage50.Theseoffendersalsohavethelongestremainingperioduntiltheirtentativereleasedate,awayofmeasuringthefutureimpactofthosecurrentlyinprison.Whilethetimeremaininguntiltentativereleasehasgrownforallagegroupsassentencesgrewoverthelastdecade,ithasgrownthemostforolderoffenders.Figure46:ElderlyPrisonersHave8YearsonAverageRemainingUntilRelease
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Thetimeuntilreleaseunderstatesthepotentialimpactoftheseoffendersontheprisonpopulation,however,becauseitdoesnotincludethosewithoutareleasedateatall.Offenderswithlifesentencesarenotgivententativereleasedates,andtheseincludemanycurrentelderlyprisoners.Infact,justunderhalf(47percent)ofprisonerswithlifesentencesareage50orolder.Thenumberofoffendersoverage50withalifesentencehasgrown91percentinthelastdecade.Anypersonsentencedtolifeimprisonmentforoffensescommittedonorafter
3,708
3,843
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
2007 2016
New
Cou
rtCom
mitm
ents
NewCourtCommitmentsbyAgeatAdmission,2007vs2016
50andOver
35-49
25-34
18-24
43.859.9 68.5
84.455.3 66.3 76.4
96
0
50
100
150
18-24 25-34 35-49 50andOver
Mon
ths
AgeCategory
AverageTimetoTentaIveReleaseDate,byAgeCategory,2007vs2016(Months)
2007 2016
50
October1,1998,willbeincarceratedfortherestoftheirnaturallives,unlessgrantedpardon,executiveclemency,orconditionalmedicalrelease.40Figure47:47PercentofPrisonerswithLifeSentencesareAge50orOlder
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonPopulationDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Unsurprisingly,giventhelongsentences,themajority(63percent)ofelderlyoffendersareinprisonforprimaryviolentoffenses,followedbydrugs(12percent)andnonviolentformsofburglary(10percent).Despitemanyelderlyoffendershavingbeensentencedforveryseriouscrimes,theyaremuchmorelikelytobeclassifiedasbeinglowrisktoreoffendcomparedtoyoungeroffenders.Thisfitswithastrongbodyofresearchshowingthatageisoneofthestrongestpredictorsofcriminalbehaviorwithcriminaloffendingdecliningsignificantlyasindividualsage.41InFlorida’scurrentprisonpopulation,37percentofelderlyprisonersareclassifiedinthelowestrisktorecidivatecategory,comparedto15percentofthetotalpopulation.Thisislikelyunderstatingthenumberoflowriskelderlyoffendersbecausetheoldertheoffenderinprison,thelesslikelyheorsheistohavebeenassessed,andthemorelikelytobelowriskifassessed.Iftheremaining38percentofelderlyoffenderswhocurrentlydonothaveariskscorewereassessed,itisalmostcertainthatanevenlargerpercentageoftheoverallgroupwouldbeinthelowestriskcategory.Whilesomestateshaveearlyreleaseoptionsgearedtowardstheelderlypopulation,inFlorida,theonlyearlyreleasemechanismforthisgroupisconditionalmedicalparole,whichhasstringenteligibilitycriteria.42Comparedtotheiryoungerpeers,olderinmatestypicallyhavehighratesofbothmildandserioushealthconditions,leadingtomuchgreatermedicalneeds.Duetothehighmedicalneedsoftheelderlyinmatepopulation,prisonsnationwidespendabouttwotothreetimesmoretoincarceratetheseindividualsthanyoungerinmates.43AccordingtotheFloridaDepartmentofCorrection’s(FDC)mostrecentlypublishedannualreport,inFiscalYear2014-2015,theelderlyinmatepopulationaccountedfor53percentofallepisodesofcarecomparedto22percentoftheinmatepopulation.44
2,9245,610
0
2,000
4,000
6,000
8,000
10,000
12,000
14,000
2007 2016
Prison
ers
NumberofPrisonerswithaLifeSentencebyCurrentAge,2007vs2016
50andOver
35-49
25-34
18-24
51
Whilethereisnoearlyreleasepolicytargetedspecificallytowardstheelderly,giventheuniqueneedsofthispopulation,FDChasmadeeffortstomanagethispopulationwithintheconfinesofprisonfacilities.Inparticular,FDChasestablishedelderlyoffenderhousingforinmateswhomeetcertaincriteriainordertoaccountfortheirworklimitationsandhealthcareneeds.Tobeeligibleforanelderlyhousingdorm,aninmatemustbeatleast50yearsorolder,mustnothavereceivedanyviolentdisciplinaryreportswithinthelastthreeyears,mustnototherwisebedeemedtobeasecurityordisciplinaryriskforplacement,andmustbecompatiblewiththefacility’smissionandprofile.45
KeyFindings
• Thenumberofprisonersage50orovergrew65percentinthelastdecade• Thisgrowthwasdrivenbyprisonerswithverylongsentencesagingintothe
definitionof“elderlyprisoner”• Almosthalfofprisonerswithalifesentence—forwhichthereisnorelease
mechanismbesideslimitedmedicalrelease—arealreadyovertheageof50• InFY2015,prisonersoverage50accountedfor53percentofallhealthcare
episodescomparedto22percentoftheinmatepopulation
52
RELEASEANDREENTRYThevastmajorityofoffenderswhoenterFlorida’sprisonsystemareeventuallyreleased.Thissectiondescribesthelawsandpracticesaroundprisonreleaseandreentry,andhowtheseaffecthowlongoffendersspendinprisonbeforetheirrelease.
TimeServedInFlorida,individualssentencedtostateprisonforacrimecommittedonorafterOctober1,1995arerequiredtoserveatleast85percentofthesentenceorsentencesimposedbeforetheyareeligibleforrelease,regardlessofthetypeofcrime.46Someenhancementandhabitualoffenderprovisionsrequireaninmatetoserve100percentoftheirsentenceinprison.Manystatesincreasedtimeservedrequirementsforviolentoffendersinthe1990stocomplywiththefederalTruthinSentencingprogram.However,onlyafewstatesincludednonviolentoffendersintheserequirements.47
Gain-TimeCurrently,theonlywayforinmatestoreducethetimetheyserveinprisonisthroughwhatisknownas“gain-time.”TheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections(FDC)isstatutorilyauthorizedtoawardgain-timetoinmateswiththeintendedgoalofincentivizinginmatestoparticipateinprogrammingandcomplywiththerulesoftheinstitution.48Therearefourtypesofgain-timeaneligibleinmatexcanearntoreducetheirsentenceby15percent:incentivegain-time,meritoriousgain-time,educationalachievementgain-time,andeducationgain-time.Table8:Gain-TimeOptionsforEligibleInmates
GainTypeOptions Requirements Gain-TimeEarned
Incentive
Creditsearnedbasedonratingreceivedrelatedtoinstitutionaladjustment,work,andparticipationinprograms
Upto10dayspermonth
Meritorious
Completionofoutstandingdeed Onetimecreditofupto60days
EducationalAchievement
CompletionofGEDorvocationalprogram Onetimecreditof60days
Education
Satisfactorilyparticipatedin150hoursoffunctionalliteracyinstruction
Onetimecreditofupto6days
Source:FloridaAdministrativeCode,33-601.101IncentiveGainTime.
xOnlyinmateswhocommittedcrimesafterOctober1,1995areeligibleforthetypesofgain-timedescribedinTable8.
53
Mostinmatescanbeginearninggain-timewithinthefirstmonthofcommitmenttoFDC.But,ifsomeoneisservingasentenceformandatoryminimum,theycannotbegintoearngain-timeuntiltheyhaveservedthemandatoryportionofthesentence.Asaresult,individualsservingmandatoryminimumsentenceshavelimitedincentivetoparticipateinprogrammingorcomplywiththerulesofFDCduringthemandatorytermoftheirsentence.49Themajorityofgain-timeearnedbyinmatesisincentivegain-time.FDChassetupaprocessforawardingincentivegain-timebasedontheresultsofmonthlyevaluationscompletedbyFDCsecurityandprogrammingstaff.Eligibleinmatescanbeawardedanywherefromzerocreditsforunsatisfactoryevaluationstoeightdaysforabovesatisfactoryevaluations.Additionalgain-timedayscanalsobeawarded,uptothetendaystatutorylimit,basedonadherencetoprogramortreatmentplan,workorprogramstability,orprogramachievement.Inmateswhohaveearnedgain-timetowardsareductionoftheirsentencemayhaveallorsomeoftheirgain-timeforfeitedforcertaintypesofmisconduct.50
LengthofStayTrendsTheaveragelengthofincarcerationforfirstreleases—offendersreleasedforthefirsttimeontheircurrentsentence—hasincreasedsteadilyoverthepastdecade.Thecurrentstatewideaveragein2016was42months,upfrom35in2007.Althoughanincreaseofsevenmonthsmaynotsoundsignificant,whenmultipliedbythethousandsofpeoplemovingthroughFlorida’sprisonsystem,thisgrowthcanhaveasignificanteffectontheprisonpopulation.Themedianlengthofstayin2016was27months,upfrom21monthsin2007.Whileitisdifficulttocomparelengthofstayacrossstates,themostrecentnationalestimatesfromtheBureauofJusticeStatisticsputmedianlengthofstayforviolentoffendersat28months,comparedto35monthsinFlorida.51Figure48:TimeServedforDrugOffensesHasIncreased24%Since2007
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
55.5
31.9 27.4 23.8
63.3
34.7 34.0 32.1
0
20
40
60
80
Violent Property Drugs Other
Mon
ths
MeanTimeServedbyOffenseType,2007vs.2016
2007 2016
54
Since2007,timeservedhasincreasedforalloffensetypes,withthelargestincreasesoccurringamongdrugoffendersand“other”offenders.Mostsignificantlywithinthat“other”group,averagetimeservedforFelonDrivingwithLicenseSuspended/Revoked/Canceled/Deniedincreased24%(from17to21months).Amongthetop10offensesatadmission,lengthofincarcerationforfirstdegreetraffickinghasgrownthemost,from44monthsfor2007releaseesto53monthsfor2016releasees.Releaseeswithaprimaryoffenseofburglaryofadwellingoroccupiedstructureservedanaverageofalmostfouryears(46months),steadyfrom2007,althoughthenumberofoffenderscominginforthiscrimehasriseninthelastdecade.Themeanlengthofstayforsimplepossessionoffendersisabout20monthsonaverage,upslightlyfrom2007.Themostrecentnationalestimateputsmediantimeservedfordrugpossessionat10monthscomparedto16monthsinFlorida.52Figure49:TraffickingOffendersServe53MonthsonAverage,Up20Percentfrom2007
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Thevastmajorityofoffendersreleasedfromprisonserveover85percentoftheirsentenceduetothetimeservedrequirementspassedin1995.Violentoffenders’averagetimeservedhoversclosestto85percentoftheirsentences,whereasdrugoffenders,propertyoffenders,andothertypesofoffenderstypicallyserveonetotwoadditionalmonthsbeyond85percentoftheirsentence.Thismaybebecauseviolentoffenders,servinglongerinprison,havemoreopportunitiestoearngaintime.
46.1
20.4
32.0
29.8
34.0
28.8
53.1
23.4
92.4
55.2
0 20 40 60 80 100
BurglaryofaDwelling/OccupiedStructure/
SimplePossession(3rdDegree)
Sale/Manufacturing/Delivery(2ndDegree)
TrafficInStolenProperty
Felon/DelinquentwithGun/Concealed
BurglaryofanUnoccupiedStructure/
Trafficking(1stDegree)
GrandTheh,$300-$20,000
RobberywithaDeadlyWeapon
Robbery
Months
MeanTimeServedAmongFirstReleasesforTop10OffensesatAdmission,2007vs2016
2007
2016
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PrisonReleaseTypesandReentryPlanningOnceaninmateservesatleast85percentoftheirsentenceorsentences,withorwithoutgain-time,theinmatemaybereleasedthrougheitherexpirationofsentenceorreleasedtopost-prisonreleasesupervision.Expirationofsentenceincludesoffendersreleasedwithoutsupervision,aswellasthosewithasplitprobationsentencereleasedtoprobationorcommunitycontrolsupervision.Themaintypesofpost-prisonreleasesupervisioninFloridainclude:parole,controlrelease,conditionalrelease,addictionrecoverysupervision,andconditionalmedicalrelease.ConditionalreleaseandaddictionrecoverysupervisionarebothnondiscretionaryreleasetypesthatdonotrequireaformaldecisionbytheFloridaCommissiononOffenderReview(FCOR)butratherareatypeofmandatorysupervisionforinmateswhomeetcertaincriteria.Specifically,conditionalreleaseisforindividualsservingsentencesforcertainviolentorhabitualcrimes.Addictionrecoverysupervisionisrequiredforinmateswhohaveahistoryofsubstanceabuseoraddictionorhaveparticipatedinanydrugtreatmentprogram.xiWhileFCORdoesnotmakeaformalreleasedecisionforconditionalreleaseandaddictionrecoverysupervision,FCORisresponsibleforsettingthetermsandconditionsofsupervisionandoverseeingtherevocationprocess,whennecessary.
xiIndividualswithacurrentorpreviousconvictionforaviolentoffense,drugtrafficking,saleofacontrolledsubstance,certainpropertyoffenses,oratrafficoffenseinvolvinginjuryordeathareineligibleforaddictionrecoverysupervision.EligibleinmatesarescreenedintotheprogramusingtheFDC’sSimpleDrugScreeningInstrument.
KeyFindings
• AlloffenderssentencedafterOctober1,1995mustserveatleast85percentoftheirsentencebehindbars
• Thosewithmandatorysentencescannotbeginearninggain-timeuntiltheyhavecompletedthemandatoryportion,reducingtheirincentivetoparticipateinprogramming
• Thestatutorytimeservedrequirementshaveledtolonglengthsofstayinprisoncomparedtonationalaverages
• Lengthofstayinprisonhasgrownforalloffensetypesinthelastdecade,includingincaseswherethenumberofadmissionswassteadyorgrowing
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Parole,controlreleaseandconditionalmedicalreleasearealldiscretionaryreleasetypesandrequireaformalreleasedecisionbyFCOR.Whileparolewasformallyabolishedin1983,therearestillanumberofindividualsinprisonwhoareeligibleforthisdiscretionaryreleasetype.Controlrelease,whilenotcurrentlybeingused,isanotherearlyreleaseoptionwhichcanbegrantedtoeligibleinmatesiftheprisonpopulationexceeds99percentofitscapacity.ConditionalmedicalreleaseisforinmateswhoFDChasdeterminedtobepermanentlyincapacitatedorterminallyill.FCORconsiderspersonsforpossibleconditionalmedicalreleaseuponareferralfromFDC.Inmateswhoarereleasedtopost-prisonreleasesupervisionwillbesupervisedfortheperiodequaltothegain-timethattheyreceivedinprison.
ReleaseTrendsAlthoughFloridahasnearly20differentreleasetypesonrecord,onlyabouthalfofthemhavebeenusedregularlyoverthepastdecade.Amongactivereleaseoptions,expirationofsentencewithoutprobationismostcommon.Sixty-threepercentofreleasedprisonersreturntotheircommunitieswithoutanykindofcommunitysupervision.Thenextmostcommonreleaseoptionsareconditionalreleasesupervisionandexpirationofsentencetoprobationorcommunitycontrol(CC).Conditionalrelease,asdescribedabove,isbasedontheoffenseandismostcommonforviolentoffenders.Anexpirationofsentencewithprobationorcommunitycontroltofollowhappenswhenajudgegivesasplitsentencebeforetheoffendercomestoprison.Thisismostcommonforviolentandpropertyoffenders,ofwhom16percentand11percent,respectively,havecourt-orderedsupervisiontofollow.Figure50:MostPrisonReleaseesHaveNoSupervisiontoFollow
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
19,1805,401
4,955
1,020
386
160
24
17
0 5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000
ExpirajonofSentence(EOS)
CondijonalRelease
EOStoProbajon/CC
ProgramSupervision
Other
ReinstatementofSupervision
Parole
CondijonalMedicalRelease
Releases
PrisonReleasesbyReleaseType,2007vs.2016
2007 2016
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Drugoffendersaremostlikelytobereleasedwithoutanysupervisiontofollow,whereasviolentoffendersaremostlikelytohavesupervisiontofollow.Only32percentofpropertyoffendersand24percentofdrugoffendershaveanysupervisiontofollowrelease.Figure51:MostPropertyandDrugOffendersReleasedWithoutSupervisiontoFollow
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Recently,FDChasexpandeditspracticeofconductingriskassessmentsofprisonerspriortorelease.Riskassessmentinstrumentsidentifythelikelihoodthatanindividualwillrecidivate,andresearchshowsthattheyareeffectivetoolsfortargetinginterventions,includingsupervisionandprogramming.53In2016,89percentofreleasedprisonershadariskassessmentconductedpriortorelease.xiiAmongindividualsevaluatedandreleasedthatyear,49percentweredeterminedtobeahighrisktorecidivateattheirfinalassessment(withRecidivismIndexscoresof4or5onascaleof5).Fortypercentofoffendersinthehighestrisklevelwerereleasedwithoutsupervision,comparedtojustunder80percentinthelowestrisklevel(Figure52).
xiiOnaverage,thisriskassessmentwasconductedtwo-thirdsofthewaythroughthereleasee’sprisonsentence.
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
Violent Property Drugs Other
ShareofReleases
PrisonReleasesbyOffenseType,2016
AddicjonRecoverySupervision
CondijonalRelease
EOStoProbajon/CC
ExpirajonofSentence(EOS)
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Figure52:HigherRiskOffendersMoreLikelytoHaveSupervisiontoFollowRelease
Source:CJIAnalysisofPrisonReleaseDataProvidedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Althoughlookingatreleasetypesbyrecidivismindexscoreshowsthatsupervisionisgenerallybeingtargetedathigherriskoffenders,italsohighlightsthatprogramsupervision,alsoknownasaddictionrecoverysupervision,ismostlytargetedatoffenderswithalowriskofrecidivism(thosewithscoresof1,2,or3).Astrongbodyofresearchindicatesthattoomuchtreatmentorsupervisionforlow-riskoffenderscanactuallyincreaserecidivism.54ReentryPlanningSincethemajorityofindividualsreleasedfromFloridaprisonsarereleasedwithoutsupervisiontofollow,FDChasrecognizedtheneedtostreamlinetheDepartmentsreentryplanningprocesses.Inparticular,FDChasmadeeffortstochangetheirreentryplanningphilosophyfromaprocessthatoccursdirectlypriortoreleasetoamorefrontendapproachthatbeginsthedayanindividualwalksinthedoor.WhileFDCreportsthatitdoesnotcurrentlyhaveenoughprogrammingslotstoprovideprogrammingtoeveryoffenderincarcerated,FDC’snewlyestablishedDivisionofDevelopment:ImprovementandReadinessisconsideringchangingitspolicyrelatedtotheprioritizationofprogrammingtofocusprogrammingoninmateswithinfiveyearsofrelease,ratherthanthecurrentpolicyofthreeyearspriortorelease.55Reentryprogrammingfocusesonsubstanceabusetreatment,educational/academic,career/technicaleducation,andfaithandcharacter-basedprograms.56Currently,programmingdecisionsaredeterminedbasedonthelengthoftimeaninmatehasremainingontheirsentenceandtheresultsoftheCorrectionalIntegratedNeedsAssessmentSystem(CINAS).WhilemostfacilitiesstillusetheCINAS,FDCisintheprocessofpilotinganewassessmenttoolknownas“Spectrum.”FDCreportsthatSpectrumwillprovidethemwithinformationontheprogrammingandtreatmentneedsofeveryinmateshortlyfollowingtheircommitmenttoFDC.InadditiontothestepstakenbyFDC,theFloridaLegislaturehasintroducedlegislationtorespondtoinmatereentryneedsandimprovetheoverallreentryprocessinthestate.In2014,theFloridaLegislaturepassed,andtheGovernorsubsequentlysigned,HouseBill53,which
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1 2 3 4 5
ShareofReleases
RecidivismIndexScore
PrisonReleasesbyRecidivismIndexScoreandReleaseType,2016
ExpirajonofSentence(EOS)EOStoProbajon/CC
CondijonalRelease
AddicjonRecoverySupervision
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requiresFDCtocollaboratewiththeDepartmentofHealthandtheDepartmentofHighwaySafetyMotorVehiclestoprovideeveryFlorida-borninmatewithacopyoftheirbirthcertificateandastate-issuedidentificationcardpriortotheirrelease.State-issuedidentificationcardsareoftenanecessaryreentrydocumentinorderforanindividualtoobtainemployment,housing,orapplyforpublicbenefits.Whilemanysystemstakeholdershaverecognizedtheneedtoimprovethereentryprocessinthestate,individualsreleasedfromprisonstillfacesignificantbarriersduetothemanycollateralconsequencestiedtoafelonyconviction.Forexample,thereareanumberofoffensesthatrequiresuspensionorrevocationofanindividual’sdriver’slicense,includingpossessing,selling,ortraffickingacontrolledsubstance,theftoffenses,passingworthlessbankchecks,andgraffiti/criminalmischief.
RecidivismRecidivismhasdeclinedslightlyamongoffendersreleasedfromprisoninFloridainthelastfiveyears,drivenbysmalldeclinesinone-yearrecidivism(returntoprisonwithin12monthsofrelease).Whilerecidivismcanbeastrongmeasureofsuccessfuloutcomesforprisonersreleasedintothecommunity,itcanalsobedrivenbymanyfactorsbesidessuccessfulrehabilitation.57First,recidivismmaybedrivenbytheunderlyingriskofthepopulation.Ifmanylow-riskoffendersaresenttoprison,thiswilllowertheoverallrecidivismrate,notbecausethesystemissuccessfullyrehabilitatingoffendersbutbecauseofunderlyingcharacteristicsoftheoffendersthemselves.Similarly,returntoprison,themeasureusedbyFlorida,canbesensitivetotheamountandtypeofpost-prisonreleasesurveillancedone.Florida,withminimalpost-prisonreleasesupervision,mayhavealowerreturn-to-prisonratethanotherstatesbecauseofunderlyingdynamicsratherthanagencypractices.
KeyFindings
• Sixty-threepercentofprisonersarereleasedwithoutanysupervisiontofollow• Violentandhigher-riskoffendersaremostlikelytohavepost-releasesupervision• Thedepartmentistakingstepstofacilitatereentryforindividualsreleasedwithout
supervision,buttheystillfacemanycollateralconsequences
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Figure53:SlightDeclineinRecidivismRatesSince2008
Source:FloridaDepartmentofCorrections,FloridaPrisonRecidivismReport:Releasesfrom2008to2014
Despitetheselimitations,recidivismisausefulindicatorofwhetherindividualsreleasedfromprisonarelikelytocommitfuturecrimes,andhowthatvariesbyunderlyingcharacteristicsoftheindividual.Lookingatpeoplereleasedfromprisonin2012(whohavethreeyearsoffollow-upinformationavailable),recidivismvariesbyoffensetype,with“other”violentoffenses(whichincludesaggravatedassault,battery,andarson)havingthelowestrecidivismrate,withonly19percentofreleasedoffendersreturningwithinthreeyears,followedbyburglaryat22percent.Figure54:RecidivismVariesfrom19Percentfor“Other”ViolentCrimeto31PercentforWeaponsOffenses
Source:FloridaDepartmentofCorrections,FloridaPrisonRecidivismReport:Releasesfrom2008to2014
10% 10% 9% 8% 8% 9% 8%
10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 9%
7% 7% 7% 8% 8%
0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%
2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Recidivism
Rate
YearofRelease
RecidivismRatesbyYearofRelease
25-36Months
13-24Months
1-12Months
27.6%25.2%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40%
BURGLARYROBBERY
SEXUAL/LEWDBEHAVIORPROPERTYTHEFT/FRAUD/
WEAPONSOTHER
VIOLENT,OTHERMURDER/MANSLAUGHTER
DRUGS
RecidivismRate
RecidivismRatesbyPrimaryOffense(2012Releases)
1-12Months 13-24Months 25-36Months
27%23%
19%27%
31%25%
30%
29%22%
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Recidivismalsovariesbyage.Overall,itislowestforelderlyoffendersreleasedfromprison,fittingwiththelowerriskprofileoftheseoffendersdiscussedinthepriorsection.Figure55:ElderlyOffendersHaveSignificantlyLowerRecidivismThanYoungerOffenders
Source:FloridaDepartmentofCorrections,FloridaPrisonRecidivismReport:Releasesfrom2008to2014
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%
Under25
25-34
35-49
50-64
65+
AgeatRelease
RecidivismRatesbyAgeatRelease(2012Releases)
1-12Months 13-24Months 25-36months
30%
25%
25%
21%
11%
KeyFindings
• Recidivismasdefinedbyhowmanyprisonreleasesreturntoprisonwithinthreeyearshasdeclinedsince2008from27.6percentforthosereleasedin2008to25.2percentforthosereleasedin2012
• Offendersconvictedof“other”violentcrimesandburglaryhavethelowestrecidivismrates
• Individualsreleasedovertheageof65haveconsiderablylowerrecidivismthanthosereleasedatyoungerages
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CONCLUSIONThesizeanddiversityofFlorida’scriminaljusticesystemmakeitachallengetosummarize.ThisreportrevieweddatathatwasreadilyavailabletotrytopiecetogetherapictureofsomeofthemainforcesandissuesdrivingthesizeandcompositionoftheFloridaprisonpopulation.Still,muchremainsunknown,eitherbecausedatadoesnotexist,wasunavailable,orwasnotabletobegatheredandanalyzedintheperiodofthiscontract.FurtherdatadevelopmentorreviewasdiscussedbelowmayhelpthelegislaturebetterunderstandFloridasystemsandpractices.FloridaCircuitandSpecialtyCourtsTheOfficeoftheStateCourtAdministrator(OSCA)wasabletoshareindividual-leveldatafrom53outof67countiesinthestate,reachingbackatleasttenyears.However,severallargecounties—includingDuvalCounty,wheresignificantgrowthinprisonadmissionstookplaceoverthelastdecade—werenotrepresentedinthisdataset.Inaddition,muchofthedataaboutspecificcaseswasmissing,includingmostsentencinginformation.Thesedataalsodidnothavesentencingguidelinesinformationsuchastotalsentencingscore,priorcriminalhistorypoints,orenhancements.Instead,CJImostlyusedsentencingscoresheetdatacollectedbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections(FDC)toshedinsightintothetypesofsentencesgiven.AsnotedintheAppendix,thesentencingscoresheetdataisalsoincomplete.Fulldatafromall67counties,andlinkedorcompletedatasothateachcourtcasecanbelinkedtoasentencingscoresheetandprisonorprobationadmissions,wouldensureaccuratetrackingandreportingofsentencingoutcomesandchangesovertime.OSCAalsocollectsdataonspecialtycourtprograms,includingcourt-leveldataondrugcourtadmissionsandsurveyinformationfromeachcourtoneligibilityrequirements,capacity,andotherimportantissues.However,mostofthisdatacollectiondoesnotextendtoothertypesofspecialtycourtssuchasmentalhealthcourtsandDUIcourts.Riskinformationisnotcollectedfromthemajorityofcourts,althoughthisisanimportantindicatorofwhetherspecialtycourtprogramsarebeingtargetedtotherightpopulation.Inaddition,althoughOSCAcollectsnumbersofparticipantscompletingeachyear,thesenumbersarenotlinkedtoadmissionsinawaythatallowsanyevaluationofsuccessorfailurerateswithoutmoreextensivedataanalysis.Ideally,admissioncohortswouldbetrackedinsuchawaythatsuccessandfailurecanbeaccuratelytrackedovertime.RevocationsFDChasimpressivedatasystemsandreporting.Oneareawhereimprovementmaybewarrantedisinthelinksbetweencommunitysupervisiondataanddatausedtotrackandmanagetheprisonpopulation.Initsgeneralreporting,FDCdoesnotconsidertechnicalviolationsofsupervisiontobenewadmissions,andwhatCJIreferredtoas“post-releaserevocations”arenotincludedinnormalFDCadmissioncounts.Theyarealsonottrackedin
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regularreportsonlengthofstay.Althoughthisisasmallgroup,prisonresourcesareusedtoprocesstheminandoutforshortstays.Inaddition,althoughFDCissupervisingprobationersandthoseoncommunitycontrol,it’snotpossibletotellhowmanyoftheadmissionscominginthedoortoprisonarefornewcrimesortechnicalviolations,whattheunderlyingcrimeisversusthenewcrimeifthereisone,andhowlongtechnicalviolatorsofprobationstayinprison.Usingscoresheetdata,CJIwasabletomakeroughestimatesofthesequestions,butgiventhelimitationsofthescoresheetdata,theremaybemuchbetterwaystodothisbylinkingadministrativedatasetsfromcommunitysupervisionandprisonadmission.Moredetailedinformationonthenumberandtypesofviolationsleadingtorevocationtoprisonandhowtheyaffectprisonsentencesmayalsohelpstateandlocalagenciesandthelegislaturemonitorandevaluateinnovativecourtandagencyprogramsthattargetviolationsandrevocations.
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APPENDIX:DATAANDINTERVIEWSOURCESANDMETHODOLOGYThedatausedinthisreportisacombinationofaggregatedatafrompre-existingsourcesandnewanalysisofindividualleveladministrativedatagatheredbytheFloridaDepartmentofCorrections.Thefollowingdatasourceswerepulledfrompublicwebsites:
• BureauofJusticeStatistics,NationalPrisonersSeriesdataonprisonpopulationsandimprisonmentrates.Thisisa50-stateandfederalsetofcomparabledataacrosstime.Accessedat:https://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=nps
• FederalBureauofInvestigations,UniformCrimeReportdataonviolentandpropertycrimesandcrimeratesinFlorida,theUnitedStates,andindividualFloridacounties(aggregateduptothecountylevelfromreportinglawenforcementagenciesineachcounty).Accessedat:https://www.ucrdatatool.gov/
• FloridaDepartmentofLawEnforcement,UniformCrimeReportdataonarrestsandarrestratesbyyear.Accessedat:http://www.fdle.state.fl.us/cms/FSAC/Data-Statistics/UCR-Arrest-Data.aspx
• FloridaOfficeoftheStateCourtsAdministrator,TrialCourtStatisticsdataoncircuitcriminalcountsanddefendantsbymonthandyear.Accessedat:http://trialstats.flcourts.org/
• FloridaDepartmentofCorrections,AnnualandMonthlyReportsoncommunitysupervisionpopulationsandadmissionsbyyear.Accessedat:http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/spop/2017/01/index.html
Non-publicdatasharedwithCJIinaggregateformincluded:• Drugcourtadmissionsandpopulationbycourt,byyear,sharedbytheOfficeofthe
StateCourtAdministrator.
Interviewswithagencystaffandotherstakeholdersacrossthestatehelpedtofilloutthepolicyandpracticepicture.Altogether,22individualswereinterviewedorhelpedarrangeinterviews,pulldata,orotherwiseprovidecontextualinformation:
• LeeAdams,ChiefofSentenceStructure,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• BethAtchison,SouthernRegionalDirector,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• MichaelBurke,DataAnalyst,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• JamesClark,LegislativePolicyAnalyst,OfficeofProgramPolicyAnalysisand
GovernmentalAccountability• NancyDaniels,FormerPublicDefender,SecondCircuitPublicDefender’sOfficeand
FloridaPublicDefender’sAssociation• RickyDixon,AssistantSecretaryforInstitutions,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections
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• DavidEnsley,ChiefofResearchandDataAnalysis,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• JudgeRonaldFicarrotta,ChiefJudge,ThirteenthJudicialCircuit• StevenFielder,ChiefofStafftoSecretaryJones,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• GinaGiacoma,DirectorofAdministration,FloridaCommissiononOffenderReview• JenniferGrandal,SeniorCourtOperationsConsultant,OfficeoftheStateCourts
Administrator• KristinaHartman,ChiefofPrograms,DivisionofDevelopment:Improvementand
Readiness,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• CalebHawkes,LegislativeAffairsDirector,FloridaCommissiononOffenderReview• JulieJones,Secretary,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• BradLocke,ChiefofApplied,ResearchandPolicy,DivisionofDevelopment:
ImprovementandReadiness,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• ClaireMazur,StateDirector,OfficeofProgramPolicyAnalysisandGovernmental
Accountability• RustyMcLaughlin,ChiefofClassification,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• SarahNaf,ChiefofLegislativeAffairs,OfficeofStateCourtsAdministrator• JennyNimer,AssistantSecretaryforCommunityCorrections,FloridaDepartmentof
Corrections• RosePatterson,ChiefofEducationandImprovement,OfficeoftheStateCourts
Administrator• AbeUccello,DirectorofDevelopment,DivisionofDevelopment:Improvementand
Readiness,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections• JoeWinkler,DeputyRegionalDirector,FloridaDepartmentofCorrections
Finally,theremainderoftheanalysiswasdoneusingFloridaDepartmentofCorrections(FDC)individual-leveloffenderdatafiles.FDCsharedsixmajorindividual-leveldatafileswithCJI:
• Prisonadmissions,CY2007-CY2016,includingprioradmissionsforthoseadmittedduringthe2007-2016period
• PrisonstatuspopulationsnapshotsfromDecember31ofeachyear,2007-2016• Prisonreleases,CY2007-2016• Allrelatedoffenseinformationforoffendersincludedinthethreefilesabove• Intakes,CY2007-2016,includingeveryoneadmittedtoFDCcustodynotconsidereda
newadmission(thisincludedbothtechnicalviolatorsofcertainkindsofsupervision,andreturnsfromcourt,returnsfromescape,andotherintaketypeswhichwereexcludedasdiscussionbelow)
• SentencingscoresheetsfiledwithFDC,CY2006-2015
BelowwedescribehowwecleanedandanalyzedthedatafromthesesixFDCdatafiles.Wheneverpossible,CJIusedFDC’sdatadefinitionsandcategories.Forinstance,offensetypeandoffensecategoryarefourandninegroupcategoriesusedbyFDC,whichCJIalsoused.
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Whenthesecategorieswerenotincludedinaparticulardataset,CJImatchedtheminbasedontheprimaryoffensenameandcodegiveninbothdatasets.CJIfurthercategorizeddrugcrimesintofourcategoriesbasedontheconduct:
• Simplepossession• Sale/manufacturing/delivery• Trafficking• Otherdrugcrime(thisincludespurchaseorintenttopurchase)
Thesefourcategorieswereusedtoaggregatedrugcrimesupfromthespecificdrugtypeandweightwithoutlosingallinformationaboutconduct.CJIalsocategorizedadmissionsintothreemajortypes:
• Newlysentencedprisoners:Thisincludesalloffenderswhowerenotonsupervisionbeforeprisonadmission,asdefinedbyanFDCflag.
• Probationrevocations:ThisconsistsofeveryoneadmittedonanewsentencewhowasonsupervisionbeforeprisonadmissionasdefinedbytheflagprobationviolatorintheFDCadmissionsdatasetorthe“UnderSupervision”flaginthesentencingscoresheetsdataset.Theremaybesomerevocationsofcommunitycontrolandothersupervisiontypesincludedinthiscategory.Technicalviolatorsofprobationandcommunitycontrolwouldalsobeincludedinthiscategory.
• Releaserevocations:Thesearetechnicalviolatorsfrompost-releasesupervisionsuchasconditionalreleaseandparole.TheyarenotcountedintypicalFDCadmissioncountsbecausetheydonothaveanewsentenceoranewadmissiondate.Theywereaddedtotheadmissionfileusingthe“intakedate”fromtheintakefileandtheadmissioncode.Onlyintakeswiththeadmissioncodes“COND.VIO.NON/S”“COND.MED.REL.RETURN”“CNTL.REL.VIOLATOR”“PROG.SUPV.VIOL”RETSCRPN/S”“COND.MED.REL.VIOL.”“PRSVIOLATOR”“COMMUTATION/RETURNED”and“PAR.VIO-NON/S”wereretainedandaddedtoanyadmissionsforthelistedadmissioncodestomakeupthiscategory.Theseintakedateswerealsoaddedintothereleasefile(substitutingforrepeatedadmissiondateslinkedtomultiplereleasedates)todeterminelengthofstayinprisonfortheseviolationtypes.
Examiningsentencelengths,CJIusedthetotalsentencelengthvariabledefinedbyFDCtocalculatesentenceaverages.Lifeanddeathsentenceswereincludedinaverageswithasubstitutedvalueof50years.Whencalculatingthepercentageofsentenceserved,thesesentenceswerefilteredfromthecalculation,asweresentencesforoffensescommittedbeforeOctober1,1995sincethesewerenotsubjecttothe85Percentlaw.Primaryoffensedegree,severitylevel,andcriminalhistoryweremergedintotheadmissions,status,andreleasefilesfromthefulloffensefiles.Todeterminewhetheranindividualhadahistoryofviolentcrime,allprioroffenseswerecodedaseitherviolentornonviolentbasedontheFDCoffensetype,andthentheoffenderwascodedashavinganypriororcurrentviolentcrime,whetherornottheseweretheprimaryoffensesforthecurrentorprioradmissions.Twelvepercentofstatuspopulationrecordswerenotabletobematchedtofulloffense
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records,meaningfelonydegreeandcriminalhistoryinformationisnotcomplete.Thevastmajorityoftheseunmatchedrecordswereforoffendersinprisonwithcurrentviolentcrimes.ThesentencingscoresheetdatawaspulledseparatelyfromtheotherdatainresponsetoadifferentdatarequestandthensharedwithCJI.Forthisreason,2016datawasnotcompleteandwasnotusedintheanalysis.ThesentencingscoresheetdatafiledwithFDCismissingcases,asdiscussedintheFDCSentencingReports(seehttp://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/sg_annual/1516/sg_annual-2016.pdfforthemostrecentreport).Comparingthenumberofsentencestoprisonrecordedinthesentencingscoresheetsversusthenumberofpeopleadmittedtoprisonwithanewsentencegivesevidenceofthismissingness.In2006,26percentofprisonadmissionsdidnothaveacorrespondingscoresheetavailable.By2015,thismissingnessdeclinedto12percent(itfellrapidlyfrom2006-2008andsincethenhasvariedfrom10to16percent).Itisunknownwhethernon-prisonsentencesaremoreorlessunderrepresentedinthescoresheetdata.Ineithercase,thedeclineinprisonsentencesgivenfrom2006to2015maybeunderstatedinthescoresheetdatabecauseofthehighernumberofmissingscoresheetsintheearlieryear.Todeterminethesentencegiveninthescoresheetdata,flagsforeachsentencetypewerecomparedandthemostserioussentencegivenwasselected,withseriousnessdefinedasstateprison>countyjail>communitycontrol>probation.Ifadefendantwasgivenasplitsentencethesentencewasrecordedasthemostseriouspartofthatsplitsentence.Countyjailsentencesmayincludesentencesgivenoftimeservedpretrial,wherenoneoftheincarcerationtimewasactuallyservedpost-adjudication.Prisonsentencesmayalsoincludesomeoralltimeservedpretrial.Inadditiontotheanalysispresentedinthereport,CJIranmorethan175tablescross-tabbingandsummarizingvariablesofinterestinthesedatasets.ThefullanalyticalresultswillbesharedwithOPPAGA.1NationalAssociationofStateBudgetOfficers(1987),“TheStateExpenditureReport,”http://www.nasbo.org/sites/default/files/ER_1987.PDF;NationalAssociationofStateBudgetOfficers(2007),StateExpenditureReportFiscal2006”,http://www.nasbo.org/sites/default/files/ER_2006.pdf.Note:Comparisonexcludescapitalexpenditures.2NationalAssociationofStateBudgetOfficers,“ExaminingFiscalStateSpending2014-2016,”https://www.nasbo.org/mainsite/reports-data/state-expenditure-report.3BureauofJusticeStatistics(2016),“Prisonersin2015”,http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p15.pdf.4FederalBureauofInvestigation,UniformCrimeReports,UCRDataTool,accessedathttp://www.ucrdatatool.gov/Search/Crime/State/StateCrime.cfm5FederalBureauofInvestigation,(2016),“CrimeintheUnitedStates2015,”Table5,accessedat:https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2015/crime-in-the-u.s.-2015/tables/table-56PewPublicSafetyPerformanceProject(2016),“NationalImprisonmentandCrimeRatesContinuetoFall,”http://www.pewtrusts.org/~/media/assets/2016/12/national_imprisonment_and_crime_rates_continue_to_fall_web.pdf7Fla.State.§948.08(1)(h)18FloridaCriminalJusticeEstimatingConference,February2017.
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9FloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsandOfficeofStateCourtsAdministrator,“FloridaCriminalPunishmentCode,ScoresheetPreparationManual”http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/sen_cpcm/cpc_manual.pdf.10FlaStat.§775.08211FloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsandOfficeofStateCourtsAdministrator,“FloridaCriminalPunishmentCode,ScoresheetPreparationManual”http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/sen_cpcm/cpc_manual.pdf.12Ibid.13FloridaDepartmentofCorrections,Florida’sCriminalPunishmentCode:AComparativeAssessment,http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/sg_annual/0001/14Fla.Stat.§921.002615Ibid.16Ibid.17Ibid.18FloridaDepartmentofCorrectionsandOfficeofStateCourtsAdministrator,“FloridaCriminalPunishmentCode,ScoresheetPreparationManual”http://www.dc.state.fl.us/pub/sen_cpcm/cpc_manual.pdf.19Fla.Stat.§948.00120Notethatthesenumbersaresmallerthantheactualnumberofadmissionstoprisonforthesecrimesbecauseofmissingscoresheets.21TheFloridaSenate,CommitteeonCriminalJustice,InterimProjectReport2006-109,“ReviewofSanctionsOrderedforViolationsofProbation”http://archive.flsenate.gov/data/Publications/2006/Senate/reports/interim_reports/pdf/2006-109cj.pdf22Fla.Admin.Code.R.33-601.101(2017).23TheFloridaSenate,SPB7066BillAnalysisandFiscalImpactStatement(2015)https://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2016/7066/Analyses/2016s7066.pre.cj.PDF.24Ibid.25Theoffenseswhichapplytothe10-20-lifelawinclude:murder,sexualbattery,robbery,burglary,arson,aggravatedbattery,kidnapping,escape,aircraftpiracy,aggravatedchildabuse,aggravatedabuseofanelderlypersonordisabledadult,unlawfulthrowing,placing,ordischargingoradestructivedeviceorbomb,carjacking,home-invasionrobbery,aggravatedstalking,drugtrafficking,andpossessionofafirearmbyafelon.26Fla.Stat.§775.08727Ibid.28Ibid.29Fla.Stat.§775.08430Ibid.31Habitualviolentprovisionappliesto:arson,sexualbattery,robbery,kidnapping,aggravatedchildabuse,aggravatedabuseofanelderlypersonordisabledadult,murder,manslaughter,aggravatedmanslaughterofachild,unlawfulthrowing,placing,ordischargingoradestructivedeviceorbomb,home-invasionrobbery,aggravatedstalking,aggravatedbatteryandarmedburglary.32Fla.Stat.§775.08233PrisonReleaseeappliestotreason,murder,manslaughter,sexualbattery,carjacking,home-invasionrobbery,robbery,arson,kidnapping,aggravatedassaultwithadeadlyweapon,aggravatedbattery,aggravatedstalking,aircraftpiracy,unlawfulthrowing,placing,ordischargingofadestructivedeviceorbomb,,anyfelonythatinvolvestheuseorthreatofphysicalforceorviolenceagainstanindividual,armedburglary,burglaryofadwellingorburglaryofanoccupiedstructure,carryingaweaponduringoffense,lewdandlasciviousoffenseswithvictimunderageof16,,childabuseandneglectoffenses,useofandpromotingsexualperformancebyachildandchildpornography..34Fla.Stat.§775.08435Three-TimeViolentappliesto:alloffensesonthehabitualviolentoffenderlist(arson,sexualbattery,robbery,kidnapping,aggravatedchildabuse,aggravatedabuseofanelderlypersonordisabledadult,murder,manslaughter,aggravatedmanslaughterofachild,unlawfulthrowing,placing,ordischargingoradestructivedeviceorbomb,home-invasionrobbery,aggravatedstalking,aggravatedbatteryandarmedburglary)andaswellascarjacking.
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36ViolentCareerCriminalapplies:anyforciblefelony,aggravatedstalking,aggravatedchildabuse,aggravatedabuseofanelderlypersonordisabledadult,lewdorlasciviousbattery,molestation,conduct,orexhibition,escape,oranyfelonyviolationinvolvingtheuseorpossessionofafirearm.37Fla.Stat.§812.01438NationalConferenceofStateLegislators(2015),“MakingSentenceofSentencing:StateSystemsandPolicies,”https://www.ncsl.org/documents/cj/sentencing.pdf39Fla.Stat.§944.02(4)40Fla.Stat.§944.275(4)(c)41Devers,Lindsey.DesistanceandDevelopmentalLifeCourseTheories:ResearchSummary.Rep.N.p.:BureauofJusticeAssistance,2011.https://www.bja.gov/Publications/DesistanceResearchSummary.pdf42A2010studybytheVeraInstituteofJusticestatedthatasof2009,15stateshadsometypeofspecificgeriatricreleasepolicy.Manyotherstateshaveindeterminatesentencingsystemswhichmayallowforparoleorotherearlyreleaseaccountingfor,butnotbasedon,age.VeraInstituteofJustice(2010)“It’sAboutTime:AgingPrisoners,IncreasingCosts,andGeriatricRelease,”accessedat:http://archive.vera.org/sites/default/files/resources/downloads/Its-about-time-aging-prisoners-increasing-costs-and-geriatric-release.pdf43BJayAnnotetal.,CorrectionalHealthCare:AddressingtheNeedsofElderly,ChronicallyIll,andTerminallyIllInmates,U.S.DepartmentofJustice,NationalInstituteofCorrections,2004.44FloridaDepartmentofCorrections,2014-2015AnnualReport.45Fla.Admin.Code.R.33-601.217(2016).46Fla.Stat.§944.27547BureauofJusticeStatistics,(1999),“TruthinSentencinginStatePrisons,”Accessedat:https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/ascii/tssp.txt48Ibid.49Ibid.50Ibid.51BureauofJusticeStatistics,Prisonersin2013,Table17.Accessedat:https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/p13.pdf52Ibid.53Bonta,JamesandD.A.Andrews(2007)TheRisk-Needs-ResponsivityModelforOffenderAssessmentandRehabilitation.54Latessa,EdwardandChristopherLowenkamp(2006),«WhatWorksinReducingRecidivism?»,Accessedat:https://www.uc.edu/content/dam/uc/ccjr/docs/articles/What_Works_STLJ.pdf55ConferencecallwithAbeUccello,FDCDirectorofDevelopment.56ConferencecallwithKristinaHartman,FDCChiefofProgramming.57King,RyanandBrianElderbroom,(Oct2014),“ImprovingRecidivismasaPerformanceMeasure,”Accessedat:http://www.urban.org/research/publication/improving-recidivism-performance-measure
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Prepared by: The Crime and Justice Institute at Community Resources for Justice 355 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116 http://www.crj.org/cji
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