Florida Department of Corrections

State law enforcement agency

Law enforcement agency

Florida Department of Corrections

Official seal of the Florida Department of Corrections

Correctional Officer Badge

Abbreviation| FDC
Motto| "Inspiring success by transforming one life at a time." "We never walk alone."
Agency overview
Formed| 1978
Preceding agency|

* Florida Department of Offender Rehabilitation

Employees| 23,752[1]
Annual budget| $3.8 billion[2]
Operational structure
Headquarters| Doyle Carlton Building, Tallahassee, Florida.
Agency executives|

* Ricky D. Dixon, Secretary
* Richard Comerford, Deputy Secretary
* Dan Johnson, General Counsel
* Kenneth Sumpter, Inspector General
* Timothy Fitzgerald, Chief of Staff

Website
www.dc.state.fl.us

The Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) is the government agency responsible for operating state prisons in the U.S. state of Florida. It has its headquarters in the state capital of Tallahassee.

The Florida Department of Corrections operates the third largest state prison system in the United States. As of July 2022, FDC had an inmate population of approximately 89,000 and over 144,000 offenders in community supervision programs.[3] It is the largest agency administered by the State of Florida with a budget of $3.3 billion.[4]

The Department has 143 facilities statewide, including 43 major institutions, 33 work camps, 15 Annexes, 20 work release centers and 6 road prisons/forestry camps. It has almost 24,000 employees, about three-quarters of whom are either sworn certified corrections officers or sworn certified probation officers. The Department has K9 units statewide that are frequently utilized for tracking escapees and, in cases of small or rural law enforcement agencies, criminals who have fled from law enforcement or assisting in search and rescue for missing persons.[5]

## History

[edit]

Water Towers at the Chattahoochee Arsenal

Governor Harrison Reed established Florida's first penitentiary in 1868 at the U.S. arsenal property at Chattahoochee (later the Florida State Hospital). The two-story brick building was originally the officer’s quarters of the Chattahoochee Arsenal before becoming Florida’s first prison. The building was previously the officer’s quarters of the Chattahoochee Arsenal and had also been used to muster confederate troops during the Civil War. At first, the prison was governed as a military operation under the supervision of the Florida Adjutant General. In 1871, the state legislature passed a law making the prison a civil organization rather than a military post. The Warden was paid $6 a day while watchmen were paid $2 a day. In 1877, supervision of inmates was placed under the control of the Commissioner of Agriculture. In 1895, the legislature passed a law allowing the Governor to appoint the first prison inspector at $125 per month.

### Convict leasing system

[edit]

Governor George Franklin Drew took office in January of 1877 and found the state in deep debt from Reconstruction. The Governor argued that prisoners should be economic assets to the state, beginning the convict lease system. Under this system, prisoners were leased to private corporations and individuals to work for them. The state was paid a fee from the leases and the private corporation or individual had to clothe, feed, house and provide medical care for the prisoner.

The program was initially very popular. People wanted criminals to be punished for their actions and earn their keep while incarcerated. Additionally, it was commonly believed at the time that hard work served as a deterrent against future crimes. The practice started slowly and became increasingly popular in the late 19th century as demand for cheap labor grew and because most people were unaware of the conditions and treatment of inmates in the convict lease system.

#### Martin Tabert

[edit]

1921 portrait of Martin Tabert

Main Article: Martin Tabert

In December of 1921, 22-year-old Martin Tabert was arrested in Leon County for vagrancy. Tabert was ordered to pay $25 or spend three months at hard labor. His family immediately sent him $25 plus an additional $25 so he could return home, but through mishandling, the Leon County court never received the money. Tabert was sent to the Putnam Lumber Company in Dixie County as a part of the convict lease system, where he worked in the swamps cutting and clearing timber. In his time working for the Putnam Lumber Company, Tabert was subjected to physical abuse by the whipping boss, Walter Higginbotham, on a daily basis. When Tabert could no longer work due to injury and exhaustion, Higginbotham propped him up on his swollen feet and flogged him an estimated 50 times with a 5-foot leather strap. Tabert died that night.[6]

In the aftermath of his death, Tabert's parents brought the case to the attention of those in charge in Tallahassee. The story gained national newspaper coverage and Higginbotham was tried for first-degree murder, but he was later acquitted. The Florida legislature immediately ordered a joint House-Senate committee to investigate Tabert's death and conduct a thorough investigation of all convict camps where cruelty had been charged. In a 31-1 vote held on April 20, 1923, the convict lease system was officially abolished.[7] About a month later, the Senate passed a bill prohibiting the use of corporal punishment on county convicts. Governor Cary Hardee signed both bills into law.

### Leadership of Leonard Chapman

[edit]

In 1932, Leonard Chapman was appointed as the new warden at the State Prison Farm in Raiford, Florida. Chapman held this position for 25 years and implemented numerous reforms. Under his leadership, he introduced changes concerning improved health services, education, working habits, and contact with the community. Chapman forbade the word "convict" and instead encouraged the use of the term "inmate" for those in custody. He also introduced staff uniforms and grade school, including courses in carpentry, millwork, and plumbing. Chain-link fences are also replaced by solid barriers so that inmates could see the outside world. By the end of the 1930s, horizontally striped inmate uniforms are also discontinued and all institutions are equipped with plumbing systems and electricity. In 1936, all wardens began fingerprinting inmates upon entry.[8]

### Florida Parole and Probation Commission

[edit]

In 1941, an amendment to the Florida Constitution established the Florida Parole and Probation Commission (today the Florida Commission on Offender Review). The commission was created due to the limitations of the pardon system and was given the responsibility for granting paroles, supervising state probationers and parolees, and providing investigative services to the courts. The commission, consisting of a three-member board, replaced the existing State Board of Pardons, which had been previously chaired by the Governor. For the first time in the history of the United States, the Merit System was used to select the members of the commission.[9]

### World War II support

[edit]

To aid the United States' war effort during World War II, inmates addressed and mailed ration books to Florida citizens. Additionally, they contributed $12,000 toward the purchase of war bonds. During this time period, the prison population significantly decreased as crime rates also decreased during the war. Several staff members were also called into military service, and the war contributed to some difficulty in securing materials needed in the operation of the state's prisons.[10] In 1945, the use of leg irons for inmates as a form of discipline was prohibited.

### Division of Corrections

[edit]

In 1957, Governor LeRoy Collins, state legislature, and correctional staff worked together to overhaul the state’s corrections system. As a result, the legislature enacted five major proposals totaling over $18 million. The most significant change resulting from the new Correctional Code was the establishment of the Division of Corrections, a centralized authority to oversee the entirety of the state’s corrections system. R.O. Culver was appointed as the first Director beginning on July 1, 1957. Under his leadership and the new Correctional Code, the general philosophy shifted from punishment to correction and rehabilitation. Also in this year, the first Classification Staff were hired at Florida State Prison and a card system for inmate records was implemented. The next year, the use of sweat boxes was prohibited as a form of punishment.[11]

On July 2, 1959, H.G. Cochran, Jr. was appointed to succeed Culver as Director of the Division of Corrections. During his tenure, the state’s corrections system continued to modernize and introduce more professional practices. In 1959, the first Transition Officers were hired to help inmates with placement after they were released. In 1960, a new six-digit numbering system to identify inmates was implemented. In 1961, the official newsletter for the Division of Corrections, the Correctional Compass, debuted. Also that year, complete control of the state’s Road Prison operation was transferred from the State Road Department to the Division of Corrections.[12]

## Death Row Operations

[edit]

Main article: Capital punishment in Florida

Lowell Correctional Institution

Male inmates on death row are housed at either the Florida State Prison or Union Correctional Institution, while female inmates on death row are housed at the Lowell Correctional Institution Annex. At some point the Broward Correctional Institution housed female death row inmates, but the female death row was moved to the Lowell Annex in February 2003.[13][14] Unlike other prisoners, inmates on death row wear orange over shirts but still wear the same blue trousers worn by other inmates.[15]

Florida administers executions by electric chair or lethal injection. The three-legged electric chair was constructed from oak by Department of Corrections personnel in 1998 and was installed at Florida State Prison in Starke in 1999. The executioner is a private citizen who is paid $150 per execution. State law allows for his or her identity to remain anonymous.[15]

## Inmate population statistics

[edit]

Pursuant to F.S. 944.151(3), the Department of Corrections must annually report their maximum capacity, current population, and condition of their facilities' infrastructure to identify specific needs, if any, to the state legislature and the Governor.

### Demographics

[edit]

As of June 30, 2022, 93.6% of inmates in Florida were male and 6.4% were female. Of the male inmates, 48.5% were black, 38% were white, and 13% were Hispanic. Of the female inmates, 63.8% were white, 28.4% were black, and 0.7% were Hispanic.[4]

General Characteristics by Offense Type  Type of Offense  | Number  | Percent  | Avg. Sentence Length  | Avg. Age at Offense

|
|
|
|

Murder, Manslaughter  | 15,440  | 18.8%  | 36.7 years  | 28.5
Sexual Offenses  | 12,304  | 15.0%  | 25.5 years  | 34.6
Burglary  | 11,387  | 13.9%  | 15.9 years  | 31.3
Drug Offenses  | 11,008  | 8.3%  | 8.3 years  | 36.2
Violent Personal Offenses  | 10,633  | 13.0%  | 14.4 years  | 32.1
Robbery  | 9,654  | 11.8%  | 23.4 years  | 27.4
Weapons  | 3,997  | 4.9%  | 7.4 years  | 31.3
Theft/Forgery/Fraud  | 3,781  | 4.6%  | 6.4 years  | 37.3
Other  | 3,920  | 4.8%  | 7.1 years  | 37.2

### Recidivism

[edit]

The Florida Department of Corrections defines recidivism as a return to prison, as the result of either a new conviction or a violation of post-prison supervision, within three years of their prison release date. The Department began releasing annual recidivism reports in 2012. According to the Department's most recent report, the recidivism rate for the 2019 release cohort was 21.2%.[16]

Recidivism Rates Over Time  | 1–12 Months  | 13–24 Months  | 25–36 Months  | Total

|
|
|
|

2008 | 10.2%  | 10.3%  | 7.1%  | 27.7%
2009 | 9.6%  | 9.7%  | 7%  | 26.3%
2010 | 8.8%  | 9.6%  | 7.3%  | 25.7%
2011 | 8.3%  | 10%  | 7.8%  | 26.2%
2012 | 8.0%  | 9.6%  | 7.5%  | 25.2%
2013 | 8.6%  | 9.3%  | 7.4%  | 25.4%
2014 | 9.4%  | 9.4%  | 7%  | 24.5%
2015 | 8.5%  | 9.2%  | 7.1%  | 24.7%
2016 | 8.4%  | 9.4%  | 7.6%  | 25.4%
2017 | 8.5%  | 9.6%  | 5.9%  | 24.1%
2018 | 8.4%  | 7.4%  | 5.3%  | 21.2%
2019 | 6.3%  | 6.8%  | 8.2%  | 21.2%
2020 | 4.7%  | 8.7%  |  |

### Juveniles

[edit]

As of October 2023, there were between 50 and 60 inmates under the age of 17 in the custody of the Department of Corrections. Female juvenile delinquents are housed at Lowell Correctional Institution and males at Suwannee Correctional Institution.[4]

## Budget

[edit]

According to the 2023 Criminal Justice Impact Conference, it costs approximately $28,855 per year to incarcerate an inmate in Florida.[17] This includes $2.32 per day for 2,800 calorie meals.[18] According to §960.293, Florida Statutes, inmates may be charged $50 for every day of their sentence or $250,000 for a life sentence.[19]

### 2011 budget cuts

[edit]

In first quarter 2011, the State of Florida announced the closing of 6 institutions in order to save up to $30 million. Three prisons, two bootcamps, and a road prison were closed. Brevard Correctional Institution,[20] which is a youthful offender prison, Lowell Boot Camp, a youthful offender female boot camp, Sumter Basic Training Unit, a youthful offender male boot camp, Hendry Correctional Institution,[21] the female prison Hillsborough Correctional Institution,[22] and Tallahassee Road Prison were the institutions that were closed. No inmates were released as a result of the closing, and the employees of the closing institutions were offered jobs at other prisons. The institutions began moving inmates on April 1, 2011, and finished as of June 30, 2011. Hillsborough Correctional Institution and Sumter BTU were not closed.[23][24]

Governor Rick Scott ordered a second group of prisons to be closed. The Department stated that aside from the financial reasons, they were being closed due to a declining prison population. The following prisons were closed:[25]

* Broward Correctional Institution
* Demilly Correctional Institution
* Gainesville Correctional Institution
* Hillsborough Correctional Institution (large amount of pleas caused closing to be postponed after the initial announcement)[26]
* Indian River Correctional Institution
* New River Correctional Institution (both units)
* River Junction Work Camp
* Caryville Work Camp
* Hendry Work Camp
* Levy Forestry Camp

## Staffing

[edit]

As of June 30, 2022, the Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) had a total of 23,525 employees. The department had 17,498 certified criminal justice officers in institutions or probation/parole offices.[27] Florida Correctional Officers start at $48,620.[28] Recruits are paid while they attend recruit training, and Officers can transfer anywhere in the State with FDC. Opportunities include K9 Team, Correctional Emergency Response Team (CERT), Rapid Response Team (RRT), and Institutional Inspectors.

The Florida Department of Corrections is constantly hiring to fill its ranks due to retirements, and turnovers. Due to staffing shortages after the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Florida National Guard was brought in to fill vacancies at institutions across the state. Governor Ron DeSantis initially issued the order in 2022, but he extended it four times. The National Guard stayed until the summer of 2025, when it was announced that staffing levels at the Department had reached a stable level.[29]

### Ranks, insignia, and uniforms

[edit]

In 2017, Florida Corrections Officers changed the traditional Light Brown shirts and dark brown trousers to Gray shirts and black trousers. The polo shirt was discontinued and FDC went back to gray button up shirts with breathable backs. In 2020 the polo shirts with embroidered badges and names were again authorized in a dark gray for Officers and Sergeants, and white for Lieutenants and Captains.[citation needed]

Rank  | Insignia

|

Correctional Officer Colonel  |
Correctional Officer Major  |
Correctional Officer Captain  |
Correctional Officer Lieutenant  |
Correctional Officer Sergeant  |
Correctional Officer |
Correctional Officer (trainee)  |

## Agency Administration and Organization

[edit]

Doyle Carlton Building, current headquarters

### Agency Administration

[edit]

The Department is led by Secretary Ricky Dixon, who has held the position since 2021. Richard Comerford is his Deputy Secretary and Timothy Fitzgerald is his Chief of Staff. The General Counsel is Dan Johnson and the Inspector General is Kenneth Sumpter.[30]

Position  | Name

|

Secretary  | Ricky Dixon
Deputy Secretary  | Richard Comerford
Chief of Staff | Timothy Fitzgerald
General Counsel | Dan Johnson
Inspector General | Kenneth Sumpter

### Agency Organization

[edit]

The Department is organized into four regions that cover the entirety of the state. Each region has its own director to manage operations within their jurisdiction. Within each region, jurisdictions are further organized into circuit offices, of which there are 20 in the state. These circuits align with the state's twenty judicial circuits. All offices report to the Central Office in Tallahassee, which provides support, policy, and oversight through the regional directors and their staff to all the facilities..[31] The Department directly oversees 135 facilities statewide, including 49 major institutions, 16 annexes, 7 contractor operated facilities, 28 work camps, 2 re-entry centers, 2 road prisons/forestry camps, 1 basic training camp, 9 FDC operated work release centers along with 21 work-release centers operated by various private vendors. As of October 1, 2023, these contracts are executed and managed by the Department.[32][33]

The headquarters of the agency are in the Doyle Carlton Building in downtown Tallahassee, known as Central Office. Some offices are in the Southwood Office Complex in Tallahassee. In 2011, the department moved into its current headquarters and office buildings.[34] The Department's headquarters were previously at 2601 Blair Stone Road in Tallahassee.[35]

## Fallen officers

[edit]

Since the establishment of the Florida Department of Corrections, 38 correctional officers have died in the line of duty. Corrections Officers are frequently placed in dangerous situations where officers have lost lives. The Department has a standing memorial to officers who have died in the line of duty at the Wakulla Correctional Institution where the names of the fallen are carved into the memorial.[36]

FDC Line of Duty Deaths  | Name  | Date of Death  | Manner of Death

|
|
|

1  | Captain Ike Steel  | September 6, 1928  | Stabbed
2  | Correctional Officer Rufus W. Waters  | July 22, 1938  | Gunfire
3  | Correctional Officer William Henry Hunt  | August 28, 1945  | Gunfire
4  | Correctional Officer W.R. Brandon  | August 20, 1948  | Gunfire
5  | Correctional Officer Grant Dohner  | January 15, 1953  | Assault
6  | Correctional Officer John F. Gradon  | February 1, 1953  | Assault
7  | Assistant Superintendent James G. Godwin  | April 4, 1955  | Gunfire
8  | Sergeant Howard D. Starling  | July 4, 1964  | Heart Attack
9  | Correctional Officer Lester B. Sumner  | April 26, 1965  | Stabbed
10  | Captain James W. Parr, Sr.  | August 11, 1966  | Drowned
11  | Parole Officer William F. Gambill  | July 11, 1973  | Automobile Crash
12  | Correctional Officer Paul Jordan  | January 24, 1976  | Heart Attack
13  | Correctional Officer Lauriston F. Hustus  | July 16, 1980  | Heart Attack
14  | Correctional Officer Richard James Burke  | October 12, 1980  | Stabbed
15  | Probation Supervisor Bjorn Thomas Svenson  | August 31, 1982  | Gunfire
16  | Correctional Officer Donald L. Pawlizak  | April 21, 1983  | Accidental
17  | Sergeant John S. Dennard  | May 5, 1983  | Stabbed
18  | Parole Officer Michael Peter Serano  | January 6, 1984  | Automobile Crash
19  | Correctional Officer Fred Sidney Griffis  | June 24, 1987  | Gunfire
20  | Correctional Officer Hoyt L. Ergle  | December 15, 1987  | Gunfire
21  | Lieutenant Charles Andrew Cooper  | September 15, 1988  | Heart Attack
22  | Sergeant Kenneth M. Hendrick  | January 28, 1993  | Heart Attack
23  | Correctional Officer Lee Charles Dunn  | January 24, 2000  | Automobile Crash
24  | Correctional Officer Darla Kay Lathrem  | June 11, 2003  | Assault
25  | Correctional Officer Donna Fitzgerald  | June 25, 2008  | Stabbed
26  | Correctional Officer Adam Sanderson  | March 6, 2009  | Vehicular Assault
27  | Colonel Gregory Malloy  | February 2, 2011  | Gunfire
28  | Sergeant Ruben Howard Thomas III  | March 18, 2012  | Stabbed
29  | Sergeant Jorge Ramos  | May 1, 2016  | Heart Attack
30  | Sergeant Joseph Ossman  | September 10, 2017  | Automobile Crash
31  | Correctional Officer Tawanna V. Marin  | June 18, 2018  | Struck by Vehicle
32  | Sergeant Robert Wayne Rogers  | July 31, 2020  | COVID-19
33  | Correctional Officer Jack Sale Stewart  | February 13, 2021  | COVID-19
34  | Correctional Officer William Fox  | March 4, 2021  | COVID-19
35  | Inspector John Annarumma  | March 6, 2021  | COVID-19
36  | Sergeant Derek Stewart  | April 28, 2021  | COVID-19
37  | Correctional Officer Trainee Whitney Cloud  | August 28, 2021  | Gunfire (Inadvertent)
38  | Correctional Officer Kelly Jo Klimkowski  | September 28, 2021  | COVID-19

## Criticism

[edit]

There have been several recorded cases of corruption and prisoner abuse in the Florida Department of Corrections.

In 2007, the state faced lawsuits alleging "excessive as well as 'malicious and sadistic' use of pepper spray," and "that its prisons subject too many inmates, including the mentally ill, to a prisoner 'warehousing' culture of unlawfully extreme isolation and deprivation, usually with little or no rehabilitation efforts to prevent recidivism."[37]

In 2010, there was a 10-count federal indictment against sixteen individuals connected with the FDC, eleven of whom were corrections officers at the Glades Correctional Institution.[38] The charges included "nine counts of attempting to possess cocaine with intent to distribute." The indictment alleges that the defendants "allegedly agreed to transport and did in fact transport on multiple occasions what they believed to be multi-kilo quantities of cocaine from the undercover warehouses in Miami-Dade County to locations in West Palm Beach", and that the defendants allegedly received a combined total of $145,000 through the drug scheme.[39]

In 2010, two correctional officers at the Lancaster Correctional Institution[40] were charged with malicious battery and cruel or inhumane punishment after an inmate collapsed in the exercise yard during routine drills. An investigation discovered that the correctional officers forced the inmate to perform strenuous exercises in the sand, heat and provided no water breaks while denying his request for medical help and failed to call for emergency help after the inmate collapsed. The inmate was in critical condition, but has since recovered.[41][42][43]

In 2014, a series of investigative reports from the Miami-Herald revealed that in June 2012, a mentally ill prisoner was forced into a locked shower by staff at Dade Correctional Institution. After more than an hour in the hot water, Darren Rainey died from his injuries. In 2017, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernández Rundle chose not to charge the correctional officers involved, citing the results of the autopsy and inconsistent witness statements. Nonetheless, FDC and the State of Florida settled with Rainey's family for $4.5 million in 2018.[44]

## See also

[edit]

* Florida portal
* Law portal

* List of Florida state prisons
* List of law enforcement agencies in Florida
* Crime in Florida
* Incarceration in Florida

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "SPB 2500 – Fiscal Year 2024–2025" (PDF). flsenate.gov. The Florida Senate.
2. ^ "SPB 2500 – Fiscal Year 2024–2025" (PDF). flsenate.gov. The Florida Senate.
3. ^ Corrections, Florida Department of. "Florida Department of Corrections". www.fdc.myflorida.com. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
4. ^ a b c "Annual Report 2021-22" (PDF). FDC. Florida Department of Corrections.
5. ^ "About Us – Florida Department of Corrections". www.dc.state.fl.us.
6. ^ "Florida History: The man who was killed over a train ticket". News Chief. Retrieved July 7, 2023.
7. ^ Carper, Gordon (October 1973). "Martin Tabert, Martyr of an Era" (PDF). The Florida Historical Quarterly. 52 (2): 115–131\. JSTOR 30149028.
8. ^ Miller, Vivien (2012). Hard Labor and Hard Time: Florida's 'Sunshine Prison' and Chain Gangs. University Press of Florida (published August 12, 2012). ISBN 9780813043760.
9. ^ "Overview / History of the Florida Commission on Offender Review – Media / Public Information". www.fcor.state.fl.us. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
10. ^ FL Department of Agriculture, Prison Division (1944). Biennial Report of the Prison Division of the Department of Agriculture of the State of Florida for the Years 1943 and 1944, Volume 26. FL Department of Agriculture, Commissioner's Office.
11. ^ Merritt, William (January 1, 1958). "Florida Florida's New Penal and Correctional Program". University of Miami Law Review. 12 (2): 200–218.
12. ^ "Henry Cochran, Former Director of Prison System". The Orlando Sentinel. March 4, 2016. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
13. ^ "Broward Correctional Institution Archived April 14, 2012, at the Wayback Machine." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 31, 2010.
14. ^ "Death Row Fact Sheet." Florida Department of Corrections. February 3, 2001. Retrieved on August 31, 2010.
15. ^ a b "Death Row Fact Sheet Archived August 3, 2010, at the Wayback Machine." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on August 15, 2010.
16. ^ Florida Department of Corrections (2024). "Florida Prison Recidivism Report: Releases from 2009 to 2021" (PDF). Florida Department of Corrections.
17. ^ Criminal Justice Impact Conference (March 27, 2023). "CAPITAL AND OPERATING COSTS FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS FOR USE IN FISCAL IMPACTS" (PDF). Florida Economic and Demographic Research.
18. ^ Flemming, Paul (December 12, 2010). "Public figures steal limelight". Melbourne, Florida: Florida Today. p. 12B. Retrieved August 15, 2019.[permanent dead link]
19. ^ "Statutes & Constitution :View Statutes : Online Sunshine". www.leg.state.fl.us. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
20. ^ "Brevard Correctional Institution". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
21. ^ "Hendry Correctional Institution". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
22. ^ "Hillsborough Correctional Institution". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
23. ^ Collette, Christopher. "Riverview facility among 6 Florida prisons to close by this summer." WTSP. March 15, 2011. Retrieved on August 26, 2011.
24. ^ "6 Florida DOC Facilities to Close by This Summer Archived March 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." WCTV. March 16, 2011. Retrieved on August 26, 2011.
25. ^ "Florida Department of Corrections to Close Prisons, Work Camps". Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
26. ^ Bousquet, Steve. "Advocates make passionate plea for Hillsborough Correctional Institution to stay open". Tampa Bay Times. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
27. ^ "Personnel,2011-2012 Agency Annual Report". www.dc.state.fl.us. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015.
28. ^ http://www.fldocjobs.com/. `{{cite web}}`: Missing or empty `|title=` (help)
29. ^ Ellenbogen, Romy (June 4, 2025). "Florida pulling National Guard out of state prisons as staffing shortage eases". Miami Herald.
30. ^ Corrections, Florida Department of. "Florida Department of Corrections". www.fdc.myflorida.com. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
31. ^ Corrections, Florida Department of. "Florida Department of Corrections". www.fdc.myflorida.com. Retrieved June 18, 2024.
32. ^ "FDC Annual Report FY 2022–2023" (PDF).
33. ^ Corrections, Florida Department of. "Florida Department of Corrections". www.fdc.myflorida.com. Retrieved June 11, 2025.
34. ^ "Department of Corrections – Central Office is Moving Archived June 24, 2011, at the Wayback Machine." Florida Department of Corrections. March 22, 2011. Retrieved on July 12, 2011. "Department of Corrections 501 South Calhoun Street Tallahassee, FL 32399-2500 This is both the mailing address for all of Central Office and the physical address for the Carlton employees. The physical address for the Southwood offices is: 4070 Esplanade Way Tallahassee, FL 32311"
35. ^ "Statement of Agency Organization and Operation Archived April 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine." "Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on December 7, 2009. Tallahassee, Florida"
36. ^ "Florida Department of Corrections, FL". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP).
37. ^ Padgett, Tim (October 17, 2007). "What's Wrong With Florida's Prisons?". Time Inc. Archived from the original on October 17, 2007. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
38. ^ "Glades Correctional Institution". Archived from the original on September 26, 2011.
39. ^ "State Correction Officers and Others Charged in Drug Trafficking Scheme Sixteen Charged in Undercover Corruption Investigation in Palm Beach County" (Press release). United States Attorney's Office, Southern District of Florida. February 11, 2010. Archived from the original on August 14, 2010. Retrieved March 16, 2011.
40. ^ "Lancaster Correctional Institution". Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved May 28, 2011.
41. ^ "Two Prison Guards Charged in Florida Inmate Collapse". Wctv.tv. November 30, 2010. Archived from the original on March 13, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
42. ^ Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau. "State probes handling of prison inmate who collapsed during mid-day exercise". Tampabay.com. Archived from the original on October 15, 2012. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
43. ^ Steve Bousquet, Times/Herald Tallahassee Bureau (December 1, 2010). "Florida prison guards face felony charges over collapse of inmate". Tampabay.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2010. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
44. ^ Brown, Julie (January 26, 2018). "Florida OKs $4.5 million payout for brutal prison shower death of Darren Rainey". Miami Herald.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Florida Department of Corrections prisons

State prisons|

* Apalachee East Unit
* Apalachee, West Unit
* Avon Park
* Baker
* Calhoun
* Central Florida Reception Center
* Central Florida Reception Center, East Unit
* Central Florida Reception Center, South Unit
* Century
* Charlotte
* Columbia
* Columbia Annex
* Cross City
* Cross City East Unit
* Dade
* Desoto Annex
* Everglades
* Florida State Prison
* Florida State Prison, West Unit
* Florida Women's Reception Center ♀
* Franklin
* Gulf
* Gulf Annex
* Hamilton
* Hamilton Annex
* Hardee
* Hernando
* Holmes
* Homestead ♀
* Jackson
* Jefferson
* Lake
* Lancaster
* Lawtey
* Liberty
* Lowell ♀
* Lowell Annex ♀
* Madison
* Marion
* Martin
* Mayo Annex
* New River
* Northwest Florida Reception Center
* Northwest Florida Reception Center Annex
* Okaloosa
* Okeechobee
* Polk
* Putnam
* Quincy Annex
* Reception and Medical Center
* Reception and Medical Center, West Unit
* Santa Rosa
* Santa Rosa Annex
* South Florida Reception Center
* South Florida Reception Center, South Unit
* Sumter
* Sumter Basic Training Unit
* Suwannee
* Suwannee Annex
* Taylor
* Taylor Annex
* Tomoka
* Union
* Wakulla
* Wakulla Annex
* Walton
* Zephyrhills

Private|

* Bay (operated by GEO Group)
* Blackwater River (GEO Group)
* Gadsden ♀ (Management and Training Corporation)
* Graceville (GEO Group)
* Lake City (Corrections Corporation of America)
* Moore Haven (GEO Group)
* South Bay (GEO Group)

Closed (partial list)|

* Brevard
* Broward
* Glades

Above facilities are male-only unless noted by ♀(female)

* v
* t
* e

Incarceration of adults in the United States

This template pertains only to agencies that handle sentenced felons (with sentences over 1-2 years). In many states, pre-trial detainees, persons convicted of misdemeanors, and felons sentenced under state law to less than one year are held in county jails instead of state prisons.

Federal Bureau of Prisons|

* United States federal prisons
* Federal Prison Industries

Corrections by States|

* Alabama
* Alaska
* Arizona
* Arkansas
* California
* Colorado
* Connecticut
* Delaware
* Florida
* Georgia
* Hawaii
* Idaho
* Illinois
* Indiana
* Iowa
* Kansas
* Kentucky
* Louisiana
* Maine
* Maryland
* Massachusetts
* Michigan
* Minnesota
* Mississippi
* Missouri
* Montana
* Nebraska
* Nevada
* New Hampshire
* New Jersey
* New Mexico
* New York
* North Carolina
* North Dakota
* Ohio
* Oklahoma
* Oregon
* Pennsylvania
* Rhode Island
* South Carolina
* South Dakota
* Tennessee
* Texas
* Utah
* Vermont
* Virginia
* Washington
* West Virginia
* Wisconsin
* Wyoming

Corrections by Federal district|

Felons: Federal Bureau of Prisons, Misdemeanants: District of Columbia (incarcerated long-term felons until year 2001)

Corrections by Insular areas|

* American Samoa
* Guam
* Northern Mariana Islands
* Puerto Rico
* U.S. Virgin Islands

Military prisons|

* United States military prisons
* Guantanamo Bay

State prisons|

* United States state prisons

See also|

* Civil confinement
* Immigration detention in the United States

* Category
* Commons
* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Florida

Tallahassee (capital)

History|

* Timeline
* Indigenous peoples of Florida
* Spanish Florida
* missions
* British Rule
* East Florida
* West Florida
* Florida Territory
* Seminole Wars
* Slavery
* Plantations of Leon County
* Mosquito County
* Armed Occupation Act
* Civil War
* Great Migration
* Fishing ranchos
* Florida East Coast Railway
* Draining and development of the Everglades
* Florida land boom of the 1920s
* Kennedy Space Center
* Disney World

Geography|

* Beaches
* Bays
* Caves
* Counties
* Everglades
* Keys
* Lakes
* Lake Okeechobee
* Metro areas
* Municipalities
* Regions
* Rivers
* Sinkholes
* Springs
* State forests
* State parks
* Straits
* Swamps

Major
hurricanes|

* Florida Keys (1919)
* Tampa Bay (1921)
* Miami (1926)
* Okeechobee (1928)
* Florida Keys (1929)
* Treasure Coast (1933)
* Labor Day (1935)
* Dry Tortugas (1944)
* Homestead (1945)
* Fort Lauderdale (1947)
* South Florida (1948)
* 1949 Florida hurricane
* Easy (1950)
* King (1950)
* Donna (1960)
* Betsy (1965)
* Eloise (1975)
* Elena (1985)
* Andrew (1992)
* Opal (1995)
* Charley (2004)
* Frances (2004)
* Ivan (2004)
* Jeanne (2004)
* Dennis (2005)
* Wilma (2005)
* Matthew (2016)
* Irma (2017)
* Michael (2018)
* Dorian (2019)
* Ian (2022)
* Idalia (2023)
* Helene (2024)
* Milton (2024)

Society|

* African-American
* Brazilian-American culture
* Miami
* Orlando
* Crime
* Cuban-American culture
* Miami
* Tampa
* Culture
* Demographics
* Economy
* Agriculture
* Tourism
* Education
* Florida cracker
* Floridians
* Government
* Haitian-American culture
* Delray Beach
* Miami
* Homelessness
* Human trafficking
* Indigenous peoples
* Everglades
* LGBT rights
* Politics
* Ballot measures
* Congressional delegations
* Congressional districts
* Puerto Rican culture
* Orlando
* Kissimmee
* Politics
* Sports
* Seminole
* Black Seminoles
* Sports

Culture|

* Casinos
* Film
* Florida Man
* Florida Heritage Trails
* Floridiana
* Cuisine of Florida
* Literature
* Miami accent
* Music
* Mass media
* newspapers
* radio
* TV
* Symbols
* flag
* motto
* seal
* Visit Florida

Environment|

* Environmental issues
* Fauna
* Flora
* Florida Reef
* Geology
* Climate
* climate change

Other|

* Cuba–United States relations
* Index
* Tourist attractions
* Transportation

Florida portal

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template