When Republican Governor Rick Scott chose Edward Buss to run the state’s Department of Corrections, eyebrows were raised. Buss was an “outsider,” having recently been in charge of the Indiana prison system. Some wondered if he would keep the traditional stance of previous DOC administrators who had been running the country’s third largest correctional department with little thought to improving DOC policy, or working toward reform.
Buss didn’t give allow much time to go by before people realized that he meant to turn around Florida DOC with ideas that were creative, unconventional, and sure to please most, while upsetting a few.
In just over one month Buss jumpstarted his plans by seeking more money to fund reentry initiatives to help Florida’s newly released inmates get a better start. While new the plan was viewed as a way to reduce recidivism, Florida’s senate shot down a plan to fund new reentry programs by cutting 600 correctional workers via lay-offs. But Buss did dismiss several administrators with large salaries, and asked that all warden’s salaries be reduced by 5%.
One measure that may not have been greeted warmly was the decision to prohibit inmates from smoking. While Buss is certainly correct in believing that smoking is harmful, many inmates have been smoking for years, and use it as a stress reliever. Nicotine withdrawal makes for cranky individuals, and cranky individuals in a penal system can cause unrest. How Buss is going to manage the no-smoking ban is unclear. In other institutions that have gone smoke-free a grace period to gradually withdraw was given, and inmates were given a time period to buy cigarettes before they were no longer available to be purchased from commissary. Nicotine patches were also sold. Cigarettes are a best selling item on commissary, and prison facilities that still sell them reap a handsome profit. But cigarettes, as do other things, cause medical problems, and the skyrocketing cost of medical care for prisoners has led Buss to call for the privatization of prison health care.
Buss also sought help from legislators by asking them to rethink mandatory minimum sentences for some crimes. Eliminating mandatory minimums in some cases would allow judges to sentence more fairly, and many individuals would be spared jail time for relatively minor offenses, reducing that state’s budget.
Buss is considering having correctional officers work 12 hour-days, rather than the conventional 8-hour work day because he believes it would slash commuting costs for the officers, and also will allow more officers to have the weekend off. Buss took the 12-hour shift idea with him from Indiana, where it has been in effect for some time. The plan is for officers to work three 12-hour shifts one week, and four such shifts the next. With gas prices rising, and state employees not receiving a pay raise in three years, the idea of 12-hour shifts is being mulled over by the correctional officers, and the union that represents them. Some correctional officers are not happy with the idea because, as senior officers, they would lose some of the preferred weekends-off status that they earned through many years of service. Single parents are concerned that child-care issues will arise. Finding a suitable childcare provider willing to work 12-plus hours might be difficult, and the pay rate for child care providers might rise, as putting in longer hours is expected of them.
A coalition of formerly incarcerated women and prison volunteers stymied the attempt Buss made to close a faith-based prison for females that supporters claim is responsible for the low recidivism rate of its former inmates. But, Buss is planning on closing two other prisons as a cost saving measure.
Buss has received kudos from both parties, with Democrats regarding Buss as a breath of fresh air. And, speaking of fresh air, Buss would like to see inmates get a bit more, by growing more food served in the prison system. As for juvenile offenders, Buss wants to put a stronger emphasis education and developing life skills, as well as other programs. Buss plans on closing boot camps for juveniles because he believes they do not provide youthful offenders with the programming needed to excel in life and to keep from returning back into the system. The appointment of Buss is sure to make inroads in the area of criminal justice reform in Florida.
Source: Times/Herald
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