The new head of the Florida budget panel for criminal and civil justice is giving his fellow members some homework. “Over the break, visit a prison of your choice,” said Sen. Aaron Bean (R-Fernandina Beach), who chairs that Senate commitee. “You can schedule it. You can go unannounced. You can pick.”
Bean says the goal of the correctional facility visits is for lawmakers to have more of an understanding of how the prison system works. That can help inform their budgetary decisions moving forward.
The Florida Department of Corrections is the largest state agency. Prison officials are asking for $147 million. One of their main priorities is to help deal with the high turnover ratesamong correctional and probation officers.
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