The House Justice Appropriations Subcommittee is looking into the budgets of several agencies. Wednesday’s meeting brought a closer look at the Department of Corrections.
Florida has one of the highest prison populations in the nation with a $2.3 billion budget—it also spends the most on incarceration. Against that backdrop the committee heard from the Department of Corrections. Panel staffer, John McAuliffe describes to lawmakers where and how DOC spends its money.
“Once an inmate is assigned to their facility,” McAuliffe says. “The cost of the department an average of $43 per day to house an adult male offender, $52.25 for females and $74.50 for a youthful offender.”
Lawmakers are able to arrange prison visits and lawmakers want to ensure their funding allocations are going to the correct area, and that inmate needs are being met.