Governor Rick Scott has signed a bill into law meant to help Florida’s inmates.
Among its many provisions is allowing inmates sentenced after October 1995 to receive 60 days off their sentence if they complete a high school diploma or vocational certificate. It would not breach the 85 percent rule, requiring Florida inmates to serve 85 percent of their sentence before their release. Florida Department of Corrections Secretary Julie Jones says this is crucial.
“And, I think that’s going to be huge. Carrot and stick: Let’s present programming to inmates, encourage them to do the programming, get the education, get the additional skills, reward them for that, so we put out a better citizen when we leave prison,” she said.
The new law—slated to take effect July 1st—will also allow the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to receive an inmate’s medical records or mental health records when the agency investigates an inmate death or injury.
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