The Florida Senate

944.605  Inmate release; notification.--

(1)  Within 6 months before the release of an inmate from the custody of the Department of Corrections or a private correctional facility by expiration of sentence under s. 944.275, any release program provided by law, or parole under chapter 947, or as soon as possible if the offender is released earlier than anticipated, notification of such anticipated release date shall be made known by the appropriate agency to the chief judge of the circuit in which the offender was sentenced, the appropriate state attorney, the original arresting law enforcement agency, the Department of Law Enforcement, and the sheriff as chief law enforcement officer of the county in which the inmate plans to reside. In addition, unless otherwise requested by the victim or the personal representative of the victim, the state attorney, the Department of Corrections, the Control Release Authority, or the Parole Commission, whichever is appropriate, shall notify such person within 6 months before the inmate's release, or as soon as possible if the offender is released earlier than anticipated, when the name and address of such victim or representative of the victim has been furnished to the agency. The state attorney shall provide the latest address documented for the victim to the sheriff with the other documents required by law for the delivery of inmates to those agencies for service of sentence. For the purposes of this section, the Parole Commission or the Control Release Authority is the appropriate agency for any type of release it grants, and the Department of Corrections is the appropriate agency for any type of release it authorizes. This section does not imply any repeal or modification of any provision of law relating to notification of victims.

(2)  Within 60 days before the anticipated release of an inmate under subsection (1), a digitized photograph of the inmate to be released shall be made by the Department of Corrections or a private correctional facility, whichever has custody of the inmate. If a private correctional facility makes the digitized photograph, this photograph shall be provided to the Department of Corrections. Additionally, the digitized photograph, whether made by the Department of Corrections or a private correctional facility, shall be placed in the inmate's file. The Department of Corrections shall make the digitized photograph available electronically to the Department of Law Enforcement as soon as the digitized photograph is in the department's database and must be in a format that is compatible with the requirements of the Florida Crime Information Center. The department shall provide a copy of the digitized photograph to a local law enforcement agency upon request.

(3)  If an inmate is to be released after having served one or more sentences for a conviction of robbery, sexual battery, home-invasion robbery, or carjacking, or an inmate to be released has a prior conviction for robbery, sexual battery, home-invasion robbery, or carjacking or similar offense, in this state or in another jurisdiction, and if such prior conviction information is contained in department records, the appropriate releasing agency shall release to the sheriff of the county in which the inmate plans to reside, and, if the inmate plans to reside within a municipality, to the chief of police of that municipality, the following information, which must include, but need not be limited to:

(a)  Name;

(b)  Social security number;

(c)  Date of birth;

(d)  Race;

(e)  Sex;

(f)  Height;

(g)  Weight;

(h)  Hair and eye color;

(i)  Tattoos or other identifying marks;

(j)  Fingerprints; and

(k)  A digitized photograph as provided in subsection (2).

The department, the Parole Commission, or the Control Release Authority shall release the information specified in this subsection within 6 months prior to the discharge of the inmate from the custody of the department.

(4)  An inmate who refuses to submit to the taking of a digitized photograph commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

History.--s. 3, ch. 85-107; s. 9, ch. 88-96; s. 54, ch. 88-122; s. 1, ch. 91-65; s. 22, ch. 91-225; s. 2, ch. 92-76; s. 35, ch. 96-312; s. 10, ch. 97-299; s. 9, ch. 98-81.