Senate Bill 1550
CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1550
By Senator Dawson-White
30-1278-99 See HB 395
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to juvenile justice education
3 and training programs; amending s. 985.315,
4 F.S.; revising the vocational work training
5 programs under the Department of Juvenile
6 Justice to require certain juveniles to
7 participate in an educational/technical or
8 vocational work-related program 7 hours per
9 day, 7 days per week; providing an effective
10 date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
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14 Section 1. Subsections (1), (2), (3), and (4) of
15 section 985.315, Florida Statutes, 1998 Supplement, are
16 amended to read:
17 985.315 Educational/technical and vocational
18 work-related work training programs.--
19 (1)(a) It is the finding of the Legislature that the
20 educational/technical and vocational work-related work
21 programs of the Department of Juvenile Justice are uniquely
22 different from other programs operated or conducted by other
23 departments in that it is essential to the state that these
24 the work programs provide juveniles with useful information
25 and activities that can lead to meaningful employment after
26 release in order to assist in reducing the return of juveniles
27 to the system.
28 (b) It is further the finding of the Legislature that
29 the mission of a juvenile educational/technical and vocational
30 work-related work program is, in order of priority:
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1550
30-1278-99 See HB 395
1 1. To provide a joint effort between the department,
2 the juvenile work programs, and educational/technical and
3 other vocational training programs to reinforce relevant
4 education, training, and postrelease job placement, and help
5 reduce recommitment.
6 2. To serve the security goals of the state through
7 the reduction of idleness of juveniles and the provision of an
8 incentive for good behavior in residential commitment
9 facilities.
10 (c) It is further the finding of the Legislature that
11 a program which duplicates as closely as possible free-work
12 production and service operations in order to aid juveniles in
13 adjustment after release and to prepare juveniles for gainful
14 employment is in the best interest of the state, juveniles,
15 and the general public.
16 (2)(a) The department shall may require juveniles
17 placed in a high-risk residential, maximum-risk residential,
18 or a serious/habitual offender program to participate in an
19 educational/technical or a vocational work-related work
20 program 7 hours per day, 7 days per week. All policies
21 developed by the department relating to this requirement must
22 be consistent with applicable federal, state, and local labor
23 laws and standards, including all laws relating to child
24 labor.
25 (b) Nothing in this subsection is intended to restore,
26 in whole or in part, the civil rights of any juvenile. No
27 juvenile compensated under this subsection shall be considered
28 as an employee of the state or the department, nor shall such
29 juvenile come within any other provision of the Workers'
30 Compensation Law.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1550
30-1278-99 See HB 395
1 (3) In adopting or modifying master plans for juvenile
2 work programs and educational/technical and vocational
3 training programs, and in the administration of the Department
4 of Juvenile Justice, it shall be the objective of the
5 department to develop:
6 (a) Attitudes favorable to work, the work situation,
7 and a law-abiding life in each juvenile employed in the
8 juvenile work program.
9 (b) Education and training opportunities that are
10 reasonably broad, but which develop specific work skills.
11 (c) Programs that motivate juveniles to use their
12 abilities. Juveniles who do not adjust to these programs shall
13 be reassigned.
14 (d) Education and training programs that will be of
15 mutual benefit to all governmental jurisdictions of the state
16 by reducing the costs of government to the taxpayers and which
17 integrate all instructional programs into a unified curriculum
18 suitable for all juveniles, but taking account of the
19 different abilities of each juvenile.
20 (e) A logical sequence of educational/technical or
21 vocational training, employment by the juvenile vocational
22 work programs, and postrelease job placement for juveniles
23 participating in juvenile work programs.
24 (4)(a) The Department of Juvenile Justice shall
25 establish guidelines for the operation of juvenile
26 educational/technical and vocational work-related work
27 programs, which shall include the following procedures:
28 1. Participation in the educational/technical and
29 vocational work-related programs shall be on a 7-day-per-week,
30 7-hour-per-day basis, with lights out at 8 p.m.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1550
30-1278-99 See HB 395
1 2.1. The education, training, work experience,
2 emotional and mental abilities, and physical capabilities of
3 the juvenile and the duration of the term of placement imposed
4 on the juvenile are to be analyzed before assignment of the
5 inmate into the various processes best suited for
6 educational/technical or vocational training.
7 3.2. When feasible, the department shall attempt to
8 obtain education or training credit for a juvenile seeking
9 apprenticeship status or a high school diploma or its
10 equivalent.
11 4.3. The juvenile may begin in a general education and
12 work skills program and progress to a specific work skills
13 training program, depending upon the ability, desire, and
14 education and work record of the juvenile.
15 5.4. Modernization and upgrading of equipment and
16 facilities should include greater automation and improved
17 production techniques to expose juveniles to the latest
18 technological procedures to facilitate their adjustment to
19 real work situations.
20 (b) Evaluations of juvenile educational/technical and
21 vocational work-related work programs shall be conducted
22 according to the following guidelines:
23 1. Systematic evaluations and quality assurance
24 monitoring shall be implemented, in accordance with ss.
25 985.401(4) and 985.412(1), to determine whether the juvenile
26 vocational work programs are related to successful postrelease
27 adjustments.
28 2. Operations and policies of the work programs shall
29 be reevaluated to determine if they are consistent with their
30 primary objectives.
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CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.
Florida Senate - 1999 SB 1550
30-1278-99 See HB 395
1 (c) The department shall seek the advice of private
2 labor and management to:
3 1. Assist its work programs in the development of
4 statewide policies aimed at innovation and organizational
5 change.
6 2. Obtain technical and practical assistance,
7 information, and guidance.
8 3. Encourage the cooperation and involvement of the
9 private sector.
10 Section 2. This act shall take effect October 1, 1999.
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13 HOUSE SUMMARY
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Revises the vocational work training programs of the
15 Department of Juvenile Justice to require all juveniles
placed in a high-risk residential, maximum-risk
16 residential, or serious/habitual offender program to
participate in an educational/technical or vocational
17 work-related program 7 hours per day, 7 days per week,
with lights out at 8 p.m.
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