Florida Senate - 2011 SB 2010
By Senator Braynon
33-01307-11 20112010__
1 A bill to be entitled
2 An act relating to faith- and character-based
3 correctional institution programs; amending s.
4 944.803, F.S.; revising legislative findings;
5 providing requirements for faith- and character-based
6 programs; deleting provisions relating to funding;
7 revising requirements for participation by inmates in
8 such programs; deleting provisions requiring the
9 assignment of chaplains to community correctional
10 centers; providing an effective date.
11
12 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:
13
14 Section 1. Section 944.803, Florida Statutes, is amended to
15 read:
16 944.803 Faith- and character-based Faith-based programs for
17 inmates.—
18 (1) The Legislature finds and declares that faith- and
19 character-based faith-based programs offered in state and
20 private correctional institutions and facilities have the
21 potential to facilitate inmate institutional adjustment, help
22 inmates assume personal responsibility, and reduce recidivism.
23 (2) It is the intent of the Legislature that the department
24 of Corrections and the private vendors operating private
25 correctional facilities shall continuously:
26 (a) Measure recidivism rates for inmates who have
27 participated in faith- and character-based religious programs.;
28 (b) Increase the number of volunteers who minister to
29 inmates from various faith-based and secular institutions in the
30 community.;
31 (c) Develop community linkages with secular institutions,
32 as well as churches, synagogues, mosques, and other faith-based
33 institutions, to assist inmates in their release back into the
34 community.; and
35 (d) Fund through the use of annual appropriations, in
36 department facilities, and through inmate welfare trust funds
37 pursuant to s. 945.215, in private facilities, an adequate
38 number of chaplains and support staff to operate faith-based
39 programs in correctional institutions.
40 (3)(a) The department must have at least six new programs
41 fully operational. These six programs shall be similar to and in
42 addition to the current faith-based pilot program. The six new
43 programs shall be a joint effort with the department and faith
44 based service groups within the community. The department shall
45 ensure that an inmate’s faith orientation, or lack thereof, will
46 not be considered in determining admission to a faith- and
47 character-based faith-based program and that the program does
48 not attempt to convert an inmate toward a particular faith or
49 religious preference.
50 (b) The programs shall operate 24 hours a day within the
51 existing correctional facilities and. The programs must
52 emphasize the importance of personal responsibility, meaningful
53 work, education, substance abuse treatment, and peer support.
54 (c) Participation in a the faith-based dormitory program
55 shall be voluntary. However, at least 80 percent of the inmates
56 participating in this program must be within 36 months of
57 release. Assignment to a program these programs shall be based
58 on evaluation and the length of time the inmate is projected to
59 be assigned to that particular institution. In evaluating an
60 inmate for this program, priority shall be given to inmates who
61 have shown an indication for substance abuse. A right to
62 substance abuse program services is not stated, intended, or
63 otherwise implied by this subsection. The department may not
64 remove an inmate once assigned to a the program except for the
65 purposes of population management, for inmate conduct that may
66 subject the inmate to disciplinary confinement or loss of gain
67 time, for physical or mental health concerns, or for security or
68 safety concerns. To support the programming component, the
69 department shall assign a chaplain and a full-time clerical
70 support person dedicated to each dormitory to implement and
71 monitor the program and to strengthen volunteer participation
72 and support.
73 (4) The Department of Corrections shall assign chaplains to
74 community correctional centers authorized pursuant to s.
75 945.091(1)(b). These chaplains shall strengthen volunteer
76 participation by recruiting volunteers in the community to
77 assist inmates in transition, and, if requested by the inmate,
78 placement in a mentoring program or at a contracted substance
79 abuse transition housing program. When placing an inmate in a
80 contracted program, the chaplain shall work with the
81 institutional transition assistance specialist in an effort to
82 successfully place the released inmate.
83 (4)(5) The department shall ensure that any faith component
84 of any program authorized in this chapter is offered on a
85 voluntary basis and, an offender’s faith orientation, or lack
86 thereof, will not be considered in determining admission to such
87 a faith-based program and that the program does not attempt to
88 convert an offender toward a particular faith or religious
89 preference.
90 (5)(6) The department shall ensure that state funds are not
91 expended for the purpose of furthering religious indoctrination,
92 but rather, that state funds are expended for purposes of
93 furthering the secular goals of criminal rehabilitation, the
94 successful reintegration of offenders into the community, and
95 the reduction of recidivism.
96 Section 2. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011.