Letter to Inmate Population from Deputy Secretary Dixon

September 16, 2020

Dear Inmate Population,

Good morning. I want to take a moment to address you and share new programs and initiatives the Department is working on. I am excited to share more details and hope it will improve your opportunities for programing and self-betterment.

Very soon, inmates with less than one year to serve will be housed in designated facilities referred to as Short Sentence Correctional Institutions (SSCIs), instead of being housed throughout the state system. This will allow us to provide programs and treatment specific to their needs during their short stay in our custody. It will also provide more stability within your facility.

We are also expanding the number of Incentivized Prisons (IPs). These facilities are for those of you, who through your cooperation, have shown excellent behavior that is deserving of advanced privileges. This includes more freedom of movement, improved menus, open seating in dining halls, more recreation time, game rooms, and other privileges. We have tested this at Everglades Correctional Facility, and it has been a success. Your peers have better program outcomes, fewer disciplinary infractions, and reductions in theft and violence. We are going to keep adding new IPs as necessary, ensuring that inmates who meet eligibility requirements have a space, and also to ensure we follow through on our commitment to recognize and reward positive behavior.

Finally, within a few months we will begin relocating select inmates to our new Administrative Management Unit (AMU) in Jackson County, Florida. The AMU will be a highly structured facility with strict controlled movement and will provide an enhanced level of security, including more searches and oversight. These units are for inmates with a track record of active gang participation, those who coordinate contraband introduction, commit violent acts, and disrupt facility operations. Inmates who continue these actions will be removed from current locations and relocated to the agency's AMU. If necessary, we will expand these locations to ensure adequate bed space for inmates who demonstrate the need for this level of supervision.

Our goal is to continue to offer incentivized options, and as more inmates work to become eligible for these locations, it is our desire that very few AMU beds will be needed. We want all inmates in Florida to serve their time in an environment free from violence, with opportunities for personal growth and development.

We know most inmates within FDC are cooperative and simply want to complete their sentences without participating in disruptive behavior. To those of you in this category, thank you! We encourage all of you to work with us as we continue to improve safety and security within FDC facilities and expand opportunities for inmates to participate in meaningful programs.

Ricky Dixon
Deputy Secretary, Florida Department of Corrections