REDUCE REPEAT CRIMES
With a recidivism rate of 45 percent, providing detention services to inmates who continually return to jail perpetuates a cycle of costs to serve this core group of people.
The Broward County jail system, which is administered by the Sheriff’s office, is approximately 48 percent of BSO’s annual county government budget, and accounts for the single largest expense by the public safety agency. It touches thousands of lives annually, as people are arrested, incarcerated and released. During their stay, prisoners are fed, housed, clothed, provided medical care, given psychiatric counseling; while the facilities are also maintained.
Detaining people after they are arrested and while awaiting trial or serving a sentence is a complex and costly operation. On average, people are in the county’s jails for 30 days, yet there is a core inmate population that stays longer. These individuals require many services provided by the jail system.
With a recidivism rate of 45 percent, providing detention services to inmates who continually return to jail perpetuates a cycle of costs to serve this core group of people.
As your sheriff, my experienced team will work to reduce the number of people who return to Broward County jail through a more comprehensive intake assessment process, skills training, psychological counseling, transitional housing, enhancement of partnership with the Broward Schools and other community related programs. Intensive post-release follow-up to provide them with an opportunity to earn a legal income.
As your sheriff, I will encourage implementing innovative and creative recidivism reduction programs that have worked elsewhere in the nation to the Broward county detention program. As a county, we must try to make a difference in people’s lives – both victims and criminals – to try to put criminals on a different path.
