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Following the questionable deaths of inmates at two Florida Prisons, The Department of Corrections instituted new disciplinary rules in September, but a 13 year veteran of the Department says little has changed.

We met George…not his real name at a park. We promised the 13 year Corrections veteran we would protect his identity. He paints a picture of intimidation, harassment, and an administration intent on protecting itself from scrutiny.

“I feel my life is in more danger than it has ever been” says the officer. He blames it on bad managers who pit officers against officers.

In September, the top brass at the agency issued a memo after reports of beatings and several deaths at prisons across the state. It outlined offenses that would result in dismissal.

Q: “The administration has fired officers, over beatings and over these deaths. Has that improved the situation/”

“Somewhat. It make more officers feel more, look if you get caught, you get fired. That part, yes, I would say, but you still have what they call the good old boy system, the good old boy system ain’t never gonna leave. We’re gonna discipline him the right way. You still have that going on at a lot of the institutions.”

Q: “ Discipline the right way is a beating?”

“A beating.”

George paints a picture of a system so understaffed due to turnover that drugs and cell phones are easily smuggled in.

Sot: “You may have officers out there that just don’t give a flap.”

George says he has been sworn at by a superior in front of inmates and that some top officers are too close to female staff.

Q: “wardens are having sex with female officers?”

“Yes”

Q: “regularly?”

“A hun.”

George says the Secretary at the Department of Corrections is well intentioned, but he faces a big job.”

We reached out to the Department of Corrections about the Correctional Officers concerns. There statement reads in part “We expect our staff to understand that when they are exposed to something that they know is fundamentally, morally or legally wrong, they have a responsibility to report it. There will be no repercussions or retaliation for those who come forward and do the right thing.”

The complete statement from McKinley, DOC Press Secretary is below:

The Department has seen a dramatic decrease in use of force incidents over the past four months, dropping from 616 incidents in July of 2014 to 427 in October. Additionally, we have seen a decrease in use of force incidents in this same time period of 2014 when compared to 2013. Please see the chart below:

To further improve the training of our staff, the transparency of the Department and the quality of care provided to those in our custody, the Department has instituted the following reforms:

·         Launch of a transparency database containing an extensive amount of data and information related to inmate mortality and in-custody deaths.

·         The establishment of a mental health Ombudsman that will be the first of its kind in the nation’s prison systems dedicated solely to inmates with severe mental illness inpatient level care.

·         Expansion of crisis intervention training which will provide correctional officers with a working knowledge of mental illness, an understanding of the challenges faced by mentally ill inmates.

·         We are currently working toward a Correctional Behavioral Health Certification, made available through the American Correctional Association, which will provide a nationally standardized certification for our correctional officers associated with the care of mentally ill inmates.

·         Requesting the assistance of the Association of State Correctional Administrators (ASCA). The ASCA, a nationally recognized organization with qualified experts in the corrections profession, will provide a full independent audit of the Department’s policies and procedures through site visits, inspections and evaluations on use of force methods.

We expect our staff to understand that when they are exposed to something that they know is fundamentally, morally or legally wrong, they have a responsibility to report it. There will be no repercussions or retaliation for those who come forward and do the right thing. The issues we face are the result of the inappropriate actions of a few that have affected many. Secretary Crews has communicated with clarity that this Department has no tolerance for those who choose to discredit the integrity of this agency through misconduct, abuse or neglect and that such actions will be met with the gravest of consequences, including dismissal from this Department. On September 5, 2014, the Department announced a new disciplinary policy to increase employee accountability. Following this announcement, the Department has dismissed more than 50 individuals who have taken actions counter to the Department’s expectations of transparency, accountability and professionalism at every level.

We see promise in Florida’s historic 43 year crime low, steadily declining recidivism rate and the thousands of honest and hard-working people who truly represent this Department. Through those employees, the Department’s reforms and the release of factual information following the conclusion of all open and active investigations, the Florida Department of Corrections will become the most transparent and accountable agency in this state.