County Board Says Closing Would Harm Officers, Taxpayers, Female Inmates' Chances at Reform

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following is being released by Teamsters Local 2011:

Local correctional officers hailed the Hillsborough County Board for unanimously passing a resolution today asking that the Hillsborough Correctional Institution remain open. The unique, faith-based women's facility has one of the lowest rates of recidivism in the nation and enjoys strong community support.

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Closure of the facility would harm more than 150 employees, many of whom would be forced to move to another county. It would also add to the county's tax burden by eliminating work squads that maintain roadways and provide support to the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research Center.

The Florida Department of Corrections recently announced its intention to close the Hillsborough Correctional Institution by March 1, 2012, without input from the community, including lawmakers, local elected officials, members of faith-based organizations, employees and hundreds of volunteers and mentors from Sun City Center and surrounding areas.

"I'm concerned that closing Hillsborough will destroy any hope the inmates have of re-entering society as productive citizens," said Linda Mills, a sergeant and steward at Hillsborough Correctional Institution. "The prospect of closing this facility is putting tremendous stress on my co-workers, many of whom will have to uproot their families for a second time. I want to thank the county board for standing up to this attack on the hardworking families of this community."

The county board's resolution stated that closing Hillsborough Correctional Institution would cause significant damage.

"That because of the important attributes of Hillsborough Correctional Institution and the significant local impact the closure of Hillsborough Correctional Institution would have on our county, WE RESPECTFULLY REQUEST THAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS RECONSIDER THE CLOSURE OF HILLSBOROUGH CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION," the resolution read.

Robert Temples, a sergeant at Hillsborough, said he's angry that lawmakers are trying to ram a privatization bill down the public's throat.

"They're closing Hillsborough to pave the way for privatization," Temples said. "There's a good reason two former sheriffs in the legislature are opposing this bill – they know it will jeopardize public safety. I'm thankful that the county board is listening to us, which is what elected officials are supposed to do."

Charna Lester Bogdany volunteers at HCI and is one of the plaintiffs who've brought suit against the closure of the facility.  

"That word, 'budget,' has become the trigger eliminating more than one valuable state program," Bogdany said. "If honestly assessed for visible prison inmate rehabilitation, I imagine HCI would rank high against other models already functioning anywhere in prison reform."

"We will continue to fight these proposed closings and privatizations of Florida's correctional facilities," said Ken Wood, Acting President of Teamster Local 2011, which represents 20,000 Florida Department of Corrections officers. "We know they'll hurt the employees and in the end they'll cost the taxpayers more money than they'll save."

The plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson C.I. in Monticello, Demilly C.I. in Polk City, Gainesville C.I., Indian River C.I. in Vero Beach, and the women's prisons Broward C.I. in Fort Lauderdale and Hillsborough C.I. in Riverview near Tampa.

The department also plans to close work camps in Gadsden, Washington and Hendry counties and the Levy forestry camp.

For more information, visit http://fdocteamsters.org.

Founded in 1903, the Teamsters Union represents 1.4 million hardworking men and women throughout the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to www.teamster.org or follow us on Twitter @TeamsterPower.

SOURCE Teamsters Local 2011

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