Correctional Officers Applaud Jefferson County Resolution Against Prison Closure

MONTICELLO, Fla., Jan. 19, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Local correctional officers hailed the Jefferson County Board for passing a resolution tonight asking that the Jefferson Correctional Institution remain open. Closure of the facility – the largest local employer -- would ruin the Jefferson County economy and uproot longtime residents.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20100127/IBTLOGO )

The Florida Department of Corrections recently announced its intention to close the Jefferson Correctional Institution by April 1, 2012, without any input from lawmakers, local elected officials, economic development representatives, community leaders, business owner, or citizens.

"All of us who work here put our lives at risk every day," said Barry Graham, a sergeant at Jefferson C.I. "Closing the facility puts my career at risk and my whole way of life at risk. I want to thank the County Board for standing up to this sneak attack against the hardworking families of this community."

The county board's resolution stated that closing Jefferson Correctional Institution would cause significant damage. "The loss of jobs and the impact on the local economy and community will be substantial, estimated to have a $19 million impact on local economic activity and uprooting longtime residents who must move elsewhere to find new jobs," the resolution read.

Bobbi Carroll, a Jefferson correctional officer, said, "Closing Jefferson will cost me my job. I have ties to this community and I can't afford to move somewhere else in Florida. It just breaks my heart to think how this will destroy our way of life."

The County Board stated that the decision to close the facility failed to recognize that Jefferson C.I. performs unique services. The resolutions states, "the Jefferson Correctional Institution has significant unrecognized "Special Attributes" in that (1) it is the state's largest "Psyche 3" unit and the "go to" unit for prisoners on psychotropic drugs, and (2) in spite of its high risk inmates, it is the only state prison facility to have never called out a rapid response team, a tribute to the unique staff culture at Jefferson Correctional."

"Rural Florida has suffered enough in this recession, and the last thing the state should do is to cause more pain by rushing to close its correctional facilities," said Ken Wood, Acting President of Teamster Local 2011, which represents 20,000 Florida Department of Corrections officers. 

The plans include closures of the New River Correctional in Raiford, Jefferson Correctional in Monticello, Demilly Correctional Institute 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.

 RESOLUTION NO. 1-011912-03

RESOLUTION OF THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS REGARDING THE CLOSURE OF

JEFFERSON CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION

WHEREAS, Jefferson County is one of the smallest of Florida's counties, located east of Leon County;

WHEREAS, Jefferson County is one of Florida's oldest counties with a rich cultural history, beautiful natural assets, and friendly small communities of citizens that treat all people (even prisoners) with respect and dignity;

WHEREAS, being a small rural community, Jefferson County, like other rural areas in Florida, is challenged by significant economic factors, is considered by the Florida Department of Revenue as "fiscally constrained" and is designated as a "Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern";

WHEREAS, the Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern status affords Jefferson County special consideration in State Agency actions and requires state agencies to minimize the impact of their decisions on RACEC counties and provide support that will improve conditions in our community;

WHEREAS, the Florida Department of Corrections has announced its intention to close the Jefferson Correctional Institution by April 1, 2012;

WHEREAS, the Jefferson Correctional Institution is the largest employer in the county and the loss of jobs and the impact on the local economy and community will be substantial, estimated to have a $19 million impact on local economic activity and uprooting longtime residents who must move elsewhere to find new jobs;

WHEREAS, the evaluation system used to determine the prison closure was developed without opportunity for public input;

WHEREAS, the Jefferson Correctional Institution has significant unrecognized "Special Attributes" in that (1) it is the state's largest "Psyche 3" unit and the "go to" unit for prisoners on psychotropic drugs, and (2) in spite of its high risk inmates, it is the only state prison facility to have never called out a rapid response team, a tribute to the unique staff culture at Jefferson Correctional;

WHEREAS, the evaluation of the Jefferson Correctional Institution did not credit or consider Rural Area of Critical Economic Concern status or provide for consideration of important "Special Attributes" that would have, as in other instances,  modified the outcome; 

WHEREAS, no state legislator, local elected official, economic development representative, community leaders, business owner, or citizens were afforded the opportunity to review, observe, or comment on the decision making process or the proposal;

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, FLORIDA THAT:

Because of the important attributes of Jefferson Corrections Institution and the significant impact that the closure of Jefferson Correctional Institution would have on our county, WE REQUEST THAT THE GOVERNOR AND THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS REMOVE JEFFERSON CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION FROM THE CLOSURE LIST.

RESOLVED this 19th day of January 2012.

ATTEST:                                                                                             BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS

                                                                                                              OF JEFFERSON COUNTY, FLORIDA

SOURCE Teamsters Local 2011