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Running Head: OVERCROWDING IN CORRECTIONAL CENTERS

Democratic-Republican National Convention-Miami

Name:
Institution

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OVERCROWDING IN CORRECTIONAL CENTERS
Case Study
The highlighted case study seeks to provide a long lasting solution to what should be done in
order to regulate the number of inmates that Florida correction centers can hold. The decision
made should, however, be independent of a view of constructing new prisons since taxpayers are
infuriated by the move to use the money on prisons rather than on development. Floridas
population boom in the recent years may be the actual cause of the rise in the crime rates.
Immediate action needs to be taken else Florida may not be lucky to experience peace and calm
in a peaceful world. Due to this outcry of the general public, the focus has shifted to the
establishment of private correction centers which are managed by private contractors. The
process of privatization of correction facilities emerged as a result of state governments and
municipalities debating over excessive costs and overcrowding in public correctional facilities.
(Bayer, 2004)
Strengths
Through the existence of the Miami-Dade County Corrections & Rehabilitation Department
(MDCRD) has led to the drop to the steady drop in crime in a span of 20 years. From the year
1992 to 2012 Floridas population increase from thirteen to nineteen million inhabitants. The
Correction and rehabilitation and correction department has however managed to keep the crime
rates down and even managed to drop the crime rates from a high of 161,789 in 1993 to just
93,695 in 2012. (Disaster Center-Florida, 2013)
Weaknesses
The Rehabilitation and Correction department is faced by lack of a way to contain the number of
inmates that they can handle each and every day in their correctional facilities. The department

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OVERCROWDING IN CORRECTIONAL CENTERS
has to ensure that the number of inmates does not exceed 7750 in order to have space for all of
them. (Government, 2013)
Opportunities
The Miami Correction and Rehabilitation Department has a chance to close down public
correctional facilities since running the correctional facilities is too expensive for the state. The
department should hand over the facilities to private contractors for management.
Threats
Miami Correction Department is faced with a threat of crime rates increasing in Florida since the
correctional facilities available are almost filled to capacity and they cannot hold any more
inmates. From the increased public outcry by the public no more public correctional centers can
be established and hence the decision made will determine the state of security in Florida.
Memorandum on the recommendations to prevent overcrowding in Florida jails
For a period of time our correction facilities have been faced with the problem of overcrowding
and despite our fruitless efforts to narrow down the numbers all is not lost. The command staff
composed of division chiefs and bureau majors assisted in bringing forward the following
recommendations. The recommendations will see our Florida state free from crime and the
Miami Rehabilitation and Correction development uninterrupted progress towards fighting
crime.
1.

Since managing of our correction facilities is proving to be too much expensive for us hiring

of private contractors and leasing out the facilities will cut down on the expenses. This

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OVERCROWDING IN CORRECTIONAL CENTERS
consideration is due to the fact that we cannot build any more correctional facilities due to lack
of political backing.
2. The current correction facilities harbor a lot of free space and can be extended to
accommodate more inmates rather than transfer our inmates to private owned correctional
facilities.
3. The Florida laws should be revised to curtail loopholes that may lead to increased petty
crimes serving jail terms rather than be allocated to community service for the state.
4. The state should encourage more private developers to invest in correction facilities in order
to handle the facilities shortages. This would assist reduce the burden of public facilities when
there is overcrowding in the correction centers.
5. The state government should sensitize the public on the importance of keeping law and order
and becoming law-abiding citizens for the good of them and the nation.
Conclusion
Desperate eras always call for frantic measures; correction centers make a nation. It would be
pointless to have jobs yet be living in a crime-stricken town where what you own does not
belong to you. Effective and immediate action to save the situation is the only determinant of the
future of Florida and its inhabitants.

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References
Bayer, P. (2004). THE EFFECTIVENESS OF JUVENILE CORRCTION FACILITIES :PUBLIC
VS PRIVATE MANAGEMENT. New Haven: Yale Univrsity.
Disaster Center-Florida. (2013). Uniform Crime Reports. Retrieved from
http://www.disastercenter.com: http://www.disastercenter.com/florida/crime/1834.htm
Government, M. D. (2013). Correctional facilities - Miami - Dade County. Retrieved from
http://www.miamidade.gov: http://www.miamidade.gov/corrections/facilities.asp