The Crime and Justice Institute released (February 2018) Data-Driven Solutions to Improve Florida’s Criminal Justice System. The analysis found that Florida is sending fewer people to prison than in years past, but those who do end up there are serving longer sentences, including those convicted of low-level, nonviolent offenses. That situation has led to a relatively stagnant prison population of about 100,000 — the third-largest in the United States — which costs taxpayers $2.3 billion annually. The prison population and the financial burden are on track to begin increasing again in 2021 (www.cjinstitute.org). Follow this link for summary recommendations from CJI.
See more about youth justice in the Crime and Justice Institute’s one-pager on youth diversion by clicking here.