Florida prisons chief asks for $30mn to reform ‘abuse culture’ after 346 inmate deaths
Florida’s new Department of Corrections head is asking the state for nearly $30 million to institute badly needed reforms as federal and state offices investigate Florida prisons, which began after multiple reports of torture and inmate deaths surfaced. Julie Jones, the fourth permanent Florida Department of Corrections (DOC) Secretary under Republican Gov. Rick Scott, testified in front of the state’s Senate Criminal Justice Committee just a few weeks into her tenure, which began on December 10. She answered tough questions from lawmakers regarding a systemic culture of torture and abuse, as well as crumbling infrastructure throughout the Florida prison system, the Miami Herald reported on Tuesday.