NCJ Number
178587
Date Published
1998
Length
52 pages
Annotation
Telephone surveys of 1,002 Florida residents, 366 news media reporters, and 699 personnel of the Florida Department of Corrections in 1997 collected baseline data on the participants' knowledge and image of the Florida Department of Corrections, as required in the agency's strategic plan.
Abstract
Results revealed that many Floridians and news media representatives have a limited understanding of numerous issues pertaining to the Florida Department of Corrections. Some of these issues are prison overcrowding, the percentage of their sentence that inmates serve, gaintime, early release, the role of correctional officers, and the role of probation officers. Substantial proportions of all participants groups regarded prison overcrowding as the agency's most pressing issue, although the agency currently has enough prison beds to serve its needs. In addition, most participants thought that inmates are released early from prison due to overcrowding, although early release due to prison overcrowding was eliminated in December 1994. The most misunderstood part of the agency was the role of its correctional and correctional probation officers. Some participants were unaware that correctional officers are not armed and are paid less than police officers. More than half of Floridians and news reporters believed that the Department of Corrections was doing a fair job, whereas 53.7 percent of the staff thought that the agency was doing a good job. Tables