A resident at the Florida Civil Commitment Center in Arcadia – a “treatment facility” where persons who have already been convicted, sentenced and served their full punishment are sent for involuntary and indefinite confinement has died from Coronavirus, according to individuals who reported the matter to FAC and this story in the Tampa Bay Times. A second person is sick with the virus. People there are afraid they will also become infected.
The privately run facility in Arcadia houses approximately 600 people who are there for “treatment” – involuntary treatment – but confined in a jail like facility and can’t leave even though their sentences have been served.
And this isn’t supposed to be punishment… yeah right!
In reading the various comments, sont realize it is not a prison. It is classified as a mental institution. It is where the state sends the “worst of the worst” However, that isnt true based upon some of those men’s stories. And in case you are wondering, a good number of them NEVER went to prison, but straight to JR camp.
This friend is one of my best friends. Ever. Between real prison (more than ten years) and JE, he would much prefer the JR camp
Food is better, officers better, actually less restrictions on movement, and so forth. No, he can’t walk out the gate, but neither could a resident at a mental hospital. Oh, and unlike DOC, the residents get PAID an hourly wage. A pittance. But an honest to god paycheck.
No, I wouldn’t want to be there, but he is content to be and that is all I care about…beyond his safety. I call into him(yes, into the faciliry) and speak at least once a week to him. I am here for him and that his enough for him.
The FL Dept of Children & Families has the power to keep people confined. That’s one thing I learned from this article that I didn’t know. I just thought they were a child welfare agency, placing at-risk kids in foster homes and stuff. Call me naive.
DCF is not fighting hard to defend themselves here. That suggest to me that their budget is not at risk when someone dies of a condition contracted in their facility.
I must admit I was wondering how long it would take to appear here. I am in regular contact with one of the residents at FCCC and I was surprised about how much the media actually got right for a change.
According to my friend, the man who died had been a resident for many years and had serious medical issues. As near as they can figure, it was contracted during a hospital visit. The second man is being isolated in a dorm used for storage. Not sure how he got it.
The compound is confined to the dorms and is required to wear face masks at all times except shower time and bed. They made them onsite.
If more become affected, the plan is to isolate them in the storage dorm.
By the way, for those who dont realize it, the capacity is roughly 800 men, with only about 525 or so beds occupied. They have been slowly, but steadily reducing the occupancy over the past few years. May that continue until it is zero.
Yes, the residents are concerned. They have a higher rate of underlying medical issues than even DOC has.
Sounds like a civil suit to me. His family should hire the best attorney and go after the state of Florida on this one. I hate to say it but his death may actually do all of us some good
On This Good Friday, Please Remember that most Registrants who Succumb to the aforementioned Cruelties are Like What happened to Jesus…We, too, as Registrants, are Nailed to Another Cross….
..this is NOT ONLY in Civil C, but also, in everyday Florida Prisons wherein over 35% of the population is over 65 years of age….I receive over 30 emails a day from these brave inmates…….if you only knew their plights!
All Judges never give a second chance…’THEY’ just PRONOUNCE the JIMMY RICE ACT on all…most ‘judges’, do not even know about the jimmy rice fiasco!
May Our Lord, today, as in everyday, comfort all!
Sex offenses = death sentences
The occupants are there against their will as a result of a criminal conviction. They cannot leave when they choose. They can’t have guests when they choose. They cant wear whatever they choose. They can’t eat whenever they choose. Contact with others outside the facility is extremely regulated (if not barred) and monitored.
Yet, it’s not a prison.