Powerful politician pitches major probation overhaul
Proposed study will look at whether sheriffs should take over probation from the state.
TALLAHASSEE, Florida — With new problems surfacing daily at the Department of Corrections, one powerful lawmaker is pushing for a study that could lead to local sheriffs taking over felony probation supervision from the state.
Future Speaker of the House, Rep. Richard Corcoran, R-Land O’ Lakes, added a $250,000 line item to the House’s proposed 2016 budget. The money would finance a University of Florida study to examine whether the state’s 67 sheriffs could supervise Florida’s most serious probationers better that the state.
10 Investigates exposed many probation officers across the state don’t have access to working vehicles, and if they have to take their personal vehicles, they are often denied mileage reimbursement. The transportation problems, coupled with caseloads larger than the law would seem to allow, have meant diminished supervision of the state’s most dangerous felons living in the community.
After report, lawmakers want felons watched
“[Probation] would be far-better off being run by the sheriffs,” Corcoran said, supporting an idea first proposed by Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco. “[Sheriffs] are more accountable to the people [than the state] and they are there on the local level and can do a better job of overseeing it.”
Nocco told 10 Investigates his deputies want to crack down on dangerous felons in the community, but they’re prohibited from conducting random visits to felons’ homes.
Probation officers have legal authority to conduct unannounced visits to probationers, but they don’t have the resources to keep a close watch.
“If [felons] are out there and they don’t think someone’s going to be monitoring them, they’re not going to obey by the rules,” Nocco said. “You talk about public safety … that is a major issue.”
In 2013, Nocco wrote a letter to then-DOC Secretary Mike Crews, criticizing agency policies that included vehicle-sharing and a ban on probation officers searching the computers of sex offenders. In the two years since, there have been few changes in how the state monitors felons on probation and parole.
“We don’t want those people to re-offend,” Nocco said. “So I think our citizens are much safer if probation is put on that pedestal. If probation is given the tools necessary to go out there and do the job.”
“Anytime we have someone who’s going to be held more accountable by the people, you’re going to have better outcomes,” Corcoran said. “Everybody knows their local sheriff. … Nobody knows who the secretary of the DOC is.”
New DOC Secretary Julie Jones said she “welcomes the review” proposed by Corcoran, but doesn’t expect it to suggest localizing felony probation.
“I am very confident the study is going to say we are doing any outstanding job and we are being fiscally sound and that it will stay with the state.”
Jones told 10 Investigates Wednesday she is taking steps in her first year to address the biggest concerns probation officers have expressed about lack of vehicles, radios, cell phones, and guns.
Jones also said sheriffs may not be the best fit for some of the social services probation officers provide.
But Corcoran and Nocco both say other states have had success handling probation at the local level and they hope the Senate and governor sign off on the line item.
The plan earned high marks from Palm Harbor Republican Rep. Chris Sprowls, a prosecutor who happens to be working on the homicide case of Tarpon Springs Officer Charles Kondek.
“Studying local oversight of felony probation is a positive step in determining if their is a better way to monitor offenders, particularly in light of the intelligence-led policing models utilized by local law enforcement,” Sprowls said.
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Probationers are supervised by the Judicial branch of government. This seems to be the case everywhere. Would handing over supervision of probationers to the Executive/enforcement branch be in some sort of violation of the constitution or the inherent design of government? I am pretty sure in DoC raids I read that it was unconstitutional for law enforcement to do anything other than provide protection–they were not allowed to assist is search.
Giving law enforcement unfettered access to a probationers’ home seems like a bad idea, particularly with things like quotas and local policies and attitudes being so diverse from county to county. At least with the DoC there is a singular accountable (well, supposedly) agency that is there to ensure all probationers in the state are handled consistently. With local sheriffs, there could also be a conflict of interest considering the more people they are able to push into felony convictions, the more of their local population they will have this Nazi Brownshirt authority over.
Seems like a horrible idea the more I think of the ramifications.
It is not going to affect the politicians until so many people are on or affected by the registry that hurts the votes. For instance, for decades politicians spoke out against gays because the general population was on board with it – but the times have changed and people see that being against gays is a form of bigotry just like any other – now politicians think twice before they speak out against gays – we are seeing the same thing happen with Pot – decades ago it was a demon drug – now not so much. Eventually as more an more people are affected by the registry and start to understand the truth and realize they have been tricked and mislead by politicians and the media they will start to get angry – unfortunately until then we are all vilified
The problem is the politicians are not concerned with keeping the children safe – they are concerned with votes and right now in this state and the country being tough on sex offenders gets votes.
Handing over felony probation to “local sheriffs” is a horrible idea, especially for sex offenders. FDOC probation officers are trained and accountable. If this becomes law, and it could, it will only be a matter of time before it applies to all sex offenders, on probation or not. We will have local “good-old boy” stormtroopers kicking our doors in at 3am, on a regular basis. Unless this tide of insanity turns soon, I will have to leave Florida, which is what they want.
•In 2012, 10,322 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes, accounting for nearly one-third (31%) of all traffic-related deaths in the United States.1
•Of the 1,168 traffic deaths among children ages 0 to 14 years in 2012, 239 (20%) involved an alcohol-impaired driver.1
•Of the 239 child passengers ages 14 and younger who died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in 2012, over half (124) were riding in the vehicle with the alcohol-impaired driver.1
Seems to me the legislators have it all wrong. Of course child predators and molesters should be on a police registry or something similar. And young offenders make up almost a third of the registry and will be labeled for life for Romeo and Juliet relationships, fondling or playing doctor at young ages,, etc,,, Shouldn’t we be protecting our children from proven killers ( DUI drivers, Domestic violence issues, suicides because of shame, etc) than this stranger danger nonsense? Our politicians seem more interested in lining their bank accounts than protecting our children. This sex offender registry has not proven YET to reduce ANY harm to our children. WHEN WILL THESE POLITICIANS STaRT LISTENING AND LEARN??
These are very powerful statistics!
You are right on with your assessment. Instead of focusing on real and actual dangers to the lives of our children, the legislature is spending so much time and money on the boogeyman!