PRISON EXPANSION NEEDED

Your Aug. 17 editorial, "More Millions For State Prisons," is a
specious comparison that does not serve to inform the public. The
plain truth is that Florida prisons are full. When faced with the
choice of releasing offenders early or building beds, Florida is
standing strong on its commitment to public safety.

One misrepresentation is that "poor planning" by the Department of
Corrections led to a lower bed projection during the regular
legislative session. In reality, the Criminal Justice Estimating
Conference forecasts inmate admissions, and the Legislature funds the
Department of Corrections based on that forecast. Because of the
discrepancies between the forecast and the actual prison population,
Gov. Bush has asked for a complete and factual review of the CJEC's
forecasting measures so that we may be better able to project future
inmate admissions more accurately.

Despite the misrepresentations in the media, we are encouraged that it
has increased interest in substance-abusetreatment programs. Treatment
is an important part of the criminal-justice system, and is central to
Gov. Bush's balanced approach to crime and substanceabuse treatment.
That's why the governor requested $13.6 million for corrections'
substance-abuse-treatment programs this past year in his proposed
budget to the Legislature, and discussed his concern that the
Legislature only appropriated $2.5 million. We will be recommending
next year to restore these programs and we look with anticipation
toward the renewed support.

Through the governor's commitment to public safety and through tough
sentencing laws such as 85 percent, 10-20-Life and the Prison Release
Reoffender Act, the crime rate in the state is the lowest in 30 years.
We have been able to do this because we have prison beds for those who
commit the crimes in our communities. Florida's public safety policies
are working because they have been and are the result of a balanced
approach.

JAMES V. CROSBY JR.

Secretary

Florida Department of Corrections

Tallahassee