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RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR DESIGNEE AND DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO INCLUDE A FIELD ON ANY INMATE INTAKE FORMS TO REQUEST INFORMATION FROM INMATES REGARDING U.S. VETERAN STATUS; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR DESIGNEE TO DEVELOP LITERATURE REGARDING BENEFITS AND SERVICES AVAILABLE TO INCARCERATED VETERANS; AND FURTHER DIRECTING THE MAYOR OR DESIGNEE TO REPORT TO THE BOARD ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THESE POLICIES WITHIN NINETY (90) DAYS FOLLOWING THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS RESOLUTION

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WHEREAS, surveys indicate that, across the Nation, approximately 700,000 U.S. veterans have been incarcerated in prisons and jails, which number constitutes nearly ten percent (10%) of the U.S. prison and jail population; and
WHEREAS, some of these inmate-veterans are in the custody of the Miami-Dade Corrections and Rehabilitation Department (the �Corrections Department�) in the various jails operated by the Corrections Department throughout Miami-Dade County; and
WHEREAS, the County desires to identify inmate-veterans at the inmate intake phase to ensure that inmate-veterans are informed of all of the benefits and services available to incarcerated veterans under the applicable laws; and
WHEREAS, the County is aware that some inmate-veterans do not identify themselves as veterans for fear of losing, as a result of their incarceration, the benefits made available to veterans under the applicable laws; and
WHEREAS, to ensure that all eligible inmate-veterans, including those who do not self-identify as inmate-veterans, are made aware of the benefits and services available under applicable law, the Corrections Departments should develop literature to inform all inmates of the benefits and services available to inmate-veterans, which literature should dispel commonly held myths regarding the loss of veterans� benefits upon incarceration;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that
Section 1. The County Mayor or Designee and Corrections Department are hereby directed to create an inmate intake form that allows for the identification of inmate-veterans and to further develop procedures under which an inmate-veteran who did not self-identify as an inmate-veteran at the intake phase, can later identify as a veteran; and
Section 2. The County Mayor or Designee and Corrections Department are hereby directed to develop informational literature, to be distributed to all inmates, which literature should inform inmates of benefits available to incarcerated veterans under the applicable laws, and which literature should dispel commonly held myths or misinformation (e.g., myths regarding the loss of benefits upon incarceration and misinformation regarding who constitutes a �veteran� under applicable law) that discourage inmates from identifying themselves as veterans; and
Section 3. The County Mayor or Designee shall report to the Board, within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this resolution, of the status of the County�s implementation of the policies established in this resolution.