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REPORT:
Mr. Daniel Junior, Director, Miami-Dade Department of Corrections, noted he and his staff were tasked with seeking site alternatives proposed facility, provide information related to programming for inmates, as well as further information regarding cashless bonds. Mr. Junior pointed out this proposed project would be a replacement, not an expansion, of the downtown pre-trial detention center, a more than 60 year old facility and would take six to seven years to complete. Mr. Junior gave a Power Point Presentation and noted he would present a final recommendation at the July BCC meeting.
Mr. Junior highlighted the following Power Point presentation points:
MIAMI-DADE COUNTY INITIATIVES TO REDUCE JAIL POPULATION
Pretrial Services Program (PSP)
- Alternative to incarceration program
- Allowing non-financial release of persons pending the outcome of their criminal case
- MDCR provides defendant profiles, including the validated risk assessment results, at First Appearance and/or prior to subsequent hearing to the judiciary to inform their decisions
Monitored Release Program
- Allows persons to remain in the community under GPS monitoring pending the outcome of their criminal case
-Placement is determined by the judiciary
Jail Diversion Program
- Grant funded for early identification, enhanced transition and re-entry planning services, and referral to community services of persons with mental illness and arrested for misdemeanor offenses
- Over 550 inmates diverted to community services
- MDCR supported this program with a full time Correctional Counselor
Cashless Bond Ad-Hoc Committee
- MDCR, along with its criminal justice partners, recognizes the importance of minimizing pretrial detention, particularly for low-risk defendants, to allow for minimal disruption of family ties, community involvement, and job market participation
- Created by Miami-Dade Criminal Justice Council�s Chairperson Daniel Junior to develop recommendation for the Courts with representatives from Public Defender�s Office, State Attorney�s Office, Juvenile Services Department, and Chiefs of Police
- Authority to enact bail reform statewide rests solely with either the Florida State Legislature or the Florida State Court system
AVERAGE DAILY POPULATION BY YEAR
- 38% decrease in jail population from 2008 to 2019
- Jail reduction initiatives contributed to reduction
- Allowed for closure of the following facilities: North Dade Correctional Center, Women�s Detention Center and the Training and Treatment Center (TTC)
- Inmate population is 3,204 as of June 28, 2020, a 26% decrease from 2019
- Long term impact of COVID-19 related reductions to inmate population is tentative and should not be considered permanent in nature
REENTRY PROGRAMMING
Risk Screener
- Re-Entry programming must include screening of inmates to identify which should get services
- Best practices dictates that re-entry efforts should be prioritized based on an inmates recidivism risk
- MDCR utilized the �Proxy Triage Risk Screener�
Transition from Jail to Community (TJC)
- A comprehensive re-entry program; developed by the National Institute of Corrections and the Urban Institute for jail re-entry
- Evidence based re-entry program
RATED CAPACITY AND PROJECTIONS
Rated Capacity
- Current Rated capacity is 5,612 inmate beds
- It is imperative that sufficient rated capacity is maintained when building a replacement jail.
- According to the National Institute of Corrections, a jail is at capacity before reaching its design limits. Beds have to be set aside for classification (a male prisoner cannot be housed in a female bed, nor can a maximum security prisoner be housed in a minimum security bed), and sufficient beds need to be set aside to handle the population during peak periods
- During the COVID-19 pandemic, the reduction of inmate beds previously available at TTC limited the Department�s flexibility to relocate inmates throughout the jail system.
- A jail system at its maximum capacity is an overcrowded jail system
Projection of Inmate Population
- Developing average daily inmate projections is highly complexed
- Several factors impact projections that are difficult to forecast including: changes in criminal law, acceleration of population growth, timely disposition of criminal cases in the courts, local law enforcement practices and availability of community-based diversion programs.
- Inmate population projections (Chart depicting 1%, 1.5% and 2% growth of inmate population and Rated Capacity of jails)
- Comparison Chart of rated inmate capacity and proposed inmate capacity
Mr. Junior further detailed the inmate population projections during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as growth in the future.
PROPOSED JAIL REPLACEMENT PROJECT
- A dedicated Intake and release center includes mental health treatment center
- Multi-level parking garage for employees and visitors
- Central Support Services Building for food and laundry services
- Video visitation center
- Secured Sally Port at Richard E Gerstein Courthouse
- 4 Courtrooms to conduct onsite: First appearances, arraignments, Felony pleas, arraignments
- Office Space for: State Attorney�s Office, Public Defender�s Office, Miami-Dade Police Department and Clerk of Courts office.
PROPOSED SITE LOCATIONS
- MDCR assessed various site location including county owned vacant land
- 5 potential sites identified: Pre-Trial Detention Center, Dade Juvenile Justice Center, Training and Treatment Center, Metro West Detention Center and Krome site.
- Two different scenarios were developed: consolidated plan (all structures on one of the proposed sites; or a hybrid plan (1,400 bed facility on one of the proposed site and a 556 bed intake and release facility, four courtrooms, medical housing, on the TTC site)
ESTIMATED CONSTRUCTION COSTS
Methodology for Estimated Construction Costs
- Estimated costs for proposed 1,400 bed facility is based on typical modern jail design construction; requisite space requirements FMJS standards.
- Typical modern jail design construction
- Requisite space requirements
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Estimated costs for the proposed replacement of the Central Intake and Release Center are based on:
- Orange County Booking and Release Center which has a highly efficient design
- Construction costs were used and an annual construction index through 2019 was applied
- Cost estimates were not impacted by whether the consolidated or hybrid plan was utilized
- Construction costs increase annually between 3% to 5% and estimates should only be used as a budgetary reference as more accurate estimated cost will be determined after minimum requirements and proposed construction documents are developed
- Construction costs for the consolidated plan rage from $411 to $429 million
- Construction costs for the hybrid plan range from $415 to $443 million
Mr. Junior noted the construction costs of the consolidated plan and the hybrid plan were depicted on a chart with more detail.
OPERATIONAL COSTS
- The consolidated plan results in an estimated annual operational savings of $49 million and potential reduction of 496 positions
- The hybrid plan results in an estimated operational savings of $48.6 million and the potential reduction of 486 positions
- Staffing needs for the modern designed replacement jail are based on actual staffing of the Orange County Booking and Release Center.
- Co-location of certain functions that reduce the need for inmate transportation and result in operational efficiencies
- With advanced planning, reductions in positions would be accomplished without layoffs
Recommended funding model
- Funding for this project is only available through the issuance of County bonds to pay for the anticipated construction costs of the detention complex.
- Repayment only possible from annual operations savings of $48.6 - $49 million
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Mr. Junior noted other considerations were depicted on a chart with full detail of other considerations of each detention facility site.
NEXT STEPS
Preliminary Stages of process
- Obtain bid for development of criteria
- Criteria development � construction specifications and conceptual drawings
- Request for Proposals (RFP) � development of RFP, inmate bed projections, issuance of RFP to prospective bidders, Public Hearing process, RFP review by Committee, recommendation of award, 1 year estimated time
- Request for Proposal (RFP) to be approved by Board of County Commissioners
- Construction Phase
- Completion is estimated at 6 years from ground-breaking
Mr. Junior completed his Power Point Presentation and noted he would be happy to answer any questions.
Responding to Commissioner Levine Cava�s inquiry regarding the percentage of people in jail for non-violent offenses and people that could be considered for home detention, Mr. Junior noted he did not have that information however he worked with the State Attorney, the Police Departments and the Courts to compile a list individuals that could be considered for home detention. He indicated since March 2020 over 1,300 individuals had been released. Mr. Junior pointed out as more people come into custody assessments are made regarding release for monitored home detention, waived bond, or enacting early sentence release.
Responding to Commissioner Levine Cava�s inquiry regarding whether civil citations could be adopted more broadly to avoid placing individuals in jail, Mr. Junior noted that the civil citation program could be expanded, however 90% of the individuals in jail are in form felonies which do not qualify for civil citations.
Following further discussion regarding civil citations, Commissioner Levine Cava expressed her concern regarding the projections of inmate population, she questioned the projections and whether a new facility was needed. Commissioner Levine Cava asked Mr. Junior to consider non-corrections facilities as alternatives for those that do not pose a risk to the community. She also noted she was looking forward to additional projections, and any alternatives to building a new facility.
Commissioner Heyman noted she did not support Commissioner Levine Cava�s comments regarding incarceration alternatives for non-violent offenders. She noted public safety needed to be prioritized. She suggested only allocating funds to updating an existing facility and to consider a public-private partnership (P3) funding of this project.
Commissioner Martinez expressed his concern regarding reduction of correction officers at facilities and possibly compromising the safety of other officers due to low staffing.
Responding to Commissioner Martinez� concerns, Mr. Junior noted the reduction of officers would be through attrition.
Following further discussion between Commissioner Martinez and Mr. Junior regarding reduction of corrections officers and medical facilities at the jail, Commissioner Martinez noted he was in support of this project, his only concern was the location of the facility.
Mr. Junior indicated he hoped to get recommendations from this workshop regarding the location of the facility.
Commissioner Diaz expressed his concern regarding jail facilities that were in close proximity to neighborhoods and the complaints residents made when inmates were released and go into their neighborhoods.
Vice Chairwoman Sosa noted the current jail/in-take facility was severely dilapidated and needed to be replaced. She pointed out the safety of the correction officers and the inmates was most important. Vice Chairwoman Sosa expressed her concern regarding having less beds in the new facility as well as her concern regarding jail facilities in close proximity to neighborhoods. She suggested that inmates with mental illness needed to be housed in a different facility.
Mr. Junior said his report identified nine (9) funding scenarios and he hoped the Board would have a better idea of which scenario would best meet the needs for Miami-Dade County�s jail system.
With regards to funding this project, Commissioner Diaz noted he preferred the hybrid plan.
Chairwoman Edmonson noted the jail was in severe disrepair, she suggested other commissioners take a tour of the facility.
Mr. Junior explained that he worked with the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to develop a plan to fund the project; the project was expected to be funded by debt service, and repay with operational savings, therefore no tax increase would be imposed on residents. With regards to the inmate release plan, Mr. Junior noted that County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez was dedicated to developing a post release transportation plan for inmates.
Chairwoman Edmonson asked Mr. Junior to narrow down the location recommendations and return to the Board with fewer recommendations of locations to consider for this project.
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