The Escambia County Budget

This is your window into Escambia County's budget and finances. Use the tools below to learn about the County's unique budget process, view our most frequently asked questions, and explore all of the County's financial information - online, anytime.

Corrections

Mission Statement

We are a dedicated team of professionals, devoted to serving the public by maintaining a balanced, safe, and secure correctional system of institutional and community corrections programs. Collectively, we provide a healthy environment for criminal offenders to maximize opportunities through accountability for actions, treatment, education, and positive reinforcement within a safe, secure, and fair Corrections Department.

Objectives

Jail Division

Detention: The jail staff is committed to the care, custody and control of inmates incarcerated in our county. Every inmate will be treated fairly and professionally while maintaining a safe, secure, healthy, and humane environment. All inmates will have the information they need readily available. Their questions will be answered in a timely, courteous manner which will serve to reduce the stresses often encountered by those who are incarcerated. The Escambia County Jail is committed to providing programs for inmates who would benefit from learning how to become successful and productive members of Escambia County, therefore reducing recidivism. Jail staff will conduct business in a courteous, professional manner promoting a positive image of Escambia County Corrections throughout the community. Our highly trained staff will continue to operate our facilities in a manner that ensures compliance with Florida Model Jail Standards, The Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission Standards and Florida Statutes.

Medical Services: The Escambia County Inmate Medical Section is committed to providing effective and efficient health care services to all incarcerated individuals. All incarcerated individuals have access to care to meet their medical, dental and mental health needs. In addition, staff will maintain professionalism and ensure HIPAA laws and regulations are adhered to. Medical information is maintained via an electronic medical record system.

Work Annex Division

This division provides a supervised inmate labor force to support the Road Department and other departments of Escambia County by providing cost effective housing of inmates, working on special projects and teaching inmates skills that they may use upon their release. The Work Annex offers inmates the opportunity to participate in a welding program where they can earn national certifications, Servsafe program with certification, GED classes with the opportunity to receive a diploma, and a Life Skills class.

Community Corrections Division

Misdemeanor Probation: The program conducts investigative work, performs counseling, issues warrants and supervises sentenced probationers. GPS monitoring operates under this program.

Pre-Trial Release: This program is for defendants arrested on misdemeanor offenses and some felony offenses, depending upon the severity of the crime. The program manages and monitors defendants, assuring their appearance in court.

Pre-Trial Diversion: This program is designed to afford alternatives to the traditional court disposition and reduce County court dockets to manageable levels. It is most often utilized by first offenders as referred by the Court.

Check Diversion/Restitution: This program assists in reducing the overwhelming docket (for Worthless Checks) of the Escambia County Court System and assists with alleviating jail overcrowding.

Residential Probation: This program offers the opportunity for inmates to continue/maintain employment while serving his or her jail sentence and assists in the alleviation of jail overcrowding.

Community Service: This program provides supervision to defendants to ensure that they successfully complete court-ordered community service work hours.

Goals

The overall goal of the Corrections Department is to work interdependently to provide the citizens of Escambia County with excellent protective services, ensure efficient delivery of services, and effective criminal justice alternatives that promote a safe environment. This goal will be accomplished with emphasis on professionalism and excellence in customer service. The Corrections Department is comprised of three divisions:

The goal of the Jail Division is to maximize resources while continually developing self-enrichment programs for the inmate population that will focus on the basic life skills needed after incarceration with the objective of reducing recidivism. It is their goal to do so while ensuring the operation is both fiscally sound and cost effective, minimizing the impact on the taxpayer, and maximizing alternative funding sources. The Jail Division will be viewed as good stewards of the taxpayer's dollar while promoting a positive image of Corrections throughout Escambia County.

The goal of the Work Annex Division is to provide a safe, secure, and healthy environment for inmates remanded from the county jail, and to provide inmate work crews to Solid Waste, Road Department, Facilities Management, Parks and Recreations and the Animal Shelter.

The goal of the Community Corrections Division is to provide alternatives to incarceration that ensure public safety, promotes responsible behavior, and encourages positive lifestyles.

Accomplishments

Successfully opened the new Correctional Facility, which is the largest public works project in Escambia County’s history.

Corrections K-9 teams successfully thwarted 41 attempts to introduce contraband into the facilities.

While managing COVID restrictions, 46 inmates achieved the American Welding Society (AWS) National Certification.

In addition, the welding program fabricated 75 ADA ECAT benches and fabricated shower enclosures for the main jail.

Harvested over 84,904 pounds of vegetables, teaching inmates horticultor and supplementing the food cost for the Work Annex population.

Completed over 2,734 work orders throughout the county with the use of inmate labor.

While managing COVID restrictions, the Sidewalk Beautification Inmate Crews have completed one round of their scheduled route, which is approximately 98 miles of sidewalks.

The Litter Inmate Crews have completed 225 work orders and collected 11,060 bags of trash which is approximately 3,686 cubic yards. These numbers do not take into consideration larger items like (tires, boxes, grocery buggies etc.)

Holding Pond Inmate Crews have mowed 760 acres.

Corrections has $888,508 in awarded federal grants.

Corrections K-9 team assisted local law enforcement agencies in search, rescue, and recovery tasks.

Performance Measures

Benchmarking

Funding Priorities

Statutory Responsibilities

Florida Statues:

Probation: 948
Check Restitution: 832.08
Pretrial Release: 907.041, 907.043
Pretrial Diversion: 948.08, 938.27
Work Release: 951.24, 944.40

Divisions Within this Department

Work Annex

Professional Training

Community Corrections

Jail

Road Prison