TALLAHASSEE, Florida (March 26, 2015) --- 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.
"[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."
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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."
PREVIOUS COVERAGE
3/25/15 - DOC, Governor respond to 10 Investigates findings
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"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.
Contact investigative reporter Noah Pransky throughTwitter or confidentially via his Facebook page or at npransky@wtsp.com.
