Fla. Cuts Prison Drug-Treatment Programs January 30, 2002
News Summary
Budget cuts approved by the Florida Department of Corrections mean that many drug-treatment programs for inmates will be eliminated, the Associated Press reported Jan. 28.Sterling Ivey, a spokesman for the corrections department, said the $13 million in budget cuts will result in the elimination of in-house treatment programs at all but four of Florida's 55 prisons. Those four prisons have federal matching grants to partially fund the programs.
The budget cuts also will reduce by 34 percent the number of beds available to treat individuals with addictions at 20 residential treatment programs throughout the state.
Ivey said that prison authorities are concerned about the impact of the budget cuts. They have asked Gov. Jeb Bush to restore a portion of the funding for next year's budget. The budget cuts take effect Nov. 1.
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