Governor
Harrison Reed established Florida's first penitentiary in 1868 at the U.S. arsenal property at Chattahoochee (later the Florida State Hospital). The two-story brick building was originally the officer’s quarters of the Chattahoochee Arsenal before becoming Florida’s first prison. The building was previously the officer’s quarters of the Chattahoochee Arsenal and had also been used to muster confederate troops during the Civil War. At first, the prison was governed as a military operation under the supervision of the Florida Adjutant General. In 1871, the state legislature passed a law making the prison a civil organization rather than a military post. The Warden was paid $6 a day while watchmen were paid $2 a day. In 1877, supervision of inmates was placed under the control of the
Commissioner of Agriculture. In 1895, the legislature passed a law allowing the Governor to appoint the first prison inspector at $125 per month.
Convict leasing system Governor
George Franklin Drew took office in January of 1877 and found the state in deep debt from
Reconstruction. The Governor argued that prisoners should be economic assets to the state, beginning the convict lease system. Under this system, prisoners were leased to private corporations and individuals to work for them. The state was paid a fee from the leases and the private corporation or individual had to clothe, feed, house and provide medical care for the prisoner. The program was initially very popular. People wanted criminals to be punished for their actions and earn their keep while incarcerated. Additionally, it was commonly believed at the time that hard work served as a deterrent against future crimes. The practice started slowly and became increasingly popular in the late 19th century as demand for cheap labor grew and because most people were unaware of the conditions and treatment of inmates in the convict lease system.
Martin Tabert Main Article: Martin Tabert In December of 1921, 22-year-old Martin Tabert was arrested in Leon County for vagrancy. Tabert was ordered to pay $25 or spend three months at hard labor. His family immediately sent him $25 plus an additional $25 so he could return home, but through mishandling, the Leon County court never received the money. Tabert was sent to the Putnam Lumber Company in Dixie County as a part of the convict lease system, where he worked in the swamps cutting and clearing timber. In his time working for the Putnam Lumber Company, Tabert was subjected to physical abuse by the whipping boss, Walter Higginbotham, on a daily basis. When Tabert could no longer work due to injury and exhaustion, Higginbotham propped him up on his swollen feet and flogged him an estimated 50 times with a 5-foot leather strap. Tabert died that night. In the aftermath of his death, Tabert's parents brought the case to the attention of those in charge in Tallahassee. The story gained national newspaper coverage and Higginbotham was tried for first-degree murder, but he was later acquitted. The Florida legislature immediately ordered a joint House-Senate committee to investigate Tabert's death and conduct a thorough investigation of all convict camps where cruelty had been charged. In a 31–1 vote held on April 20, 1923, the convict lease system was officially abolished. About a month later, the Senate passed a bill prohibiting the use of corporal punishment on county convicts.
Governor Cary Hardee signed both bills into law.
Leadership of Leonard Chapman In 1932, Leonard Chapman was appointed as the new warden at the State Prison Farm in Raiford, Florida. Chapman held this position for 25 years and implemented numerous reforms. Under his leadership, he introduced changes concerning improved health services, education, working habits, and contact with the community. Chapman forbade the word "convict" and instead encouraged the use of the term "inmate" for those in custody. He also introduced staff uniforms and grade school, including courses in carpentry, millwork, and plumbing. Solid barriers are also replaced by Chain-link fences so that inmates could see the outside world. By the end of the 1930s, horizontally striped inmate uniforms are also discontinued and all institutions are equipped with plumbing systems and electricity. In 1936, all wardens began fingerprinting inmates upon entry.
Florida Parole and Probation Commission In 1941, an amendment to the Florida Constitution established the Florida Parole and Probation Commission (today the
Florida Commission on Offender Review). The commission was created due to the limitations of the pardon system and was given the responsibility for granting paroles, supervising state probationers and parolees, and providing investigative services to the courts. The commission, consisting of a three-member board, replaced the existing State Board of Pardons, which had been previously chaired by the Governor. For the first time in the history of the United States, the Merit System was used to select the members of the commission.
World War II support To aid the United States' war effort during
World War II, inmates addressed and mailed ration books to Florida citizens. Additionally, they contributed $12,000 toward the purchase of
war bonds. During this time period, the prison population significantly decreased as crime rates also decreased during the war. Several staff members were also called into military service, and the war contributed to some difficulty in securing materials needed in the operation of the state's prisons. In 1945, the use of leg irons for inmates as a form of discipline was prohibited.
Division of Corrections In 1957,
Governor LeRoy Collins, state legislature, and correctional staff worked together to overhaul the state’s corrections system. As a result, the legislature enacted five major proposals totaling over $18 million. The most significant change resulting from the new Correctional Code was the establishment of the Division of Corrections, a centralized authority to oversee the entirety of the state’s corrections system. R.O. Culver was appointed as the first Director beginning on July 1, 1957. Under his leadership and the new Correctional Code, the general philosophy shifted from punishment to correction and rehabilitation. Also in this year, the first Classification Staff were hired at Florida State Prison and a card system for inmate records was implemented. The next year, the use of sweat boxes was prohibited as a form of punishment. On July 2, 1959, H.G. Cochran, Jr. was appointed to succeed Culver as Director of the Division of Corrections. During his tenure, the state’s corrections system continued to modernize and introduce more professional practices. In 1959, the first Transition Officers were hired to help inmates with placement after they were released. In 1960, a new six-digit numbering system to identify inmates was implemented. In 1961, the official newsletter for the Division of Corrections, the
Correctional Compass, debuted. Also that year, complete control of the state’s Road Prison operation was transferred from the State Road Department to the Division of Corrections. == Death Row Operations ==