The recent Sarasota Herald-Tribune editorial Smart justice is a wise choice for Florida caught my attention for advocating for an intelligent approach to criminal justice reform. In Miami-Dade County, I have long championed a Smart Justice approach as my prosecutors work to protect the residents of our community.
The Herald-Tribune’s call for a closer look at Florida’s incarceration rates – and more specifically, state prison admission rates – makes great sense. After all, it costs Florida taxpayers more than $55 per day – or more than $22,000 annually – to house a single person in prison during this time of decreased statewide tax revenue due to the pandemic.