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Florida lawmakers voted to close the Desoto Juvenile Correctional Facility to help balance the state budget, a move that would mean the loss of more than 400 jobs.
The center serves about 130 male and female juvenile offenders, with moderate to serious mental health disorders.
Republican Paige Kreegal represents DeSoto county in the state house. He opposes closing the facility has urged Governor Rick Scott to use his line item veto to strike the measure from the state budget. Kreegel said in addition to lost jobs, children would suffer. READ MORE
The center serves about 130 male and female juvenile offenders, with moderate to serious mental health disorders.
Republican Paige Kreegal represents DeSoto county in the state house. He opposes closing the facility has urged Governor Rick Scott to use his line item veto to strike the measure from the state budget. Kreegel said in addition to lost jobs, children would suffer. READ MORE
“most of these kids come from single parent families. Having family support available is critical in helping them reenter normal society and not wind up down the road in a real prison. And coming from a single parent family having to travel to Miami to visit your kid is probably not going to happen.”
Kreegal said the loss of 400 jobs in a county of less of 30 thousand people would have a tremendous ripple effect. For example, workers whose families are presently insured by the state would be without health insurance and eventually could end up on the Medicaid rolls.