Report cites ineptness, corruption at sex predators' detention center
By Associated Press
Published October 1, 2004
Florida's detention center for sex predators is plagued by incompetence and corruption, including reports of a staffer selling marijuana, a state report says.
The Department of Children and Families investigated supervisors and staff at Florida Civil Commitment Center in Arcadia.
The report released Wednesday found that a therapeutic community coordinator was fired amid allegations that he dealt marijuana in the facility. Staffers also poorly handled an incident involving a troubled resident, who was hospitalized after jumping off a roof, the report said.
"The performance of the contractor with regard to these issues is unsatisfactory," DCF spokesman Tim Bottcher said in a statement. "The residents of the Florida Civil Commitment Center are dangerous, and it is vital that the facility be secure and safe at all times. We expect further prompt and thorough corrective action by the contractor in addition to what already has been accomplished."
Liberty Behavioral Health Corp. of Pennsylvania runs the center under contract. It does not have a listed telephone number.
The Arcadia center was created after the Legislature passed the Jimmy Ryce Involuntary Civil Commitment Act for Sexually Violent Predators in 1998.
Under the law, if a jury deems sex offenders who have served their criminal sentences likely to repeat their crimes, they may be confined for treatment until officials show it is safe to release them.
