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| For First Time in a Decade, Florida Prisons Buy Recreation Gear |
| By Associated Press |
| Published: 05/12/2003 |
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For the first time in nearly a decade, some Florida prison inmates have new jump rope, balance balls and exercise mats. They can work out to new fitness videos, including the popular Tae Bo series, on new combination TV/VCRs. Prisoners can thank the Legislature for providing the gear to stay in shape behind bars. Lawmakers last year allowed prison officials to use money from the Inmate Welfare Trust Fund for wellness and recreation equipment. They spent more than $37,000. Attorney General Charlie Crist has a philosophical problem with the purchases. He was one of those who helped impose the ban on recreation equipment purchases. 'Prisons shouldn't be pleasant,' Crist said. 'You are talking about people who have murdered, raped and robbed innocent Floridians and the idea of providing games and Tae Bo videos is a bit odd.' But prisons officials said fitness education and recreation are important tools for security and to keep some of the state's 73,553 inmates occupied when they're not working at jobs inside the penitentiaries. 'The change in the laws allows the department to purchase items to help keep the inmates busy,' said Department of Corrections spokesman Sterling Ivey. 'We are not talking about a lot of money. Most of the money has been spent on textbooks and videos.' The department spent $37,409 on equipment, videos and other administrative supplies such as computers from July to December, the first six months of the fiscal year. A review of the expenditures by The Associated Press shows most of the money was spent on administrative-related expenses and only a small part on actual fitness equipment. More than 63 percent, or $23,682, was spent on classroom and office supplies, computers, printers and software, and for employee travel to a wellness conference. The rest of the money was spent on fitness items for inmates. That included eight combination TV/VCRs, fitness text books and videos, including two for Tae Bo, which combines the kicks from Taw Kwon Do with the punches of boxing and adds modern music for an intensive workout. Among the recreation purchases were 37 jump ropes, two balance balls and seven exercise mats. The Inmate Welfare Trust Fund, consisting of money from commissions on inmate telephone calls and canteen sales, is used for a variety of inmate services. They include education and drug abuse programs, legal library services and chaplains. The fund contained about $40.5 million in fiscal 2001-2002. But the inmate trust fund may vanish this year because of the state budget crunch. Gov. Jeb Bush and lawmakers are targeting dozens of trust funds to help balance the state's $50-plus billion budget. The Senate passed a bill sponsored by Sen. Victor Crist R-Tampa, to eliminate the inmate trust fund and transfer its balance to the state's general revenue fund. The legislation (SB 954) is awaiting action in the House Appropriations Committee. |
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