JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – As part of her campaign promises, Mayor Donna Deegan called for changes in how Jacksonville handles public safety. Now, members of her transition committee are working to make that happen.
On Friday, members of that committee met and discussed possible changes to programs helping ex-offenders return to society and not go back to jail.
Right now there are hundreds of programs out there for people who have been arrested and are making their way back to society, but there is no real overseer for all of the programs.
Michelle Stevens spoke to the Public Safety Transition Subcommittee on Friday about her son who is in the process of being released from prison and returning home.
“It’s been very emotional for him. Because after they’re there, I don’t know a couple of months, they get to come home for four hours...And so he comes home every Saturday and still cries every Saturday,” Stevens said.
Stevens said programs like this are vital and it’s what this committee of the mayor’s transition team is looking to improve.
One idea that is receiving a lot of attention is to bring all of the groups under one umbrella: The Office of Violence Prevention.
“I think that we will be much more effective. If anything relating to what prevention and intervention comes through one office. And it’s certainly important enough, I mean, Jacksonville has been on the map for violent crime and homicides as long as I’ve lived here, which is 24 years. And I just think it’s time to place that focus on it,” said Ellen Glasser, committee member and former Atlantic Beach mayor.
And while not a recommendation yet, there was also talk of changing the Jacksonville Re-Entry Center, known as JREC. That is where local residents who were incarcerated go for social programs to get back on track. It’s run by the sheriff’s office but some say it might be better if another group or agency took it over.
The subcommittee that met Friday is just one part of the public safety group. There are other groups looking at other areas and all will be presenting a final report soon. Mayor Deegan will then decide what her administration will try and implement along with city council.