ORLANDO, Fla. — Editor’s note: This story is available as a result of a content partnership between WFTV and the Orlando Sentinel.
A committee assembled by Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has presented 31 recommendations to address the rising incarceration costs and inmate health care.
Orange County leaders are taking steps to reduce the inmate population and curb costs at the county jail, focusing on issues related to mental illness and homelessness.
The committee, co-chaired by Chief Judge Lisa Munyon and retired Chief Judge Belvin Perry, included 25 community leaders with expertise in criminal justice, health care, homelessness and mental health.
“This isn’t just a jail issue,” said Marni Stuhlman, a long-time mental health expert in Central Florida, who served on the mayoral committee studying the county-run jail.
The committee’s report highlights that homeless individuals with mental illness are often arrested for minor, nonviolent offenses like trespassing or ordinance violations, which usually result from their lack of shelter and untreated mental health issues.
The report states the jail has long acted as a de facto behavioral health facility, bearing the fallout from systemic gaps in housing and mental health services. It estimates that county taxpayers spend $4.5 million annually on treating homeless and mentally ill individuals in jail.
One notable recommendation was to develop a program that redirects individuals with serious mental illnesses, sometimes involving substance-use disorders, from the criminal justice system to community treatment and support services. The committee also recommended encouraging law enforcement officers to issue civil citations for non-violent misdemeanor offenses as an alternative to arrest, which would decrease the need for jail bookings.
The panel recommended judges, lawyers and jail staff complete a 40-hour course on de-escalating crisis situations involving individuals with mental health issues, substance use disorders, and disabilities. The report urged faster resolution of technical probation violations, noting inmates typically stay 103 days. Quicker resolution could reduce jail time and costs.
Leaders in Orange County aim to tackle the underlying economic and societal challenges driving the jail’s population and costs. Their focus is on redirecting individuals to community-based services and enhancing crisis intervention strategies.
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