, Fla. — An expensive spike in the number of inmates at the Orange County Jail is causing county leaders to re-examine cost saving measures.
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According to Orange County, in 2024, total jail bookings were 35,313, a 17 percent increase since 2021.
But there’s been a sharper spike in the average daily inmate population. In 2024, that daily population was 31 percent higher than in 2021 with the average cost per inmate sitting at $144.51 per day.
In light of the spike, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings convened the Jail Oversight Commission for the first time in more than 20 years. That commission will meet for the next four months and will be tasked with looking at the costs associated with incarceration and healthcare.
Community leaders on the task force will ultimately recommend best practices spanning the criminal justice system.
“The work that you will do could have phenomenal impact for our community for the next 20 plus years,” Demings told task force members Friday.
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According to Orange County data obtained by Channel 9, the uptick in inmates is largely due to an increase in arrests by the Orlando Police Department.
Data show in 2024, OPD booked more inmates than the Orange County Sheriff’s Office with OPD booking 43 percent of inmates compared to 41 percent booked by the sheriff’s office.
Channel 9 asked Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith what accounted for the increase.
“The focus of the Orlando Police Department is fighting violent crime,” said Smith, “If you look at our statistics, shootings are down 52 percent since 2022, homicides are down 40 percent. So, we’re doing we need to do.”
According to Orange County Corrections Chief, Louis Quinones, he’s seeing more homeless inmates, more inmates who need prolonged mental health services, and more chronically sick inmates; all of which is driving up costs for taxpayers.
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“It’s very simple. What we’re seeing is a sicker inmate compared to previous years,” said Quinones.
Quinones told the task force the increase in homeless inmates is not due to recent changes in public camping laws.
Orlando Police Department added, “Our interactions with Orlando’s unsheltered population average out to over 800 contacts per month. However, fewer than 2% of these interactions result in an arrest.
Orlando Police Chief Eric Smith said public safety remains his top priority, but he is one of more than a dozen community leaders on Mayor Deming’s oversight commission looking to make recommendations.
The commission includes criminal justice partners, medical and mental health professionals, law enforcement, and community stakeholders.
Those members will meet three additional times over the next four months before officially issuing their cost-saving recommendations to the county.
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