Dade Correctional Institution

Dade Correctional Institution/Homestead Correctional Institution

The Dade Correctional Institution (Dade CI or DCI) is a prison in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, near Florida City,[1] and south of Homestead,[2] in Greater Miami. It houses adult males. It opened in September 1996.[1] It is a part of the Florida Department of Corrections.

History

In 2003 Jerry Cummings, who had started working for the Florida prison system in 1974 and retired in 2000, rejoined FDOC and became the warden of Dade Correctional.[2]

In 2005 three prisoners escaped for one and one half hours, but were captured and sent back to prison.[3]

Controversies

In May 2014, Julie K. Brown of The Miami Herald wrote the first in a series of stories about violence and corruption at Dade CI and other prisons. She wrote that there had been constant accusations of poor treatment of mentally ill prisoners, poor conditions in the food preparation area, and other concerns.[4]

In 2014 former Dade CI prisoner Harold Hempstead accused prison authorities of fatally torturing prisoner Darren Rainey, who was mentally ill, by scalding him in a shower.[5]

In July 2014 Mike Crews, the FDOC secretary, suspended the warden of the Dade Correctional institution and put him on paid leave.[6] Later that month Cummings was fired.[7] Les Odom became the new warden.[2]

On Monday July 28, 2014 prison authorities discovered 35-year-old prisoner Lavar Valentin dead from strangulation. Valentin had expressed fear of his cellmate and authorities accused the cellmate of killing him.[4]

Another escape occurred in November 2014. West Palm Beach police apprehended the escaped prisoner.[8] This prisoner had a life sentence. Cummings said that he was not surprised by the fact that a prisoner had escaped, saying that he found guards derelict in duty in a surprise inspection. According to Cummings, Dade "is, by far, the most dangerous prison I’ve ever worked in."[2]

References

  1. 1 2 "Dade Correctional Institution." Florida Department of Corrections. Retrieved on June 28, 2014. "19000 S.W. 377th Street Florida City, Florida 33034-6409"
  2. 1 2 3 4 Brown, Julie K. "Deposed warden says Dade Correctional was a dysfunctional mess" (Archive). Miami Herald. November 2, 2014. Retrieved on July 4, 2015.
  3. ↑ Torres, Ginelle G. "Miami-dade Prison Escape Shortlived" (Archive). South Florida Sun Sentinel. April 30, 2005. Retrieved on June 28, 2014. "Three men who briefly escaped from a state prison in Homestead stole a pickup and led police on a chase that ended when they plunged the truck into a canal, authorities said. Miami-Dade police said the three convicted felons escaped from Dade Correctional Institution[...]"
  4. 1 2 Brown, Julie K. "Dade Correctional back in spotlight after strangling" (Archive). Miami Herald. August 1, 2014. Retrieved bn July 4, 2014.
  5. ↑ Brown, Julie K. "Prisoner: I cleaned up skin of inmate scalded in shower; human-rights groups call for federal intervention" (Archive). Miami Herald. June 25, 2014.
  6. ↑ Cordner, Sascha. "DOC Sec. Crews Suspends Warden Over Inmate Death Two Years Ago" (Archive). WFSU. July 10, 2014. Retrieved on May 26, 2015.
  7. ↑ Brown, Julie K. "Dade Correctional Institution warden fired after inmate death in shower reported" (Archive). Miami Herald. July 17, 2014. Retrieved on July 4, 2015.
  8. ↑ Whigham, Julius II. "West Palm Beach cops nab convict who escaped from Homestead prison" (Archive) Palm Beach Post. Monday November 13, 2014. Retrieved on July 4, 2015.

External links

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