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State to close final 4 boot camps

 
An extra $32.6 million is expected to be used for a new program described as softer and gentler.

Amy L. Edwards
Sentinel Staff Writer
Posted April 27 2006
 
 
 
Florida's four remaining boot camps for troubled youths, including one in Polk County, will be shut down and replaced with a "softer, gentler" program, under a compromise reached by state lawmakers.

In finalizing their agreement Wednesday in Tallahassee, House and Senate negotiators tacked on another $32.6 million to pay for the new program, increasing juvenile-justice spending to nearly $699.5 million for next year. The full Legislature must approve the deal.

The agreement comes amid growing public outcry about the death of 14-year-old Martin Lee Anderson at a Panama City boot camp after a violent confrontation with guards in early January. That military-style program, operated by the Bay County Sheriff's Office, has been shut down, and a special prosecutor is investigating.

"Unfortunately it has taken the death of a young man to get to this point," said Rep. Gus Barreiro, a Miami Beach Republican and chairman of the House Juvenile Justice Appropriations Committee. "There has never been an increase like that."

Under the deal, the state's remaining four boot camps would be replaced with STAR, an acronym for Sheriff's Training and Respect. Sheriffs, who ran the boot camps, also will operate the new program.

"I'm elated," said Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd, whose agency runs the largest juvenile boot camp in the state. "Our big issue was a lack of funding. As a result, we are going to get to continue what we believe to be very successful and very meaningful programs."

Under the old system, the teenagers were rousted from bed by 5 a.m. and forced to exercise before breakfast and class time. They also were subjected at times to verbal harassment or the threat of vigorous exercise if a guard decided they were acting out of line.

STAR "presents a softer, gentler approach to boot camp," said Cynthia Lorenzo, a Department of Juvenile Justice spokeswoman.

Judd said Polk's camp, which can hold 110 youths at a time, "will be 90 to 95 percent the way it is now" after the STAR changes are under way.

"What you will see is that all of the sheriffs will use some common best-practices that are still going to have the discipline and exercise philosophy," Judd said. "But that's only part of a large program that includes education, socialization, psychology, religion components and a job-preparation program."

Polk's camp will be one of only three that will remain after June, when Martin County closes its program. The other camps are in Manatee and Pinellas counties.

Wire services were used in this report. Amy L. Edwards can be reached at aledwards@orlandosentinel.com or 863-422-3395.

 
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