ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The Innocence Project of Florida, a nonprofit that works to help innocent prisoners in Florida, has sent a letter to Gov. Ron DeSantis and Dept. of Corrections Secretary Mark Inch calling on them to offer early release to certain prisoners as a way of mitigating the coronavirus outbreak in the state’s prison system.

• Florida Innocence Project
• Read the Innocence Project's request (.pdf)

Seth Miller, the executive director with the Innocence Project, said in a press release, “these recommendations are designed, among other things, to reduce the population of jails and prisons and provide sufficient hygiene products to prisoners so that those that remain can do their part to social distance, stay clean and help keep all in the corrections community safe from this deadly virus.”

 As of March 31, twelve staff members in ten different state correctional institutions have tested positive for COVID-19.

 The Tallahassee-based group listed 15 recommendations to help mitigate the outbreak in prison, including the release of these specific group of prisoners:

• Those accused of ordinance violations, misdemeanors, traffic offenses and third-degree felonies. 
• Those who have been granted bail, but who have not been able to post bail due to the amount. 
• Non-violent offenders. Specifically, the group says at the minimum, those non-violent offenders who are older than 65 or medically-at-risk should be released.
• Work with appropriate offenders who have six months of left on their sentences.

Earlier this week, Tampa based state Rep. Dianne Hart and Congresswoman Kathy Castor penned a letter to the governor offering similar recommendations for the early release of selected inmates. 

Some states have also begun doing this. California Governor Gavin Newsome announced on Tuesday that he was granting early release to 3,500 inmates who were due to be released within 60 days in an effort to reduce crowding as infections of the virus spread. 

Local jurisdictions have already reduced their prison population throughout the state. Spectrum Bay News 9 partner newspaper the Tampa Bay Times has reported that the Pinellas County jail population has been reduced by more than 500 people because of early release due to the virus. Hillsborough County has dropped 164 inmates from their jails, and other counties have done so as well.

The Innocence Project is also calling for the Dept. of Corrections to implement a number of measures, including increasing testing for COVID-19 within the correction facilities; create and implement protocols for each prison and jail within the state; providing paid sick leave for any corrections staff; and provide free means of communication for family members.