The Pinellas County Jail is responsible for the care, custody, control, health, and safety of about 3,000 inmates at any given time. We pride ourselves on maintaining high standards, and passing the Florida Model Jail Standards (FMJS) annual inspections are part of how we do that. Recently, the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) hosted a class for those interested in becoming FMJS inspectors.
“FMJS are the minimum jail standards required in the state of Florida,” said Deputy Lorey Bosser. “They focus on life safety for the inmates as far as food, healthcare, access to programs, fire safety, etc.” Every jail in Florida has to pass the FJMS inspections, but we are also accredited by the prestigious American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Healthcare. “Those are voluntary, and those standards are even more rigorous and extensive than the Florida Model Jail standards.”
Every jail in Florida is inspected twice a year. An announced inspection must be completed by August 1, with an unannounced follow-up occurring at least 120 days after that. Each facility is responsible for gathering the inspectors from outside agencies. In 2023 we had Osceola, Hillsborough, Pasco, and Hernando inspectors at the Pinellas County Jail. “I try to mix in different agencies, just to get a different set of eyes,” Deputy Bosser said. “I cast a wide net to get different perspectives.” It can be good for both the inspectors and the jail being inspected to learn how other facilities tackle similar issues.
People came from Hillsborough, Brevard, Polk, Lake, Leon, and Dixie counties for the class facilitated by the Florida Sheriff’s Association. After the classroom portion, participants broke into groups to perform a mock inspection. They explored the jail, clipboards in hand, with a 30-page checklist of things to look for. Some of the things can be easily observed, such as whether hazardous materials are safely stored, if inmates have a proper mattress and linens, or the toilet-to-inmate ratio. Other things they check are a matter of policy, such as when inmates are searched or how they determine what part of the jail inmates are housed in.
Participants toured the laundry facility where inmate workers loaded sheets, towels, and uniforms into a huge industrial washing machine, and inspected the kitchens where they make, according to standards, “three substantial, wholesome, and nutritious meals daily.” They checked the cleanliness of all areas, and measured the spacing below, above, and between beds.
Beyond observations, the inspectors talk with detention deputies about policies and procedures, and interview inmates to hear their side of things. They might ask them how often they are given a fresh uniform, or have them demonstrate how they use a kiosk to access information and programs. From their observations and interviews, the inspectors can get multiple points of view to confirm the criteria are met.
Violations may be classified as either serious or notable. A serious violation pertains to immediate life safety issues, such as missing fire suppression equipment, or improper chemical storage. A notable violation, on the other hand, could be a problem with access to inmate programs, or an issue with the shower-to-inmate ratio – they need one shower head per 16 inmates. Temporary issues can sometimes lead to violations at the time of the inspection. An unexpected influx of inmates might result in overcrowding in one area of the jail, throwing off the approved ratio. But it’s not always easy to shuffle inmates around because of classification requirements, so there might be a brief period when an area of the jail doesn’t fall in line with the inspection criteria. For any serious violations, a jail has 48 hours to fix the problem or come up with a plan of action.
The Pinellas County Jail has never had a big issue in an inspection. They do a lot of their own checks internally through the year, in some cases even hiring an external inspector. “We have minimum standards for lighting, sound, and air quality,” Deputy Bosser said, “so we have a company that tests that for us annually to make sure there’s enough light, enough ventilation, and that the noise level is within the acceptable range.” They also stay up to date on fire inspections, and visits from the Health Department.
Deputy Bosser has been in accreditation since 2014, and became a Florida Model Jail inspector in 2022. Now she does both announced and unannounced inspections around the state. She’s pretty happy with what she’s seen at other jails.
“For the most part the jails we’ve inspected have been on point. If your daily operations keep you in those good practices, you’re always ready for an inspection. There’s going to be the odd label missing from a chemical bottle or inventory that’s not matching because something broke or somebody moved it – those things are going to happen. But as far as the serious life safety matters, it’s rare that we find something egregious.”
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