The Gadsden Correctional Institution, which has a contracted capacity of 768 female inmates, is operated by the United States Corrections Corporation of Louisville, Kentucky, under contract with the Florida Department of Corrections. The institution opened in March 1995.
The Department has adopted rules, monitoring procedures, and reporting procedures for the oversight of the privately operated prison, but has not required the vendor to employ an on-site monitor. The Department has provided for periodic monitoring of the institution; however, the Department has not implemented sufficient corrective action procedures to ensure the vendor's adherence to the contract.
The Department has not yet developed procedures for comparing the cost and quality of vendor services with the cost and quality of Department services. However, the reported per diem cost of the state's Jefferson Correctional Institution, the most comparable public institution to Gadsden Correctional Institution, was less than the per diem for the private prison. Furthermore, the trend of 6% annual increases in the contracted per diem may be costly to the state.

Progress Report: Bay and Moore Haven Private Prison Contracts Renewed; Bay Costs Increase
Report 99-46 April 2000
South Bay Correctional Facility Provides Savings and Success; Room for Improvement
Report 99-39 March 2000
Lake City Correctional Facility Experienced Start-Up Problems, But It Has Improved
Report 99-33 February 2000
Review of Bay Correctional Facility and Moore Haven Correctional Facility
Report 97-68 April 1998

Copies of this report in print or alternate accessible format may be obtained by email OPPAGA@oppaga.fl.gov, telephone (850) 488-0021, or mail 111 W. Madison St., Room 312 Tallahassee, FL 32399-1475.