Florida's Department of Corrections maintains an Office of Inspector General (OIG) whose mandate includes investigating staff misconduct. The FDOC OIG regularly publishes arrest records when staff or contractors are charged with crimes related to their duties. The pattern of arrests documented over recent years is not a series of isolated incidents — it reflects a structural problem with staff oversight and institutional culture in a large, understaffed, and under-resourced correctional system.
The OIG's Published Arrest Records
The FDOC OIG maintains a public Arrest Newsroom at fdc.myflorida.com/newsroom/oig-arrests, which documents staff and contractor arrests for crimes including:
- Smuggling contraband: Correctional officers introducing cell phones, drugs, tobacco, alcohol, and weapons into facilities in exchange for cash or favors
- Use of excessive force: Officers using physical force against incarcerated people beyond what is legally authorized
- Sexual misconduct: Staff engaging in or facilitating sexual contact with inmates, which is illegal under federal and Florida law regardless of apparent consent
- Fraud and theft: Misuse of government property, time fraud, and theft from incarcerated people or the facility
- Bribery: Accepting payment for preferential treatment or access
The Scale: More Than 35 Arrested in Just Over a Year
A 2022 investigation by Prison Legal News documented at least 35 Florida DOC employees and contractors arrested in just over a year on charges related to their duties. This figure, spanning approximately 14 months, reflects an average of about two to three staff arrests per month across the Florida system.
The FDOC has continued publishing arrests in its OIG newsroom since that period, indicating that the underlying conditions driving misconduct have not been resolved by the arrests that have occurred.
Why Misconduct Persists in a Large, Understaffed System
Correctional systems research identifies several factors that predict higher rates of staff misconduct:
- Low wages: When correctional officer salaries are low, officers who are offered substantial cash for contraband smuggling face a financial temptation that is proportionally larger relative to their income
- Poor supervision: Understaffing means fewer supervisory officers per facility and per shift — the conditions under which individual officer misconduct is most likely to go undetected
- Institutional culture: In facilities where misconduct norms are established, new officers may be socialized into tolerating or participating in problematic behavior
- Limited career alternatives: In rural areas where many Florida prisons are located, correctional work may be one of the few employment options — meaning officers who would otherwise leave stay despite poor working conditions, and grievances fester
What Families Can Do If They Suspect Misconduct
If you have reason to believe that a correctional officer or contractor at a Florida DOC facility is harming your loved one — through physical abuse, sexual misconduct, retaliation, or participation in a scheme that disadvantages your loved one:
- Document everything: Dates, times, officer names or badge numbers, and specific descriptions of what happened. Written records are essential for any investigation.
- Contact the FDOC OIG directly: The OIG's contact information is available at fdc.myflorida.com. You can file a complaint about staff misconduct. The OIG is separate from the facility's chain of command.
- Contact the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE): For serious criminal conduct by staff, FDLE can conduct an independent criminal investigation.
- Contact an attorney: Civil rights attorneys can advise on legal remedies available under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for constitutional violations by state employees.
- Contact the Florida Justice Institute: The FJI (floridajusticeinstitute.org) monitors FDOC and can assist families dealing with serious misconduct situations.
The PREA Connection
For sexual misconduct specifically, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) requires every FDOC facility to have a designated PREA coordinator, a zero-tolerance policy, an anonymous reporting mechanism, and mandatory investigation procedures. PREA complaints can be filed with the facility's PREA coordinator or through the FDOC's central PREA office, independently of the facility's command structure.
FDOC headquarters: 501 South Calhoun Street, Tallahassee, FL 32399. OIG contact and arrest records: fdc.myflorida.com/newsroom/oig-arrests. Main line: (850) 488-5021.