FL: Ex-Prison Staffers Losing State Pensions After Kickback Case

[UpInArms]

http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/florida/news-article.aspx?storyid=61579

JACKSONVILLE, FL (AP) -- The state has begun the process to recover all the retirement money former prison chief James Crosby received before pleading guilty in federal court to taking
kickbacks from a vendor.

Crosby, 53, and his former best friend and ex-regional prison director, Allen Clark, 40, pleaded guilty to taking about $130,000 in kickbacks. As part of their plea agreements, each was ordered to pay back the full amount of the kickbacks.

In addition, state officials have notified Crosby and Clark by letters that state law allows their entire retirement benefits to be forfeited for committing specific crimes while on the state payroll.

Crosby was told in a letter that he owes the state $236,602.51, according to John Kuczwanski, a spokesman for the Department of Management Services.

The amount includes retirement benefits paid through June as well as a $215,236 lump sum payment Crosby received in mid-March.

...more...

background:

Governor Bush Names James V. Crosby, Jr. to Lead Department of Corrections

Monday, January 6, 2002

TALLAHASSEE -- Governor Jeb Bush today announced James V. Crosby, Jr. as his new Secretary of the Department of Corrections. Crosby will begin his new duties when the Governor is inaugurated on January 7, 2003.

"Jimmy has had a long career with the Department of Corrections. His experience and knowledge of the system will be valuable to the agency and the men and women who place their lives on the line every day to keep us all safe," said Governor Bush. "I am honored to have Jimmy join my leadership team. I am confident he will serve the citizens of Florida well."

"This appointment is a great honor and I want to thank Governor Bush for his confidence in me," said Crosby. "I have dedicated my life to public safety and look forwarding to serving Governor Bush and the men and women in the Department."

James Crosby, 50, is a native and life long resident of Florida and currently serves as the regional director of institutions in region two for the Department of Corrections. Crosby began his career with the Department in 1975 where he has served as an inmate classification specialist, probation supervisor, assistant superintendent, superintendent of four institutions, regional director of security and institutional management and warden. In addition to his experience and expertise in the corrections field, Crosby has also been elected City Commissioner and Mayor of Starke.

Seeking higher power to reform

Lawtey, about 30 miles southwest of Jacksonville, was transformed in December from a regular prison to one welcoming inmates who seek a religious life, regardless of faith. Participation among the 750 inmates is voluntary — they are free to go back to regular prison life elsewhere.

Another faith-based prison for women opened in mid-April near Tampa at Hillsborough Correctional Institution. It will eventually house 300 women. There's also been a faith-based dormitory for several years at Tomoka Correctional Institution, a men's prison near Daytona Beach. Criticized by civil liberties groups as mixing church and state, the faith-based institutions are a pet project of Gov. Jeb Bush and Corrections Secretary James Crosby, who hope the prisons reduce recidivism. In fiscal 2002, the state spent around $1.3 billion to house approximately 73,000 inmates. About 44 percent of the inmates admitted that year had already done a previous stint in a Florida prison.

<snip>

‘‘Essentially, Florida now has set up two faith-based prisons, but does not have the constitutional right to set up either one of them,'' said Barry Lynn, executive director of Americans United for Separation of Church and State in Washington, D.C.

Other prisons and programs also have used religious thinking to try to turn inmates away from crime. The Prison Fellowship Ministries runs its Christ-centered InnerChange Freedom Initiative in prisons in Minnesota, Kansas, Iowa and Texas. Prison Fellowship — the world's largest outreach to prisoners, ex-prisoners, crime victims and their families — was founded in 1976 by Chuck Colson, the former aide to President Nixon, who pleaded guilty in 1974 to charges related to the Watergate scandal.

[zonkers]

1. Does the buck ever stop with Jeb?

[Biernuts]

3. It's the state going after the crooks, and Jeb is the Chief

law enforcementr officer in the state. So, in effect, he's going after them regardless of any previous afinity or friendship. In short, He's doing what any Governor should do - enforce the state's laws without bias, even when the Governor's appointees are the target. Not knowing any of them myself, I'd still speculate that it hurts personally to do it.

What would be bad is if he issued a pardon or refused to go after the ill-gotten funds.

[Demit]

2. More of the authoritarian code of conduct--Rules Are For Other People.

Not themselves. Their only rule is Never Get Caught. Crosby broke it, so he gets cut loose. What a crowd.