The Florida Model Jail Standards (FMJS) have been the minimum standards for Florida jails since it was enacted by the Florida legislature in October 1996.

These standards (FMJS) replaced the Florida Administrative 33-8 standards that guided Florida jails for several decades.

If you are a long time reader of VolusiaExposed.Com, you are keenly aware that we have been very critical of the FMJS inspection / jail oversight process. There is no love for this process here at VolusiaExposed.

In November 2013, we (VolusiaExposed) posted an article that detailed the rationale for our concerns surrounding the FMJS process. We highly recommend that our readers review our earlier article, in conjunction with this article, to gain a full appreciation of how the FMJS jail inspection process has put the public's health in jeopardy.

In short, since most Florida county jails are operated by the county sheriff departments, we hold the opinion that having the Florida Sheriffs Association operate the jail inspection and oversight committee is a major conflict of interest to the health and safety of the citizens of Florida.

Watch The Above Video Of The FMJS Committee Meeting

Proof Positive That The FMJS Inspection / Oversight Process
Is Failing To Meet Minimal Standards

While the FMJS Committee has been in existence for (18) eighteen years (1996), the committee acknowledged during this most recent meeting that it still has not completed a full review of it's oversight standards. Further, the committee members could not properly address how six (6) correctional facilities obtained FMJS medical standards exemptions. Really? ! Hey, don't believe us - please listen for yourself - (start the above video around 32 minutes & 40 seconds).

Further, the committee members appeared to acknowledge that these medical exemptions were violations of Florida Statutes (see video - 45 minutes & 20 seconds). So, not only do the current FMJS committee members not know when or how these correctional facilities gained these medical exemptions (see video - 40 minutes and 55 seconds / 44 minutes and 30 seconds) - but it is very possible, that these facilities have not been required to meet the FMJS minimal medical standards, and have been in violation of Florida Statutes for nearly twenty (20) years. By our (VolusiaExposed) standards, thats a serious problem, that has endangered the health and welfare of the citizens of Florida.

Why Is Proper Jail Health Care So Important
To The Health & Welfare Of the Entire Public?

We understand that many in the public could care less if jail or prison inmates are receiving proper health care - after all they are "just inmates and criminals" - right?

WRONG ! - first they are also human beings - second, if you allow your jails and prisons to run sub-standard health care facilities - then you invite your jails and prisons to become incubators for all sort of diseases that will NOT be confined behind the secure walls of any correctional institution.

In our opinion, the next Typhoid Mary is awaiting to be discovered within one of our local jails or prisons. Wouldn't it be a responsible act to ensure that she received proper medical treatment, prior to her illness moving on to an elementary school, via her contact with correctional staff?

Our jails and prisons are breeding grounds for all sorts of nasty communicable diseases - should we really be cutting health care resources within these correctional institutions? Can we really afford to buy this health care on the cheap, or allow such committees like the FMJS to provide illegal exemptions to Florida State statutes, laws that were enacted to ensure the community's overall health?

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was developed to ensure that our nuclear power plants maintain a proper level of safety. Who here reading this article would feel comfortable in disbanning the NRC and allowing the power companies to be the sole inspectors of their own nuclear power plants?

I submit to you that not many of our readers would support allowing the power companies to solely conduct the health and safety inspections of our country's nuclear power plants. The rationale is obvious - no one desires the nuclear nightmare that can easily erupt, given an economic driven inspection process.

While our nuclear power plants encase the nuclear genie - we (VolusiaExposed) submits to you that each and every jail and prison in this country encases the biological genies of the likes of typhoid, tuberculosis, avian influenza, hepatitis, HIV - just naming a few.