Miami-Dade’s Corrections and Rehabilitation Department has made big strides in improving conditions inside its jails, according to federal monitors overseeing the department as part of a consent agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice in 2013.
The DOJ’s legal complaint against the county alleged the jails were violating the constitutional rights of inmates, pointing to a troubling pattern of inmates committing suicide and a lack of resources provided to those inmates with mental health issues.
This most recent federal report is the first time monitors have found the county in compliance with all areas outlined in the consent agreement, chiefly the concerns regarding inmate deaths and access to mental health resources. The report indicates Miami-Dade Corrections Health Services (CHS) has made significant progress in reducing the number of inmate deaths and making improvements in treating and monitoring inmates with mental health conditions.
In a status hearing in federal court Friday, both the Department of Justice and the county outlined their plans to sustain the improvements moving forward. The county needs to maintain the improvements for a period of 18 months before the consent agreement can be removed.
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“After ten years, the court has affirmed that our jails are in substantial compliance, keeping our inmates and out staff safe, and treating them with humanity and dignity and preparing them for re-entry," Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said outside the courthouse.
She added it is critical to have modern techniques and access to all services necessary to keep everyone safe and get them the help needed.
NBC6 has previously reported on violence inside Miami-Dade County jails. In January, we highlighted inmate, compliance, accusing corrections, and officers of using excessive force. NBC6 found that of nearly 400 incidents reported at Metro West Detention Center last year, a total of 33 officers were disciplined, from receiving a written reprimand or corrective consultation to being suspended.
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At the time of that reporting, data provided by MDCR showed no staff had been terminated in the past three years at the facility for using force. During that period, 1,185 use-of-force incidents were reported.
The most recent federal report was a significant milestone for the county. They had until the end of October to prove they were complying with the requirements of the consent agreement. If not, they risked court sanctions and in the most severe case, a possible federal takeover of the corrections department.
The county will have to show sustained compliance over an 18-month period before the consent agreement could potentially removed around April 2025.
