Frequently Asked Questions

FFF is an unincorporated, non-profit association dedicated to reforming Florida's criminal justice system. Our mission is to advocate for policies and procedures that prioritize the successful rehabilitation and social reintegration of criminal offenders while minimizing human and financial costs. We aim to achieve this through legislative, judicial, and administrative changes.

We employ a multifaceted approach:

• Establishing Local Chapters: We plan to create chapters in each of Florida's 67 counties, partnering with faith-based organizations to build a widespread support network and train local leaders.
• Recruiting Advisors: We seek guidance from community leaders, including former legislators, judges, and other prominent figures.
• Legislative Reform: We will submit model legislation to state lawmakers, targeting areas like juvenile offenders, elderly inmate release, compassionate release, and work release programs.
• Administrative Reform: We aim to amend Florida Department of Corrections (FDC) rules through the Administrative Procedures Act, focusing on employee conduct and offender care.
• Legal Collaboration: We plan to work with legal aid organizations to address civil rights violations within the FDC.
• Collaboration with Reform Groups: We seek to collaborate with other criminal justice reform organizations to achieve common goals.

Our legislative agenda is structured in three phases:

We seek to amend FDC rules to shift the focus from punishment to rehabilitation. Key changes include:

• Redesignating Reception Centers: Transforming them into Diagnostic Centers that focus on an offender's rehabilitative needs instead of security risks.
• Requiring Courtesy Titles: Mandating FDC employees to use courtesy titles (Mr., Ms., etc.) when addressing offenders.
• Renaming Facilities: Redesignating facilities as either Rehabilitation Centers or Special Management Units.
• Implementing Body Cameras: Requiring officers in Special Management Units to wear body-cams to prevent abuse.

We strategically target faith-based organizations, particularly predominantly Black churches, due to the disproportionate impact of the criminal justice system on the African-American community. The first area of focus will be in the Tallahassee area, where FFF's headquarters will facilitate accessibility to the state's legislative and administrative agencies.

We will submit model bills to supportive state lawmakers. If lawmakers support proposed legislation, we will support their future political aspirations. However, if lawmakers oppose it, local FFF chapters will hold protest rallies at their offices and the offices of their largest campaign donors, aiming to draw media attention and pressure them into reconsidering their position.

We will rely on the extensive contacts of its founder with incarcerated people throughout the state and his paralegal experience to identify credible claims. We will then collaborate with legal aid organizations such as Florida Institutional Legal Services, Florida Justice Institute, and the Southern Poverty Law Center to litigate the violations.

A. The first thing you need to do is registered to vote if you haven't already. Next, you need to join our Facebook group so that you can become and stay familiar with the issue. Then you need to become politically engaged. Call or visit your local legislators, inform them on the issue, and demand change. If you're from out of state, call the governor and say you're boycotting the state until the Mercy for Children Act is passed.

A. No, but all gifts to FFF are held in trust exclusively for organizational purposes, such as web hosting, promotional goods, and other administrative expenses.