FLORIDA BRT CORRECTIONS - INTRODUCTION TO CORRECTIONS | LATEST UPDATED 2026/2027 (GRADED A+)
s. 943.10, F.S. ✔️law that defines a correctional officer
s. 943.12, F.S. ✔️explains the Commission's duties as follows:
• establish uniform minimum standards for the employment and training of full-time, part-time, and auxiliary law enforcement, correctional,
and correctional probation officers
• establish and maintain officer training programs, curricula requirement , and certification of training schools and training school instructors
• certify officers who completed a Florida BRT Program or who are diversely qualified through experience and training and who met minimum
employment standards
• review and administer appropriate administrative sanctions in instances when an officer, instructor, or training school is found to be in
violation of the Florida Statutes and Commission standards
• set forth rules and procedures to administer the requirements of ss. 943.085-943.255, F.S.
• conduct studies of compensation, education, and training for correctional, correctional probation, and law enforcement disciplines
• maintain a central repository or records of all certified criminal justice officers
• develop, maintain, and administer the SOCE for criminal justice officers
s. 943.13, F.S. ✔️sets minimum requirements and standards that a person must meet before being employed or appointed as a correctional
officer
state court system levels ✔️• county
• circuit
• district courts of appeal
• supreme
Florida county courts ✔️67 county courts that handle the following cases:
• minor criminal offenses (misdemeanors), which provide a maximum sentence of one year or less in the county jail
• county and municipal ordinance violations, including traffic infractions
• civil cases involving amounts of $15,000 or less and small claims disputes (less than $5,000)
• issuance of search and arrest warrants within the county
Florida circuit courts ✔️20 circuit courts that handle the following cases:
• domestic relations cases, such as dissolution of marriage (divorce), guardianship, and juvenile delinquency
• major criminal offenses (felonies), which can result in imprisonment in a state correctional institution
• probate matters, such as the processing of wills and settling of the estates of deceased persons
• civil cases involving amounts greater than $15,000
• Baker Act and Marchman Act cases
• issuance of search and arrest warrants within the circuit
• appeals from county county judgements, except when a state statute or provision of the state constitution is held invalid
Florida district courts of appeal (DCA) ✔️6 district courts of appeal decide appeals from circuit courts in most criminal and civil cases
U.S District Courts ✔️federal trial courts presided over by U.S district judges, assisted by magistrates
magistrates ✔️appointed by district judges and issue warrants, make pretrial motions, and preside over some civil cases, misdemeanor trials,
petty cases, and preliminary hearings
, Courts of Appeal ✔️formerly known as the Circuit Courts of Appeals, these courts make decisions on appeals from lower federal courts that are
subject to review in the U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States ✔️highest court in the United States and the chief authority in the judicial branch, one of three branches of
the U.S federal government; hears appeals from the decisions of lower federal courts and state supreme courts and resolves issues of
constitutional and federal law
prisons (federal and state) ✔️correctional institutions maintained by federal and state governments for the confinement of convicted felons
county jails ✔️used for in-processing and temporary detention of defendants awaiting trial or disposition on federal or state charges and of
convicted offenders sentenced to short-term detention (a year or less); may also hold convicted felons returned from prison for court
appearances
amendments that are of particular importance to correctional officers ✔️first, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth amendments
first amendment ✔️protects freedom of speech, of the press, and of religion, and the right to peacefully assemble
fourth amendment ✔️prohibits unreasonable search and seizure
fifth amendment ✔️prohibits self-incrimination
sixth amendment ✔️guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial, to counsel, to an impartial jury, to be informed of the nature of the
charges, and to confront witnesses
eighth amendment ✔️prohibits excessive bails and fines, and cruel and unusual punishment
search ✔️governmental intrusion into a place where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy
contraband ✔️any unauthorized article or any authorized article in excessive quantities or altered from its intended purpose
probable cause ✔️a fair probability or reasonable grounds to believe that a crime was committed, based on the totality of the circumstances (all
the factors known at the time)
seizure ✔️the act of taking possession of contraband or evidence for a violation of rule or law
types of searches ✔️• pat
• K-9
• drug
• body scan
• metal detector
miranda warnings ✔️provide the protections of the fifth amendment right against self-incrimination when a suspect in custody is interrogated in
a criminal investigation
certain retained rights inmates have ✔️freedom from excessive punishments; access to courts; legal counsel, including help from other inmates
in preparation of writs, petitions, and other legal papers; and access to an adequate law library; freedom of expression, freedom from
overcrowded conditions, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and freedom to worship and exercise religious beliefs; the right to
exercise and fresh air, adequate medical treatment; correspondence through sending and receiving mail, including correspondence with the
courts; and food that meets minimum nutritional standards
HIPPA ✔️Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
sets standards that make it a violation to knowingly disclose the protected health information of inmates and detainees
Baker Act ✔️also known as the Florida Mental Health Act, provides for emergency services and temporary detention of a person for evaluation
and voluntary or involuntary short-term community inpatient treatment, if necessary
PREA ✔️Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, addresses the problem of sexual abuse of persons in the custody of federal, state, or local
correctional agencies
s. 943.10, F.S. ✔️law that defines a correctional officer
s. 943.12, F.S. ✔️explains the Commission's duties as follows:
• establish uniform minimum standards for the employment and training of full-time, part-time, and auxiliary law enforcement, correctional,
and correctional probation officers
• establish and maintain officer training programs, curricula requirement , and certification of training schools and training school instructors
• certify officers who completed a Florida BRT Program or who are diversely qualified through experience and training and who met minimum
employment standards
• review and administer appropriate administrative sanctions in instances when an officer, instructor, or training school is found to be in
violation of the Florida Statutes and Commission standards
• set forth rules and procedures to administer the requirements of ss. 943.085-943.255, F.S.
• conduct studies of compensation, education, and training for correctional, correctional probation, and law enforcement disciplines
• maintain a central repository or records of all certified criminal justice officers
• develop, maintain, and administer the SOCE for criminal justice officers
s. 943.13, F.S. ✔️sets minimum requirements and standards that a person must meet before being employed or appointed as a correctional
officer
state court system levels ✔️• county
• circuit
• district courts of appeal
• supreme
Florida county courts ✔️67 county courts that handle the following cases:
• minor criminal offenses (misdemeanors), which provide a maximum sentence of one year or less in the county jail
• county and municipal ordinance violations, including traffic infractions
• civil cases involving amounts of $15,000 or less and small claims disputes (less than $5,000)
• issuance of search and arrest warrants within the county
Florida circuit courts ✔️20 circuit courts that handle the following cases:
• domestic relations cases, such as dissolution of marriage (divorce), guardianship, and juvenile delinquency
• major criminal offenses (felonies), which can result in imprisonment in a state correctional institution
• probate matters, such as the processing of wills and settling of the estates of deceased persons
• civil cases involving amounts greater than $15,000
• Baker Act and Marchman Act cases
• issuance of search and arrest warrants within the circuit
• appeals from county county judgements, except when a state statute or provision of the state constitution is held invalid
Florida district courts of appeal (DCA) ✔️6 district courts of appeal decide appeals from circuit courts in most criminal and civil cases
U.S District Courts ✔️federal trial courts presided over by U.S district judges, assisted by magistrates
magistrates ✔️appointed by district judges and issue warrants, make pretrial motions, and preside over some civil cases, misdemeanor trials,
petty cases, and preliminary hearings
, Courts of Appeal ✔️formerly known as the Circuit Courts of Appeals, these courts make decisions on appeals from lower federal courts that are
subject to review in the U.S. Supreme Court
Supreme Court of the United States ✔️highest court in the United States and the chief authority in the judicial branch, one of three branches of
the U.S federal government; hears appeals from the decisions of lower federal courts and state supreme courts and resolves issues of
constitutional and federal law
prisons (federal and state) ✔️correctional institutions maintained by federal and state governments for the confinement of convicted felons
county jails ✔️used for in-processing and temporary detention of defendants awaiting trial or disposition on federal or state charges and of
convicted offenders sentenced to short-term detention (a year or less); may also hold convicted felons returned from prison for court
appearances
amendments that are of particular importance to correctional officers ✔️first, fourth, fifth, sixth, and eighth amendments
first amendment ✔️protects freedom of speech, of the press, and of religion, and the right to peacefully assemble
fourth amendment ✔️prohibits unreasonable search and seizure
fifth amendment ✔️prohibits self-incrimination
sixth amendment ✔️guarantees the right to a speedy and public trial, to counsel, to an impartial jury, to be informed of the nature of the
charges, and to confront witnesses
eighth amendment ✔️prohibits excessive bails and fines, and cruel and unusual punishment
search ✔️governmental intrusion into a place where a person has a reasonable expectation of privacy
contraband ✔️any unauthorized article or any authorized article in excessive quantities or altered from its intended purpose
probable cause ✔️a fair probability or reasonable grounds to believe that a crime was committed, based on the totality of the circumstances (all
the factors known at the time)
seizure ✔️the act of taking possession of contraband or evidence for a violation of rule or law
types of searches ✔️• pat
• K-9
• drug
• body scan
• metal detector
miranda warnings ✔️provide the protections of the fifth amendment right against self-incrimination when a suspect in custody is interrogated in
a criminal investigation
certain retained rights inmates have ✔️freedom from excessive punishments; access to courts; legal counsel, including help from other inmates
in preparation of writs, petitions, and other legal papers; and access to an adequate law library; freedom of expression, freedom from
overcrowded conditions, freedom from unreasonable search and seizure, and freedom to worship and exercise religious beliefs; the right to
exercise and fresh air, adequate medical treatment; correspondence through sending and receiving mail, including correspondence with the
courts; and food that meets minimum nutritional standards
HIPPA ✔️Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
sets standards that make it a violation to knowingly disclose the protected health information of inmates and detainees
Baker Act ✔️also known as the Florida Mental Health Act, provides for emergency services and temporary detention of a person for evaluation
and voluntary or involuntary short-term community inpatient treatment, if necessary
PREA ✔️Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003, addresses the problem of sexual abuse of persons in the custody of federal, state, or local
correctional agencies
