What is an Interstate Compact?

 Often called an Interstate Compact but its true name is "Voluntary ICC Transfer (Interstate Corrections Compact -Prison to Prison exchange)"

 

A voluntary transfer facilitates visits and the potential reentry of an incarcerated person with immediate family members, into the community by relocating the incarcerated person geographically closer to family for potential release. This transfer enables the incarcerated person to strengthen family bonds and improve his/her support network. Participation in the Interstate Corrections Compact program is an earned privilege, not a right. An incarcerated person’s participation in available programs, work assignments and institutional adjustment are factors that shall be considered by department staff at each level of the decision-making process.

 

The Department maintains a list of all applications and prioritizes the transfers based on the needs of the department whether it is for protection and/or management needs first, then for those who have requested a transfer for family support and/or reintegration. While the Department may empathize with the families of the incarcerated people, the ICC unit maintains a suspense system based on the date of application for the equitable treatment of all applicants as it pertains to requests for voluntary transfers, in order to facilitate family visitation and/or reunification for the successful re-entry of the incarcerated person.

 

Pursuant to Florida Statute §941.57, the Department of Corrections is authorized and directed to do all things necessary or incidental to the carrying out of the compact rules in every particular instance. This statue gives the department the authority to determine the general transfer criteria for consideration.

 

The following criteria applies but is not limited to, at the institutional level when considering an Interstate Corrections Compact transfer:

 

1. The incarcerated person initiates such a request during a regularly scheduled progress review with their classification officer.

2. The transfer is in the best interest of the State of Florida and the Department as well as the incarcerated person and his/her immediate family.

3. The proposed state has an agreement with Florida and is currently participating/accepting transfer requests; the states must be in parity.

4. The incarcerated person meets the general criteria for the requested state.

5. The incarcerated person has been in the Department’s custody for a minimum of:

. 12 consecutive months if serving a sentence of 10 years or less

. 3 consecutive years if serving a sentence of 11 to 24 years

. 5 consecutive years if serving a sentence of 25 years to Life

6. The incarcerated person has 3 or more years remaining to serve on the active commitment.

7. The incarcerated person has not received any disciplinary reports during the last 12 consecutive months and institutional adjustment during the same period is above satisfactory.

8. The incarcerated person has not been housed in Close Management during the previous 36 months.

9. The incarcerated person has no history of:

. Assault on staff

. Escape or attempted escape

10. The incarcerated person has no appeals pending in Florida courts.

11. The incarcerated person has no detainers.

  

Only the incarcerated person can make this request via their classification officer and only during their Progress Review.

 

The contact in central office for further questions or concerns is: