Date: 10/16/2019 2:51:37 PM

"THE DRUG EPIDEMIC IN THE FDOC"
By Ronald W. Clark Jr
While attending physical therapy I've been in a holding cell talking with inmates from camps all
around Florida who's there for medical treatment. Most of these inmates are returning to society. And they'll sit around and talk about doing this drug called K-2, which causes them to "twackout" where they can't remember what happened, a lot have fallen. In fact I met one guy who's fallen over a half dozen times. He was there because he had a plate put in his face. These men have had multiple disciplinary reports for being under the influence of drugs. The one common thing that I seen , besides their failure to learn a lesson and stop using these drugs, was the failure of the FDOC to put these men in a mandatory drug treatment program. No all the administrations are doing is throwing the men in confinement for 60 days. Solitary confinement which further causes psychological damage which leads to further drug use! Its an endless cycle of stupidity on everyone's behalf! The inmates are trapped in this drug use, for which they use to escape reality and the hellish existence that they are living. And the FDOC is failing to protect them from this addiction, and from themselves. Which will lead to releasing a drug dependent inmate back into society to rob steal and possible kill to support their drug habit. Yes my eyes are being opened by this experience, witnessing these conversation, and engaging in them with men who are being set up, or if you prefer left to failure. They are on this self destructive path of addiction. Its a disease beyond their control, so without the FDOC'S assistance they don't stand a chance!! Men are dying here in prison. Two last month died over at Columbia Correctional Institution, and over a dozen inmates were sick and the dorm that it happened in is now sealed up Bio Hazardous. We had two here at Union Correctional Institution fall out last month. Gonzales died, and the other inmate is recovering in the hospital. These are just the cases that I know about.
Yes the FDOC has a very serious drug epidemic that needs to be addressed here and now! And every inmate who has failed a drug test, or been given a disciplinary report and found guilt of it, needs to be identified by the FDOC and placed in a drug treatment program. This is no joking matter! Its an epidemic that needs to be priority one!!!
So we need this essay to reach Secretary Mark Inch and push him and the Legislature to make drug treatment mandatory. Cause remember these are you your future neighbors. So this call for change is needed. Please do your part. God bless you all.
Sincerely Ronald W. Clark Jr. #812974