Topic: FL Dept. of Law Enforcement

The measure also sets up a task force made up of various state agency heads and it defines the term sexually violent to include offenses involving a child under the age of 16. Records indicate the location of 746 registered sex offenders is unknown.

Legislators, child advocates and police applaud a "scorched earth" policy that includes mandatory sentences of 50 years in prison for raping a child, the elderly or a developmentally disabled victim. The new policy also strengthens a provision of state law which allows for the confinement of sexually violent offenders after they finish their prison sentence.

Sexual predators will be locked up longer and more could be committed for psychiatric review once they finish their sentences under a package of bills the Florida House approved Wednesday.

There was little debate except for one lawmaker wondering why a 50-year sentence was chosen. HB 7027 would impose a minimum mandatory sentence of 50 years for a conviction in the sexual assault of a child, disabled person and a senior.

Agency is reviewing nearly 2,600 cases handled by Pensacola lab analyst Joseph Graves, accused of swapping illegal drugs for over-the-counter medicines.

A crime lab chemist in Pensacola is accused of swiping illegal narcotics from police evidence bags and substituting legal over-the-counter medicines, the evidence-tampering allegations potentially affecting hundreds of drug cases statewide.

FDLE and state prison system officials discuss the complex forgery operation that led to the escape of two inmates from Franklin Correctional Institution in August and September. Forged release papers gave the duo a brief hiatus from prison. ... Related Research: Dec. 19, 2013 Press release, "FDLE arrests 6 in the inmate escape scheme," and related articles.

Justices question lawyers closely as they seek to decide whether the ballot summary and title of a proposal to legalize medical use of marijuana accurately inform voters of what they're voting on, and whether the amendment deals with a single subject. ... Related Research: Constitutional Amendment Petition Form for the Use of Marijuana for Certain Medical Conditions.

Gov. Rick Scott hails semi-annual report as good for tourism, businesses. ... Related Research: FDLE Crime in Florida Report for January - June 2013, and Statement from Gov. Rick Scott.

Judge tells tell a Senate committee examining release procedures after two murderers were mistakenly set free that escapees lifted his signature from Casey Anthony case documents. ... Related Research: Nov. 6, 2013 Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice meeting materials, and meeting video from WFSU-TV/The FLORIDA Channel.

The bogus documents used in the recent release of two convicted killers from the Franklin County Correctional Institution were not produced by an inside job, FDLE says, and assured lawmakers Monday that the prison system is tightening document security. ... Related Research: Nov. 4, 2013 Department of Corrections presentation to the Senate Criminal Justice Committee on fraudulent court orders.

Gov. Rick Scott quickly reinstates Liberty County Sheriff Nick Finch after a jury in Bristol deliberated for about an hour to find him not guilty of improperly freeing a concealed-weapons suspect he decided was exercising his right to bear arms. ... Related Research: Executive Order Number 2013-311, and Executive Order Number 2013-140.

One man fled the Pinellas County Jail for 16 hours in 2009. ... Related Research: Oct. 22, 2013 Press release, "Attorney General Bondi, FDLE Commissioner Bailey and Big Bend Crime Stoppers Offer up to $20,000 in Total for Tips on Release of Two North Florida Inmates"

Before the EDR can determine the fiscal impact of a proposed medical marijuana constitutional amendment, it has to decide whether cannabis is exempt from taxes as an over-the-counter drug. Two more workshops are scheduled to try to calculate whether voter approval of a medical marijuana initiative would add or subtract from government's bottom line. ... Related Research: Public Notice of FIEC workshops and conference, and EDR Notebook from the FIEC public workshop.