September 16, 2015
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, inmates who committed crimes on or after October 1, 1995, will serve a minimum of 85 percent of their sentences. This pertains to all inmates, regardless of the crime they committed.
Truth in Sentencing Law
In 1985, the state of Florida passed the Truth in Sentencing Law. This law states that anyone convicted of a crime must serve at least 85 percent of their minimum sentence, regardless of gain time, or other credits provided to inmates. In 1991, legislators passed laws that made gain time, or time earned by an inmate while in prison that is designed to reduce their sentence, discretionary.
How Much Time Will I Serve?
Based on the 85 percent rule under Florida law, the following example sentences could be served by someone who is convicted of these crimes:
– Murder – Life Sentence – Life in Prison
– Sexual Assault – 15 Year Sentence – Minimum prison time is 12.8 years
– Burglary – 10 Year Sentence – Minimum prison time is 8.5 years
– Drug Possession – 3 Year Sentence – Minimum prison time is 2.6 years
In some cases, prison time may be reduced by the amount of time spent in county jail awaiting trial.
Florida Does Not Have Parole
According to the Florida Department of Corrections, parole does not exist for any non-capital felonies committed on or after July 1, 1984. Further legislative action effectively eliminated parole for all capital offenses, too.
Contact the Khonsari Law Group for Legal Counsel
These statistics demonstrate that Florida has much stricter sentencing guidelines than many other states, requiring all prisoners, regardless of their crime, serve at least 85 percent of their sentence. If you or a loved one are facing charges, a qualified defense attorney is critical. Contact a professional attorney at Khonsari Law by telephone, or online, today to learn what rights you may have.