Florida’s New Detention Center Proposal: Wrong Priorities for Our State Another Detention Center in Florida? Here’s Why We Should Say No
- Bernard Taylor
- 7 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 7 days ago

Yesterday’s headlines confirmed what many of us have feared — there is a new push to build yet another detention center in Florida.
At a time when our state is facing record-high housing costs, skyrocketing insurance premiums, and shrinking access to quality education and healthcare, this proposal is more than just bad policy — it’s the wrong set of priorities.
Misplaced Priorities
Florida’s resources are finite. Every dollar we spend on building and maintaining detention facilities is a dollar we’re not investing in:
Affordable housing to ensure families aren’t priced out of their communities.
Job training and workforce development to strengthen our economy from the ground up.
Education that prepares our children for a competitive future.
Healthcare access so no one has to choose between a doctor’s visit and putting food on the table.
We must ask ourselves: Do we want to fund cages, or do we want to fund opportunities?
The Human Cost
Beyond the dollars and cents, there’s a human toll. Detention centers tear families apart, destabilize communities, and deepen mistrust between residents and institutions. This cycle of harm doesn’t make our neighborhoods safer — it makes them weaker.
As your representative, I believe in addressing root causes, not just symptoms. That means investing in programs that reduce crime by preventing it — through opportunity, not incarceration.
A Better Path Forward
Instead of funneling money into another detention center, Florida should be leading with:
Community-based public safety programs that build trust between law enforcement and residents.
Rehabilitation and re-entry initiatives that help people rebuild their lives after serving their time.
Partnerships with nonprofits and faith-based organizations to provide mentorship, counseling, and resources.
When we focus on keeping families together and giving people a fair shot, we create communities that thrive — not just survive.
Where Do You Stand?
This fight isn’t about politics — it’s about priorities. I want to hear from you:
Should Florida invest in building more detention centers, or should we direct those funds toward education, housing, and job creation?
How would you like to see our state’s budget reflect the values of our communities?
Leave a comment, share this post, and let’s make it clear: Florida deserves leaders who invest in people, not prisons.
— Bernard Taylor
Candidate for U.S. Congress, Florida District 21
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