Corrections
The Levy County Jail serves our community by providing safe, secure and humane detention of individuals in our custody and to provide proper care and supervision of all offenders under our jurisdiction while assisting, as appropriate, their re-entry into society.
History:
The jail was moved to the current location in May of 1988. Approximately thirty (30) inmates made the move from the old jail which was located in the Levy County Court House. In the years prior to 1986, the jail had always been under the management of the County Sheriff. After the move in 1986, the Board of County Commissioners decided to manage the operations of the jail, which they did until January 1, 1993.
Administration:
The Levy County Jail operates under the management of Sheriff Johnny Smith.
- Director of Corrections: Major Mike Sheffield
- Chief of Security: Lieutenant Betty Lou Schultz
- Facility Operations: Lieutenant Eloise Guyton
- Support Services: Lieutenant Todd Horne
Jail Capacity:
The Levy County Jail has a maximum capacity of 304 inmates.
Jail Living Conditions:
The Levy County Jail is a non-smoking facility without access to televisions or newspapers. Inmates receive canteen products twice a week. Visitation is limited to Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. and Saturdays and Sundays 9:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. with contact visits approved every six (6) months. Food is prepared by an outside vendor, ABL Food Service, out of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Inmates are allowed 3 hours a week recreation. The jail does not own weights or weight machines.
Shifts:
The Levy County Jail employees work twelve (12) hour shifts. 6:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. to 6:00 A.M. which is rotated every three (3) months. They work two (2) days one week and five (5) days the next week, which gives them every other weekend off.
Medical:
The Levy County Jail has one (1) R.N. and two (2) L.P.N.'s. The medical facility is in operation ten (10) hours a day seven (7) days a week. We contract monthly with an outside medical facility for physician services.
Salaries:
The starting salary for beginning correctional officers is approximately $28,840 annually. Officers with experience work six (6) months at starting pay and are then given credit for past experience. Example, if an officer worked ten (10) years at another facility and then came to work with the Levy County Jail, the officer would receive credit for five (5) years experience which would move him/her to a step five (5) pay grade. Persons interested in employment with the Levy County Jail may download an application.
Accreditation:
The Levy County Jail first achieved accreditation through the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission on February 4, 2003. The Accreditation program offers the opportunity to evaluate the facility's operations against standards developed by the Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission. This process allows administrative staff to remedy deficiency and upgrade the quality of correctional programs and services. The benefits from such a process include:
- improved management
- strengthens the facility's defense against lawsuits and complaints
- increased accountability
- enhanced public credibility for administrative and line staff
- a safer and more humane environment for personnel and inmates
- potential reduction in liability through adoption of sound operating practices
- demonstration of a "good faith" effort to improve conditions of confinement
- establishment of measurable criteria for upgrading programs. personnel and physical plant
Every three years, a team of assessors comes into the facility and spends several days conducting an inspection of the jail's policies and procedures to ensure that we are meeting the mandatory standards. The jail was most recently re-accredited on February 24, 2009 and was in compliance with 100% of all applicable standards. This is a prestigious honor and out of Florida's 67 counties, only 35 jails are accredited through Florida Corrections Accreditation Commission.
Inmate Programs:
Various programs are available throughout the week to inmates incarcerated at the Levy County Jail. These programs include Religious Services, Alcoholics Anonymous, Anger Management and Life Skills Classes, which include topics such as parenting, health and nutrition and workplace readiness.