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The newly appointed Secretary of Corrections in Florida faces questions of confidence from State lawmakers. Inmate deaths are up, as are complaints of abuse by officers. As a result, top legislators are questioning the agency’s ability to police itself.

Inmate deaths hit an all time high when 346 died in prison last year. Almost half were medical, but 175 deaths remain unresolved.

Reports of abuse forced the Former Secretary out. On January 5th Julie Jones became the first female to lead the agency…she spent the morning making the rounds of Senate offices trying to calm fears and restore confidence in the agency’s ability to clean its own house.

“We are going to get this agency fixed. We are going to get our people in a good place where this is a job they can be respected for doing” says Secretary Jones.

The trouble runs deep. We spoke with a correctional officer with the promise of anonymity. He told us corruption reaches the highest levels at individual prisons.

“Fabricating a lot of information to central office that’s not true  . Ah, If they even think one of us is trying to talk to an outside source or to talk to anyone, you are a threat to them” says the Corrections veteran.

We asked Jones about his treatment at the hands of superiors. “That is not acceptable, but the only way I can fix that is to strengthen all levels of supervision, establish some discipline, and make sure everyone is accountable” says the Secretary.

For more than a hundred years, the leadership here has been characterized as a good old boy system. one where you had to go along to get along.

Senators in charge of Corrections legislation say past must be just that.

Senate Corrections Chair Greg Evers says he has confidence in the new Secretary Jones…but he says he little confidence in many of the wardens and managers in the field.