The troubled Dozier School for Boys in Marianna has survived a hundred years of scandals, but the school’s time may be finally running out.

The Dozier School is Florida’s home for the worst of the worst juvenile offenders, and maybe managers too. Problems date back to the early 1900's when fire killed inmates in a locked dorm.

More recently a group of inmates known as the White House Boys alleged beatings and death. One of those is 1964 Dozier resident Patrick Hallinan

“I want somebody to pay the price for the brutality.”

There have been six superintendents in 8 years. Now, State Senator Victor Cist of Tampa, who is in charge of the school’s budget, is issuing an ultimatum.

"The message has been strongly sent to the Department of Juvenile Justice that they need to clean that place up, they need to do it immediately, or we will immediately shut it down.”

Even Governor Charlie Crist thinks the school’s time may have passed.

“I want to make sure we do the right thing instead of just what sounds good for the day. So, I think the legislature is smart to give it a thorough review.”

One question is what to do with the 100-plus offenders. State Prison is an option. The state has even considered privatizing the Dozier school. But nobody was interested, because nobody wants to deal with managing the worst of the worst.

Victor Crist says some institution is likely to remain on the site.

“It could be reopened as a Department of Corrections facility. Because it does employ over 200 people in that small town.”

But in the end, finding a new home for the worst, coupled with a troubling economy, may be enough to give the trouble school yet another lease on life.

The state spends about 10 million dollars a year to run the
school...or about 100 thousand dollars for each of the institutions
troubled inhabitants.