Florida's population has almost doubled since 1980, but the state's prison population has grown even faster — fivefold during those years. Florida's incarceration rate rose 26 percent faster than the national average, pushing spending on corrections past $2.8 billion. Gov. Rick Scott promised that corrections reform would be a priority last session, and some modest reforms were made; however, much more needs to be done.

Former Georgia congressman turned Republican presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich is among a group of big name conservatives supporting a new NAACP study pushing for a major criminal justice system overhaul.