2017 -- H 5128 | |
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LC000647 | |
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND | |
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY | |
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017 | |
____________ | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO CRIMINALS - CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS - PAROLE, MEDICAL | |
PAROLE, COMMUNITY CONFINEMENT, AND CORRECTIONAL IMPACTS | |
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Introduced By: Representatives Almeida, McKiernan, O'Brien, Craven, and Knight | |
Date Introduced: January 18, 2017 | |
Referred To: House Judiciary | |
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: | |
1 | SECTION 1. Sections 13-8-14.1 and 13-8-19 of the General Laws in Chapter 13-8 |
2 | entitled "Parole" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
3 | 13-8-14.1. Parole standards. |
4 | (a) At least once each calendar year the parole board shall adopt standards to be utilized |
5 | by the board in evaluating applications for parole of persons convicted of a criminal offense and |
6 | sentenced to the adult correctional institutions. These standards shall establish, with the range of |
7 | parole eligibility set by statute, the portion of a sentence which should be served depending on the |
8 | likelihood of recidivism as determined by a risk assessment, and shall serve as guidelines for the |
9 | board in making individual parole determinations. |
10 | (b) The board shall consider the applicable standard prior to rendering a decision on a |
11 | parole application, and may make a determination at variance with that standard only upon a |
12 | finding that the determination is warranted by individualized factors, such as the character and |
13 | criminal record criminal history, attitudes, and values of the applicant that bear on the likelihood |
14 | to reoffend, the nature and circumstances of the offense or offenses for which the applicant was |
15 | sentenced, the conduct of the applicant while incarcerated, including meaningful participation in a |
16 | risk-reducing program and substantial compliance with the rules of the institution, pro-social or |
17 | anti-social associations, and the criteria set forth in § 13-8-14. "Risk-reducing program" means a |
18 | program that adheres to those elements that are shown in research to reduce recidivism. |
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1 | (c) In each case where the board grants an application prior to the time set by the |
2 | applicable standard or denies an application on or after the time set by that standard, the board |
3 | shall set forth in writing the rationale for its determination. |
4 | 13-8-19. Arrest and return to institution on revocation of parole. |
5 | (a) Whenever the permit of a prisoner is revoked, in accordance with the provisions of § |
6 | 13-8-18.1 the parole board shall order the prisoner to be returned to the adult correctional |
7 | institutions or to the women's division of the adult correctional institutions, as the case may be, to |
8 | serve the remainder of the prisoner's original sentence according to the terms of that sentence. |
9 | (b) The time between the release of the prisoner under the permit and the prisoner's return |
10 | to the adult correctional institutions or the women's division of the adult correctional institutions |
11 | under order of the board shall not may be considered as any part of the prisoner's original |
12 | sentence. The parole board may choose to credit or revoke all or part of the time served under the |
13 | permit from the original sentence, taking into consideration the seriousness of the violation that |
14 | prompted revocation. The board shall adopt standards to be utilized in determining whether to |
15 | credit all or part of the time served under the permit from the original sentence. |
16 | (c) If a prisoner is at liberty when the prisoner's permit is revoked, the chairperson shall |
17 | issue his or her warrant to any officer authorized to serve criminal process to arrest the prisoner |
18 | and return the prisoner to the adult correctional institutions or the women's division of the adult |
19 | correctional institutions in accordance with the provisions of § 13-8-18.1 as ordered by the board. |
20 | (d) Where the prisoner is supervised by the parole board pursuant to a grant of parole by |
21 | a state or jurisdiction other than Rhode Island, the parole board shall issue a detention warrant |
22 | and order the prisoner committed to the adult correctional institution or the women's division of |
23 | the adult correctional institution until the authority from the state or other jurisdiction having |
24 | granted the prisoner parole takes custody of the prisoner. |
25 | SECTION 2. Sections 13-8.1-3 and 13-8.1-4 of the General Laws in Chapter 13-8.1 |
26 | entitled "Medical Parole" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
27 | 13-8.1-3. Definitions. |
28 | (a) "Permanently physically incapacitated" means suffering from a condition caused by |
29 | injury, disease, or illness, or cognitive insult such as dementia or persistent vegetative state, |
30 | which, to a reasonable degree of medical certainty, permanently and irreversibly physically |
31 | incapacitates the individual to the extent that the individual needs help with most of the activities |
32 | that are necessary for independence such as feeding, toileting, dressing, and bathing and |
33 | transferring, or no significant physical activity is possible, and the individual is confined to bed or |
34 | a wheelchair. |
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1 | (b) "Terminally ill" means suffering from a condition caused by injury (except self- |
2 | inflicted injury), disease, or illness which to a reasonable degree of medical certainty is a life- |
3 | limiting diagnosis that will lead to profound functional, cognitive and/or physical decline, and |
4 | likely will result in death within six (6) eighteen (18) months. |
5 | (c) "Severely ill" means suffering from a significant and permanent or chronic physical |
6 | and/or mental condition that: (1) Requires extensive medical and/or psychiatric treatment with |
7 | little to no possibility of recovery; and (2) Precludes significant rehabilitation from further |
8 | incarceration. |
9 | 13-8.1-4. Procedure. |
10 | (a) The parole board is authorized to grant release of a prisoner, except a prisoner serving |
11 | life without parole, at any time, who is determined to be terminally ill, severely ill or permanently |
12 | physically incapacitated within the meaning of § 13-8.1-3. Inmates who are severely ill will only |
13 | be considered for such release when their treatment causes the state to incur exorbitant expenses |
14 | as a result of continued and frequent medical treatment during incarceration, as determined by the |
15 | office of financial resources of the department of corrections. |
16 | (b) In order to apply for this relief, the prisoner or their family member or friend, with an |
17 | attending physician's written approval, or an attending physician, on behalf of the prisoner, shall |
18 | file an application with the director of the department of corrections. Within seventy-two (72) |
19 | hours after the filing of any application, the director shall refer the application to the health |
20 | service unit of the department of corrections for a medical report and a medical discharge plan to |
21 | be completed within ten (10) days. Upon receipt of the medical discharge plan the director of the |
22 | department of corrections shall immediately transfer the medical discharge plan together with the |
23 | application to the parole board for its consideration and decision. |
24 | (c) The report shall contain, at a minimum, the following information: |
25 | (1) Diagnosis of the prisoner's medical conditions, including related medical history; |
26 | (2) Detailed description of the conditions and treatments; |
27 | (3) Prognosis, including life expectancy, likelihood of recovery, likelihood of |
28 | improvement, mobility and trajectory, and rate of debilitation; |
29 | (4) Degree of incapacity or disability, including an assessment of whether the prisoner is |
30 | ambulatory, capable of engaging in any substantial physical activity, ability to independently |
31 | provide for their daily life activities, and the extent of that activity; |
32 | (5) An opinion from the medical director as to whether the person is terminally ill, and if |
33 | so, the stage of the illness or whether the person is permanently physically incapacitated or |
34 | severely ill. If the medical director's opinion is that the person is not terminally ill, permanently, |
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1 | physically incapacitated, or severely ill as defined in § 13-8.1-3, the petition for medical parole |
2 | shall not be forwarded to the parole board. |
3 | (6) In the case of a severely ill inmate, the report shall also contain a determination from |
4 | the office of financial resources that the inmate's illness causes the state to incur exorbitant |
5 | expenses as a result of continued and frequent medical treatment during incarceration. |
6 | (d) When the director of corrections refers a prisoner to the parole board for medical |
7 | parole, the director shall provide to the parole board a medical discharge plan which is acceptable |
8 | to the parole board. |
9 | (e) The department of corrections and the parole board shall jointly develop standards for |
10 | the medical discharge plan that are appropriately adapted to the criminal justice setting. The |
11 | discharge plan should ensure at the minimum that: |
12 | (1) An appropriate placement for the prisoner has been secured, including, but not limited |
13 | to, a hospital, nursing facility, hospice, or family home; |
14 | (2) A referral has been made for the prisoner to secure a source for payment of the |
15 | prisoner's medical expenses; |
16 | (3) A parole officer has been assigned to periodically obtain updates on the prisoner's |
17 | medical condition to report back to the board. |
18 | (f) If the parole board finds from the credible medical evidence that the prisoner is |
19 | terminally ill, permanently physically incapacitated, or severely ill, the board shall grant release |
20 | to the prisoner but only after the board also considers whether, in light of the prisoner's medical |
21 | condition, there is a reasonable probability that the prisoner, if released, will live and remain at |
22 | liberty without violating the law, and that the release is compatible with the welfare of society |
23 | and will not so depreciate the seriousness of the crime as to undermine respect for the law. |
24 | Notwithstanding any other provision of law, release may be granted at any time during the term |
25 | of a prisoner's sentence. |
26 | (g) There shall be a presumption that the opinion of the physician and/or medical director |
27 | will be accepted. However, the applicant, the physician, the director, or the parole board may |
28 | request an independent medical evaluation within seven (7) days after the physician's and/or |
29 | medical director's report is presented. The evaluation shall be completed and a report, containing |
30 | the information required by subsection (b) of this section, filed with the director and the parole |
31 | board and a copy sent to the applicant within fourteen (14) days from the date of the request. |
32 | (h) Within seven (7) days of receiving the application, the medical report and the |
33 | discharge plan, the parole board shall determine whether the application, on its face, demonstrates |
34 | that relief may be warranted. If the face of the application clearly demonstrates that relief is |
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1 | unwarranted, the board may deny the application without a hearing or further proceedings, and |
2 | within seven (7) days shall notify the prisoner in writing of its decision to deny the application, |
3 | setting forth its factual findings and a brief statement of the reasons for denying release without a |
4 | hearing. Denial of release does not preclude the prisoner from reapplying for medical parole after |
5 | the expiration of sixty (60) days. A reapplication under this section must demonstrate a material |
6 | change in circumstances. |
7 | (i) (1) Upon receipt of the application from the director of the department of corrections |
8 | the parole board shall, except as provided in subsection (h) of this section, set the case for a |
9 | hearing within thirty (30) days; |
10 | (2) Notice of the hearing shall be sent to the prosecutor and the victim(s), if any, of the |
11 | offense(s) for which the prisoner is incarcerated, and the prosecutor and the victim(s) shall have |
12 | the right to be heard at the hearing, or in writing, or both; |
13 | (3) At the hearing, the prisoner shall be entitled to be represented by an attorney or by the |
14 | public defender if qualified or other representative. |
15 | (j) Within seven (7) days of the hearing, the parole board shall issue a written decision |
16 | granting or denying medical parole and explaining the reasons for the decision. If the board |
17 | determines that medical parole is warranted, it shall impose conditions of release, which shall |
18 | include the following: |
19 | (1) Periodic medical examinations; |
20 | (2) Periodic reporting to a parole officer, and the reporting interval; |
21 | (3) Any other terms or conditions that the board deems necessary; and |
22 | (4) In the case of a prisoner who is medically paroled due to being severely ill, the parole |
23 | board shall require electronic monitoring as a condition of the medical parole, unless the health |
24 | care plan mandates placement in a medical facility that cannot accommodate the electronic |
25 | monitoring. |
26 | (k) If after release the releasee's condition or circumstances change so that he or she |
27 | would not then be eligible for medical parole, the parole board may order him or her returned to |
28 | custody to await a hearing to determine whether his or her release should be revoked. A release |
29 | may also be revoked for violation of conditions otherwise applicable to parole. |
30 | (l) An annual report shall be prepared by the director of corrections for the parole board |
31 | and the general assembly. The report shall include: |
32 | (1) The number of inmates who have applied for medical parole; |
33 | (2) The number who have been granted medical parole; |
34 | (3) The nature of the illness of the applicants, and the nature of the placement pursuant to |
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1 | the medical discharge plan; |
2 | (4) The categories of reasons for denial for those who have been denied; |
3 | (5) The number of releasees on medical parole who have been returned to the custody of |
4 | the department of corrections and the reasons for return. |
5 | SECTION 3. Sections 42-56-20.2 and 42-56-38 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 |
6 | entitled "Corrections Department" are hereby amended to read as follows: |
7 | 42-56-20.2. Community confinement. |
8 | (a) Persons subject to this section. Every person who shall have been adjudged guilty of |
9 | any crime after trial before a judge, a judge and jury, or before a single judge entertaining the |
10 | person's plea of nolo contendere or guilty to an offense ("adjudged person") and every person |
11 | sentenced to imprisonment in the adult correctional institutions ("sentenced person") including |
12 | those sentenced or imprisoned for civil contempt, and every person awaiting trial at the adult |
13 | correctional institutions ("detained person") who meets the criteria set forth in this section shall |
14 | be subject to the terms of this section except: |
15 | (1) Any person who is unable to demonstrate that a permanent place of residence |
16 | ("eligible residence") within this state is available to that person; or |
17 | (2) Any person who is unable to demonstrate that he or she will be regularly employed, |
18 | or enrolled in an educational or vocational training program within this state, and within thirty |
19 | (30) days following the institution of community confinement; or |
20 | (3) (i) Any adjudged person or sentenced person or detained person who has been |
21 | convicted, within the five (5) years next preceding the date of the offense for which he or she is |
22 | currently so adjudged or sentenced or detained, of a violent felony. |
23 | A "violent felony" as used in this section shall mean any one of the following crimes or |
24 | an attempt to commit that crime: murder, manslaughter, sexual assault, mayhem, robbery, |
25 | burglary, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault or battery involving serious bodily injury, |
26 | arson, breaking and entering into a dwelling, child molestation, kidnapping, DWI resulting in |
27 | death or serious injury, driving to endanger resulting in death or serious injury. |
28 | (ii) Any person currently adjudged guilty of or sentenced for or detained on any capital |
29 | felony; or |
30 | (iii) Any person currently adjudged guilty of or sentenced for or detained on a felony |
31 | offense involving the use of force or violence against a person or persons. |
32 | These shall include, but are not limited to, those offenses listed in subsection (a)(3)(i); or |
33 | (iv) Any person currently adjudged guilty, sentenced, or detained for the sale, delivery, or |
34 | possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance in violation of § 21-28-4.01(a)(4)(i) or |
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1 | possession of a certain enumerated quantity of a controlled substance in violation of §§ 21-28- |
2 | 4.01.1 or 21-28-4.01.2. |
3 | (v) Any person currently adjudged guilty of or sentenced for or detained on an offense |
4 | involving the illegal possession of a firearm. |
5 | (b) Findings prior to sentencing to community confinement. In the case of adjudged |
6 | persons, if the judge intends to impose a sentence of community confinement, he or she shall first |
7 | make specific findings, based on evidence regarding the nature and circumstances of the offense |
8 | and the personal history, character, record, and propensities of the defendant which are relevant to |
9 | the sentencing determination, and these findings shall be placed on the record at the time of |
10 | sentencing. These findings shall include, but are not limited to: |
11 | (1) A finding that the person does not demonstrate a pattern of behavior indicating a |
12 | propensity for violent behavior; |
13 | (2) A finding that the person meets each of the eligibility criteria set forth in subsection |
14 | (a); |
15 | (3) A finding that simple probation is not an appropriate sentence; |
16 | (4) A finding that the interest of justice requires, for specific reasons, a sentence of non- |
17 | institutional confinement; and |
18 | (5) A finding that the person will not pose a risk to public safety if placed in community |
19 | confinement. |
20 | The facts supporting these findings shall be placed on the record, and shall be subject to |
21 | review on appeal. |
22 | (c) Community confinement. |
23 | (1) There shall be established within the department of corrections, a community |
24 | confinement program to serve that number of adjudged persons, sentenced persons and detainees, |
25 | that the director of the department of corrections ("director") shall determine on or before July 1 |
26 | of each year. Immediately upon that determination, the director shall notify the presiding justice |
27 | of the superior court of the number of adjudged persons, sentenced persons, and detainees that |
28 | can be accommodated in the community confinement program for the succeeding twelve (12) |
29 | months. One-half (1/2) of all persons sentenced to community confinement shall be adjudged |
30 | persons, and the balance shall be detainees and sentenced persons. The director shall provide to |
31 | the presiding justice of the superior court and the family court on the first day of each month a |
32 | report to set forth the number of adjudged persons, sentenced persons and detainees participating |
33 | in the community confinement program as of each reporting date. Notwithstanding any other |
34 | provision of this section, if on April 1 of any fiscal year less than one-half (1/2) of all persons |
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1 | sentenced to community confinement shall be adjudged persons, then those available positions in |
2 | the community confinement program may be filled by sentenced persons or detainees in |
3 | accordance with the procedures set forth in subdivision (c)(2) of this section. |
4 | (2) In the case of inmates other than those classified to community confinement under |
5 | subsection (h), the director may make written application ("application") to the sentencing judge |
6 | for an order ("order") directing that a sentenced person or detainee be confined within an eligible |
7 | residence for a period of time, which in the case of a sentenced person, shall not exceed the term |
8 | of imprisonment. This application and order shall contain a recommendation for a program of |
9 | supervision and shall contain the findings set forth in subsections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(4), and |
10 | (b)(5) and facts supporting these findings. The application and order may contain a |
11 | recommendation for the use of electronic surveillance or monitoring devices. The hearing on this |
12 | application shall be held within ten (10) business days following the filing of this application. If |
13 | the sentencing judge is unavailable to hear and consider the application the presiding justice of |
14 | the superior court shall designate another judge to do so. |
15 | (3) In lieu of any sentence, which may be otherwise imposed upon any person subject to |
16 | this section, the sentencing judge may cause an adjudged person to be confined within an eligible |
17 | residence for a period of time not to exceed the term of imprisonment otherwise authorized by the |
18 | statute the adjudged person has been adjudged guilty of violating. |
19 | (4) With authorization by the sentencing judge, or, in the case of sentenced persons |
20 | classified to community confinement under subsection (h) by the director of corrections, or in |
21 | accordance with the order, persons confined under the provisions of this chapter may be |
22 | permitted to exit the eligible residence in order to travel directly to and from their place of |
23 | employment or education or training and may be confined in other terms or conditions consistent |
24 | with the basic needs of that person that justice may demand, including the right to exit the eligible |
25 | residence to which that person is confined for certain enumerated purposes such as religious |
26 | observation, medical and dental treatment, participation in an education or vocational training |
27 | program, and counseling, all as set forth in the order. |
28 | (d) Administration. (1) Community confinement. The supervision of persons confined |
29 | under the provisions of this chapter shall be conducted by the director, or his or her designee. |
30 | (2) Intense surveillance. The application and order shall prescribe a program of intense |
31 | surveillance and supervision by the department of corrections. Persons confined under the |
32 | provisions of this section shall be subject to searches of their persons or of their property when |
33 | deemed necessary by the director, or his or her designee, in order to ensure the safety of the |
34 | community, supervisory personnel, the safety and welfare of that person and/or to ensure |
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1 | compliance with the terms of that person's program of community confinement; provided, |
2 | however, that no surveillance, monitoring or search shall be done at manifestly unreasonable |
3 | times or places nor in a manner or by means that would be manifestly unreasonable under the |
4 | circumstances then present. |
5 | (3) The use of any electronic surveillance or monitoring device which is affixed to the |
6 | body of the person subject to supervision is expressly prohibited unless set forth in the application |
7 | and order or, in the case of sentenced persons classified to community confinement under |
8 | subsection (h), otherwise authorized by the director of corrections. |
9 | (4) Regulatory authority. The director shall have full power and authority to enforce any |
10 | of the provisions of this section by regulation, subject to the provisions of the Administrative |
11 | Procedures Act, chapter 35 of title 42. Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the |
12 | department of corrections may contract with private agencies to carry out the provisions of this |
13 | section. The civil liability of those agencies and their employees, acting within the scope of their |
14 | employment, and carrying out the provision of this section, shall be limited in the same manner |
15 | and dollar amount as if they were agencies or employees of the state. |
16 | (e) Violations. Any person confined pursuant to the provisions of this section, who is |
17 | found to be a violator of any of the terms and conditions imposed upon him or her according to |
18 | the order, or in the case of sentenced persons classified to community confinement under |
19 | subsection (h), otherwise authorized by the director of corrections, this section, or any rules, |
20 | regulations, or restrictions issued pursuant hereto shall be ineligible for parole, and shall serve the |
21 | balance of his or her sentence in a classification deemed appropriate by the director. If that |
22 | conduct constitutes a violation of § 11-25-2, the person, upon conviction, shall be subject to an |
23 | additional term of imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than twenty (20) years. |
24 | However, it shall be a defense to any alleged violation that the person was at the time of the |
25 | violation acting out of a necessary response to an emergency situation. An "emergency situation" |
26 | shall be construed to mean the avoidance by the defendant of death or of substantial personal |
27 | injury, as defined above, to him or herself or to others. |
28 | (f) Costs. Each person confined according to this section shall reimburse the state for the |
29 | costs or a reasonable portion thereof incurred by the state relating to the community confinement |
30 | of those persons. Costs shall be initially imposed by the sentencing judge or in the order and shall |
31 | be assessed by the director prior to the expiration of that person's sentence. Once assessed, those |
32 | costs shall become a lawful debt due and owing to the state by that person. Monies received under |
33 | this section shall be deposited as general funds. |
34 | (g) Severability. Every word, phrase, clause, section, subsection, and any of the |
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1 | provisions of this section are hereby declared to be severable from the whole, and a declaration of |
2 | unenforceability or unconstitutionality of any portion of this section, by a judicial court of |
3 | competent jurisdiction, shall not affect the portions remaining. |
4 | (h) Sentenced persons approaching release. Notwithstanding the provisions set forth |
5 | within this section, any sentenced person committed under the direct care, custody, and control of |
6 | the adult correctional institutions, who is within six (6) months of the projected good time release |
7 | date, provided that the person shall have completed at least one-half (1/2) of the full term of |
8 | incarceration, or any person who is sentenced to a term of six (6) months or less of incarceration, |
9 | provided that the person shall have completed at least three-fourths (3/4) of the term of |
10 | incarceration, may in the discretion of the director of corrections be classified to community |
11 | confinement. This provision shall not apply to any person whose current sentence was imposed |
12 | upon conviction of murder, first degree sexual assault or first degree child molestation. |
13 | (i) Notification to police departments. The director, or his or her designee, shall notify the |
14 | appropriate police department when a sentenced, adjudged or detained person has been placed |
15 | into community confinement within that department's jurisdiction. That notice will include the |
16 | nature of the offense and the express terms and conditions of that person's confinement. That |
17 | notice shall also be given to the appropriate police department when a person in community |
18 | confinement within that department's jurisdiction is placed in escape status. |
19 | (j) No incarceration credit for persons awaiting trial. No detainee shall be given |
20 | incarceration credit by the director for time spent in community confinement while awaiting trial. |
21 | (k) No confinement in college or university housing facilities. Notwithstanding any |
22 | provision of the general laws to the contrary, no person eligible for community confinement shall |
23 | be placed in any college or university housing facility, including, but not limited to, dormitories, |
24 | fraternities or sororities. College or university housing facilities shall not be considered an |
25 | "eligible residence" for "community confinement." |
26 | (l) A sentencing judge shall have authority to waive overnight stay or incarceration at the |
27 | adult correctional institution after the sentencing of community confinement. Such a waiver shall |
28 | be binding upon the adult correctional institution and the staff thereof, including, but not limited |
29 | to the community confinement program. |
30 | 42-56-38. Assessment of costs. |
31 | (a) Each sentenced offender committed to the care, custody or control of the department |
32 | of corrections shall reimburse the state for the cost or the reasonable portion of the cost incurred |
33 | by the state relating to that commitment; provided, however, that a person committed, awaiting |
34 | trial and not convicted, shall not be liable for the reimbursement. Items of cost shall include |
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1 | physical services and commodities such as food, medical, clothing and specialized housing, as |
2 | well as social services such as specialized supervision and counseling. Costs shall be assessed by |
3 | the director of corrections, or his or her designee, based upon each person's ability to pay, |
4 | following a public hearing of proposed fee schedules. Each offender's family income and number |
5 | of dependents shall be among the factors taken into consideration when determining ability to |
6 | pay. Moneys received under this section shall be deposited as general revenues. The director shall |
7 | promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. The rules |
8 | and regulations shall provide that the financial situation of persons, financially dependent on the |
9 | person, be considered prior to the determination of the amount of reimbursement. This section |
10 | shall not be effective until the date the rules and regulations are filed with the office of the |
11 | secretary of state. |
12 | (b) Notwithstanding the provision of subsection (a), or any rule or regulation |
13 | promulgated by the director, any sentenced offender who is ordered or directed to the work |
14 | release program, shall pay no less than thirty percent (30%) of his or her gross net salary for room |
15 | and board. |
16 | SECTION 4. Chapter 22-12 of the General Laws entitled "Fiscal Notes" is hereby |
17 | amended by adding thereto the following section: |
18 | 22-12-6. Correctional impact statements. |
19 | All bills having an effect on the revenues, expenditures, fiscal liability, bed space, staff, |
20 | supervision caseloads, or programs of the department of corrections, excepting appropriation |
21 | measures carrying specified dollar amounts, shall be accompanied by a correctional impact |
22 | statement that sets forth the estimated dollar effect thereof taking into consideration additional |
23 | supervisory and correctional staff, bed space, and programs required if enacted. The correctional |
24 | impact statement shall be attached to the end of each act, bill or resolution prior to consideration |
25 | by the legislative body in which the act, bill or resolution originated. The correctional impact |
26 | statement shall specify the effect in dollar amounts and additional supervisory and correctional |
27 | staff, bed space, and additional programs for the current fiscal year and estimates for the next two |
28 | (2) succeeding fiscal years, as well as the fifth and tenth succeeding fiscal years. For legislation |
29 | where the major fiscal impact is not expected until after the tenth succeeding year, the |
30 | correctional impact statement shall include additional estimated information for the time period |
31 | when the major fiscal impact is expected. |
32 | SECTION 5. Chapter 42-56 of the General Laws entitled "Corrections Department" is |
33 | hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: |
34 | 42-56-5.1. Justice reinvestment. |
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1 | (a) The department shall attempt to monitor the implementation of justice reinvestment |
2 | policies for the period from 2017 to 2022, including: |
3 | (1) Adoption and use of screening and assessment tools to inform judicial and executive |
4 | branch decisions regarding arraignment and bail, pretrial conditions and supervision, probation |
5 | and parole supervision, correctional programs, and parole release; |
6 | (2) Use of court rules designed to accelerate the disposition and improve the procedural |
7 | fairness of pretrial decisions, including violations of bail, filing, deferred sentence, and probation; |
8 | (3) Use of judicial sentencing benchmarks designed to: |
9 | (i) Guide purposeful, limited probation and suspended sentence terms; and |
10 | (ii) Achieve proportionate sanctions for violations; |
11 | (4) Use of a judicial procedure designed to provide an opportunity for long-term |
12 | probationers to terminate their probation; |
13 | (5) Progress by the department of corrections, division of rehabilitative services, in |
14 | achieving the initiatives required by §42-56-7; |
15 | (6) The feasibility of implementing additional law enforcement training in responding to |
16 | people with behavioral health and substance abuse needs, and of providing for one or more |
17 | suitable locations for such people to be referred for treatment; and |
18 | (7) Barriers to reentry and the availability and effectiveness of programs designed to |
19 | increase employability and employment of people in the criminal justice system. |
20 | (b) The department shall attempt to report on data analyzing key decision points with |
21 | information broken out by offense, risk, and demographic data including race/ethnicity, whenever |
22 | available. The report must provide, or report on efforts to provide, relevant measures including |
23 | the following: |
24 | (1) The number of people for whom a pre-arraignment report is conducted under §12-13- |
25 | 24.1, and the number who are affected by each subdivision of subsection (a) of this section; |
26 | (2) The number of people who are eligible for pre-trial diversion opportunities and the |
27 | number of people selected for diversion programs; |
28 | (3) Length of probation terms and suspended sentences imposed; |
29 | (4) Sanctions imposed by probation officers and by courts and the violations triggering |
30 | the sanctions; |
31 | (5) Pre-trial lengths of stay including length prior to probation violation hearings; |
32 | (6) Volume and characteristics of people on probation caseloads, including limited and |
33 | high intensity caseloads; |
34 | (7) Volume of people who petitioned the court for early termination, the number granted |
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1 | and reasons for denial; |
2 | (8) Restitution amounts imposed and percentage of collections by increment of time |
3 | under correctional control; |
4 | (9) Community-based cognitive behavioral treatment programs funded, including the |
5 | amount of funding received by each program and the number of high-risk probation clients |
6 | served; |
7 | (10) Batterers intervention programs funded to increase or refine treatment, including the |
8 | amount of funding received by each program and the number of clients served; and |
9 | (11) Amounts of victim restitution assessed and collected. |
10 | 42-56-42. Severability. |
11 | If any provision of this chapter or its application to any person or circumstances is held |
12 | invalid, that invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of the chapter which can be |
13 | given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the provisions of this |
14 | chapter are declared to be severable. |
15 | SECTION 6. Section 42-56-39 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-56 entitled |
16 | "Corrections Department" is hereby repealed. |
17 | 42-56-39. A prison impact statement. |
18 | All acts, bills and resolutions having an effect on the revenues, expenditures, fiscal |
19 | liability, bed space, staff or programs of the department of corrections, which can be calculated |
20 | with reasonable accuracy, by establishing or extending a mandatory minimum term of |
21 | imprisonment which is not subject to suspension, probation or parole, excepting appropriation |
22 | measures carrying specified dollar amounts, shall be accompanied by a brief explanatory |
23 | statement or note which sets forth the estimated dollar effect thereof taking into consideration |
24 | additional bed space, staff and programs required if enacted. This statement or note shall be |
25 | known as "a prison impact statement" and shall be attached to the end of each act, bill or |
26 | resolution prior to consideration of the house in which the act, bill or resolution originated. This |
27 | prison impact statement shall specify the effect in dollar amounts and additional bed space, |
28 | additional staff and additional programs for the current fiscal year and estimates for the next two |
29 | (2) succeeding fiscal years. The appropriate chairperson of the house or senate committee may |
30 | request a prison impact statement. Requests for these prison impact statements shall be in a form |
31 | and substance that is deemed appropriate by the chairperson and shall be forwarded through the |
32 | house or senate fiscal advisor to the state budget officer who shall then be responsible, in |
33 | cooperation with the director of corrections, for its preparation within thirty (30) days of the |
34 | request. |
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1 | SECTION 7. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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EXPLANATION | |
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL | |
OF | |
A N A C T | |
RELATING TO CRIMINALS - CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS - PAROLE, MEDICAL | |
PAROLE, COMMUNITY CONFINEMENT, AND CORRECTIONAL IMPACTS | |
*** | |
1 | This act would amend certain provisions of the general laws pertaining to parole, medical |
2 | parole, and community confinement, and would replace prison impact statements with |
3 | correctional impact statements. |
4 | This act would take effect upon passage. |
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