Bill > H3174

This bill establishes a new State Work Program within the South Carolina Department of Corrections designed for non-violent inmates who are physically capable of participating. Under this program, eligible inmates can be sentenced by a court to serve between three and five years in an incarceration facility, during which they will work eight-hour days, five days a week performing public maintenance tasks such as maintaining state and county roads, mowing grass, picking up litter, and repairing potholes. The program requires inmates to undergo physical, psychological, and emotional evaluations before acceptance and must sign an agreement acknowledging participation is a privilege that can be revoked. Inmates who successfully complete the program will be eligible for a certificate of earned eligibility and potential parole release. Work crews will be limited to five inmates and monitored by GPS, and there are specific legal protections and restrictions around interacting with these work crews, including criminal penalties for Department of Corrections employees who mistreat inmates and for unauthorized individuals who approach work crews. The program aims to provide a structured work opportunity for non-violent offenders while contributing to public infrastructure maintenance, with the director of corrections responsible for establishing detailed regulations and periodically studying the program's impact.

Justice

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=3174&session=126&summary=B