MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

1999 Regular Session

To: Corrections; Appropriations

By: Senator(s) Smith

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO CONTRACT FOR INCARCERATION OF STATE JUVENILE OFFENDERS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE MAXIMUM AGE OF AN OFFENDER HOUSED IN THE FACILITY WILL BE SEVENTEEN YEARS AND SIX MONTHS; TO PROVIDE THAT THE REGIMENTED INMATE DISCIPLINE PROGRAM SHALL BE IMPLEMENTED AT THE FACILITY; TO PROVIDE THAT ANY JUVENILE HOUSED IN THE FACILITY SHALL BE PROVIDED CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND A PROGRAM FOR VOCATIONAL EDUCATION; TO PROVIDE FOR THE CHIEF CORRECTIONS OFFICER FOR THE FACILITY; TO PROVIDE A SALARY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. The Mississippi Department of Corrections, in consultation with the Directors of the Department of Human Services and the Department of Finance and Administration, may enter into a contract to provide for housing, care and control of not more than two hundred fifty (250) juvenile offenders who are in the custody of the Department of Corrections. The maximum age of any offender housed in this facility shall be seventeen (17) years and six (6) months. Any facility used for this purpose shall be designed, constructed, operated and maintained in accordance with American Correctional Association standards, and shall comply with all constitutional standards of the United States and the State of Mississippi and with all court orders that may now or hereinafter be applicable to the facility.

SECTION 2. The Department of Corrections may contract for the purposes set out in Section 1 of this act for a period of not more than twenty (20) years. The contract may provide that the Department of Corrections pay a fee of up to Twenty-four Dollars and Ninety Cents ($24.90) per day for each juvenile offender that is housed in the facility. The Department of Corrections may include in the contract, as an inflation factor, a three percent (3%) annual increase in the contract price. The state shall retain responsibility for medical care for state offenders to the extent that is required by law.

SECTION 3. The regimented inmate discipline program, as established by the Department of Corrections, shall be implemented at the facility authorized in Section 1 of this act. For the first ninety (90) days of a juvenile offender's incarceration in the facility, he shall be assigned to a course in the regimented inmate discipline program.

SECTION 4. The correctional facility authorized in Section 1 of this act shall provide any juvenile offender housed in the facility with continuing education that leads to the presentation of a high school diploma or General Education Development (GED) equivalent. The facility also shall provide a program of vocational education, which is to be included in the continuing education program for a high school diploma or GED equivalent.

SECTION 5. Concurrent with the execution of a contract for housing of state offenders as authorized by this act, the Commissioner of Corrections shall designate a Chief Corrections Officer for the facility housing state juvenile offenders who shall assume responsibility for management of the juvenile corrections facility and for the provision of the care and control of the state juvenile offenders housed in the facility. The Chief Corrections Officer shall be subject to the direction of the department for management of the correctional facility and his compensation shall be paid as decided by the Commissioner of Corrections.

SECTION 6. This act shall be full and complete authority for the exercise of all powers and authority granted herein and no requirements or restrictions of law shall be applicable except as expressly provided in this act.

SECTION 7. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.