House Bill 1203

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-7-27, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS TO REIMBURSE ANY COUNTY A CERTAIN AMOUNT FOR RETURNING A PAROLED OFFENDER TO THE DEPARTMENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 47-7-27, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

47-7-27. The board is hereby authorized at any time, in its discretion, and upon a showing of probable violation of parole, to issue a warrant for the return of any paroled offender to the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections. Such warrant shall authorize all persons named therein to return such paroled offender to actual custody of the Department of Corrections from which he was paroled. If a sheriff or any agent of a county returns a paroled offender to the Department of Corrections, the department shall reimburse such county in the amount of Twenty Dollars ($20.00) for each paroled offender returned. Pending hearing, as hereinafter provided, upon any charge of parole violation, the offender shall remain incarcerated in any other place of detention designated by the department.

Any field supervisor may arrest an offender without a warrant or may deputize any other person with power of arrest to do so by giving him a written statement setting forth that the offender has, in the judgment of that field supervisor, violated the conditions of his parole or earned-release supervision. Such written statement delivered with the offender by the arresting officer to the official in charge of the department facility from which the offender was released or other place of detention designated by the department shall be sufficient warrant for the detention of the offender.

The field supervisor, after making an arrest, shall present to the detaining authorities a similar statement of the circumstances of violation. The field supervisor shall at once notify the board or department of the arrest and detention of the offender and shall submit a written report showing in what manner the offender has violated the conditions of parole or earned-release supervision. An offender for whose return a warrant has been issued by the board shall, after the issuance of such warrant, be deemed a fugitive from justice.

The law now in effect concerning the right of the State of Mississippi to extradite persons and return fugitives from justice, from other states to this state, shall not be impaired by this chapter and shall remain in full force and effect. An offender convicted of a felony while on parole, whether in the State of Mississippi or another state, shall immediately have his parole revoked upon presentment of a certified copy of the commitment order to the board.

At the next meeting of the board held after the issuance of a warrant for the retaking of any offender, the board shall be notified thereof; and if the offender shall have been taken into custody, he shall then be given an opportunity to appeal to the board in writing or in person why his parole should not be revoked. The board may then, or at any time in its discretion, terminate such parole or modify the terms and conditions thereof. In the event the board shall revoke parole, the offender shall serve the remainder of the sentence originally imposed unless at a later date the board shall think it expedient to grant the offender a second parole. In case a second parole shall not be granted, then the offender shall serve the remainder of the sentence originally imposed, and the time the offender was out on parole shall not be taken into account to diminish the time for which he was sentenced.

The chairman and each member of the board and the designated parole revocation hearing officer, in the discharge of their duties, are authorized to administer oaths, to summon and examine witnesses, and take other steps as may be necessary to ascertain the truth of any matter about which they may have the right to inquire.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2005.