House Bill 1233

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 47-5-947, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO REQUIRE THE REGIMENTED INMATE DISCIPLINE PROGRAM CONTAIN CERTAIN COMPONENTS WHEN UTILIZED AT THE WALNUT GROVE YOUTH CORRECTIONAL FACILITY; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. Section 47-5-947, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

47-5-947. The regimented inmate discipline program, as established by the Department of Corrections, shall be implemented at the facility authorized in Section 47-5-943. 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. The regimented inmate discipline program at the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility shall include the following components:

(a) Comprehensive physical and mental health screening;

(b) The development of an individualized treatment plan for each inmate that ensures appropriate care for any medical or mental health issues identified by the comprehensive screening;

(c) A comprehensive educational assessment that will evaluate each inmate for (i) the grade level at which each inmate performs in reading, math, science and social studies; (ii) any exceptionalities as defined by federal law; and (iii) the vocational and educational goals of each inmate;

(d) The development of an individualized educational plan for each inmate based on the educational assessment prescribed in this section;

(e) An inventory of each inmate's strengths, talents and interests and the development of an individualized plan for developing these strengths, talents and interests throughout the inmate's incarceration so that upon release, an inmate will become a law-abiding member of society;

(f) The development of a plan for maintaining communication with family members and involving family members in an inmate's rehabilitative programming whenever appropriate;

(g) The development of a plan for allowing an inmate to regularly exercise his faith and maintain or develop connections with the faith-based community;

(h) The receipt by each inmate of developmentally appropriate rehabilitative programming that addresses trauma, decision-making skills, and incorporates positive behavioral interventions and supports; and

(i) The use of research-based interventions that have been proved effective at reducing recidivism rates by the United States Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and the National Institute of Health.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2011.