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| New laws taking effect in R.I. DOC |
| By projo.com - John Hill |
| Published: 07/07/2011 |
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PROVIDENCE — Officials at the Department of Corrections said Wednesday they have begun the planning process for closing one of the state’s medium-security prisons, mandated by the 2011-12 state budget approved by the legislature and signed by Governor Chafee last week. The closing of the medium security Price unit wasn’t the only piece of legislation affecting the state’s prison system that the legislature passed this session. It also approved bills that: limit when the department can handcuff and shackle pregnant inmates; expand the possibility of medical paroles for chronically ill prisoners; and call for a study of how to change the state’s time off for good behavior laws. The budget, which included the closing of Price by Jan. 1 and the pregnant inmate bill have already been signed by the governor. The others are awaiting his decisions. Corrections Department officials had balked at, and the union representing the prisons’ correctional officers had vocally opposed, the plan to close the 324-bed Donald Price Medium Security Facility, one of two medium-security prisons at the Adult Correctional Institutions, but it was enacted with the overall state budget. Corrections Department spokeswoman Tracey E. Zeckhausen said the department had formed a committee of officials from the affected parts of the department to begin working on a plan. The group includes the warden and deputy wardens of medium- and minimum-security units, the department’s three assistant directors, its chief financial officer and the head of facilities and maintenance. Read More. |
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