South Carolina Law > Code of Laws > Title 24

SECTION 24-1-10.Construction of references to "State Penitentiary," "Penitentiary," and "Director of the Department of Corrections".

Wherever in the Code of Laws of South Carolina, 1976, reference is made to the State Penitentiary or Penitentiary, it shall mean the Department of Corrections or an institution of the Department of Corrections; and wherever reference is made to the Director of the Department of Corrections, it shall mean Commissioner of the Department of Corrections.

HISTORY: 1975 (59) 74.

SECTION 24-1-20.Declaration of policy.

It shall be the policy of this State in the operation and management of the Department of Corrections to manage and conduct the Department in such a manner as will be consistent with the operation of a modern prison system, and with the view of making the system self-sustaining, and that those convicted of violating the law and sentenced to a term in the State Penitentiary shall have humane treatment, and be given opportunity, encouragement and training in the matter of reformation.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-291; 1960 (51) 1917.

SECTION 24-1-30.Department of Corrections created; functions.

There is hereby created as an administrative agency of the State government the Department of Corrections. The functions of the Department shall be to implement and carry out the policy of the State with respect to its prison system, as set forth in Section 24-1-20, and the performance of such other duties and matters as may be delegated to it pursuant to law.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-292; 1960 (51) 1917.

SECTION 24-1-40.Department to be governed by appointed director; filling of vacancies; director subject to removal.

The department shall be governed by a director appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Any vacancy occurring for any cause shall be filled by the Governor in the manner provided for by law for the unexpired term. The director shall be subject to removal from office as provided in Section 1-3-240.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-293; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 373.

SECTION 24-1-90.Director authorized to make rules and regulations.

The director shall have authority to make and promulgate rules and regulations necessary for the proper performance of the department's functions.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-298; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 374.

SECTION 24-1-100.Qualifications of director.

The director shall possess qualifications and training which suit him to manage the affairs of a modern penal institution.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-299; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 375.

SECTION 24-1-110.Employment and discharge of other personnel.

(A) The duty of the director shall extend to the employment and discharge of such persons as may be necessary for the efficient conduct of the prison system.

(B) In order to positively impact the retention of qualified correctional officers, and notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, the Director of the Department of Corrections is authorized to expend nonappropriated funds for the purpose of providing certain services to correctional officers at no cost or at a reduced cost. These services may include, but are not limited to, haircuts, cleaning of agency uniforms, and other services that relate directly to job requirements for correctional officers. These services may be provided by inmates incarcerated within the department. The price for the services, if any, shall be determined by the Director of the Department of Corrections. Any funds generated by these activities may be retained by the department and applied to costs associated with the operation of correctional officer retention incentives.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-300; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 376; 2008 Act No. 353, Section 2, Pt 14.E, eff July 1, 2009.

Effect of Amendment

The 2008 amendment designated subsection (A) and added subsection (B) relating to employee retention.

SECTION 24-1-120.Bonds of director and other personnel.

The director shall execute a good and sufficient bond payable to the State in the sum of fifty thousand dollars, conditioned for the faithful performance of the duties of his office and the accurate accounting for all moneys and property coming into his hands; and he may require of other officers, employees and agents of the prison system a good and sufficient bond in such sum as it may determine upon, payable to the State upon like conditions. Such bonds shall be executed by a surety company authorized to do business under the laws of this State, and the premium on any such bond shall be paid by the State out of the support and maintenance fund of the prison system.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-301; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 377.

SECTION 24-1-130.Management and control of prison system.

The director shall be vested with the exclusive management and control of the prison system, and all properties belonging thereto, subject to the limitations of Sections 24-1-20 to 24-1-230 and 24-1-260 and shall be responsible for the management of the affairs of the prison system and for the proper care, treatment, feeding, clothing, and management of the prisoners confined therein. The director shall manage and control the prison system.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-302; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 378.

SECTION 24-1-140.Director empowered to make rules and regulations; separation and classification of prisoners.

The director shall have power to prescribe reasonable rules and regulations governing the humane treatment, training, and discipline of prisoners, and to make provision for the separation and classification of prisoners according to sex, color, age, health, corrigibility, and character of offense upon which the conviction of the prisoner was secured.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-303; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 379.

SECTION 24-1-145.Transfer or exchange of foreign convicted offenders.

Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, when any treaty between the United States and a foreign country provides for the transfer or exchange of convicted offenders to the country of which they are citizens or nationals, the Governor, on behalf of this State, shall be authorized, subject to the terms of such treaty, to permit the Director of the Department of Corrections to transfer or exchange offenders and take any other action necessary to participate in such treaty.

HISTORY: 1981 Act No. 42, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 380.

SECTION 24-1-150.Annual inventory and report of prison system property; statement of fiscal affairs.

Annually the director shall cause a full and complete inventory of all property of every description belonging to the prison system to be made, and there shall be set opposite each item the book and actual market value of same. Such inventory shall further include a statement of the fiscal affairs of the system for the preceding fiscal year; and a sufficient number of copies of such inventory and report shall be printed to give general publicity thereto.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-304; 1960 (51) 1917; 1966 (54) 2184; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 381.

SECTION 24-1-160.Periodic reports from departments, officers and employees.

The director shall have power to require all necessary reports from any department, officer, or employee of the prison system at stated intervals.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-305; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 382.

SECTION 24-1-170.Financial records.

The director shall keep, or cause to be kept, correct and accurate accounts of each and every financial transaction of the prison system, including all receipts and disbursements of every character. He shall receive and receipt for all money paid to him from every source whatsoever, and shall sign all warrants authorizing any disbursement of any sum or sums on account of the prison system. He shall keep full and correct accounts with any industry, department and farm of the prison system, and with all persons having financial transactions with the prison system.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-306; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 383.

SECTION 24-1-210.Department to prosecute violations relating to treatment of convicts.

The department shall prosecute all violations of the law in reference to the treatment of convicts.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-310; 1952 Code Section 55-310; 1942 Code Section 1967; 1932 Code Section 1982; Cr. C. '22 Section 966; Cr. C. '12 Section 983; Cr. C. '02 Section 695; R. S. 576; 1885 (19) 74; 1939 (41) 107; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 385.

SECTION 24-1-220.Suits to be brought in name of director.

All actions or suits at law accruing to the department shall be brought in the name of the director, who shall also appear for and defend actions or suits at law in which it is to the interest of the department to appear as a party defendant. No suit or action at law shall be brought for or defended on behalf of the department except by authority of the director.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-311; 1952 Code Section 55-311; 1942 Code Section 1971; 1932 Code Section 1971; Cr. C. '22 Section 955; Cr. C. '12 Section 959; Cr. C. '02 Section 673; G. S. 2722; R. S. 558; 1882 (18) 255; 1960 (51) 1917; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 386.

SECTION 24-1-230.Director may purchase or condemn lands for constructing building or sewer or water line.

The Department of Corrections may purchase or condemn lands for the construction of any building or sewerage or water line essential to the operation of the prison system.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-312; 1962 (52) 1905; 1987 Act No. 173 Section 17; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 387.

SECTION 24-1-250.Sale of timber and horticultural products; utilization of funds.

(A) The Department of Corrections is hereby authorized to sell mature trees and other timber suitable for commercial purposes from lands owned by the department. Prior to such sales, the director shall consult with the State Forester to determine the economic and environmental feasibility of and obtain approval for such sales. Funds derived from timber sales shall be utilized by the Department of Corrections to maintain and expand the agricultural program subject to the approval of the Department of Administration or at the discretion of the director, for projects or services benefiting the general welfare of the inmate population.

(B) The Department of Corrections is hereby authorized to sell horticultural products suitable for commercial purposes that are grown or produced through the department's horticulture program. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the proceeds from the sale of horticultural products by the Department of Corrections shall be retained by the agency to fund services benefiting the general welfare of all inmates.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-340; 1969 (56) 100; 1981 Act No. 148, Section 8; 1982 Act No. 293, Section 1; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 388; 2008 Act No. 353, Section 2, Pt 14.C, eff July 1, 2009.

Effect of Amendment

The 2008 amendment designated subsection (A) and added subsection (B) relating to horticultural products; and, in subsection (A), deleted the second sentence which limited sales to fifty thousand dollars in any one year, in the second sentence added "and environmental", and added the clause at the end of the third sentence following "Budget and Control Board".

SECTION 24-1-252.Surplus products produced by farm program; use of proceeds.

Notwithstanding another provision of law, the Department of Corrections shall retain proceeds from the sale of surplus products produced by its farm program. These funds may be used to:

(1) offset the operating costs of the farm program;

(2) expand and modernize the farm program; and

(3) support a project or service to benefit the general welfare of the prison population.

HISTORY: 2008 Act No. 353, Section 2, Pt 14A, eff July 1, 2009.

SECTION 24-1-260.Use of fees collected in clinical pastoral training program.

The Department of Corrections is hereby authorized to retain all fees collected in connection with the clinical pastoral training program conducted by the department for use in the continued operation of that program.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-313; 1971 (57) 190; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 389.

SECTION 24-1-270.Trespass, loitering, or refusal to leave State correctional properties prohibited.

(A) As used in this section, the term 'state correctional properties' includes all property under the control of the Director of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, or his agents, for the confinement of inmates or other uses pursuant to the director's responsibilities.

(B) It is unlawful for a person to:

(1) trespass or loiter on state correctional properties after notice to leave is given by the director or his authorized agents or, after lawful entry, refuse to leave the premises after notice is given; or

(2) incite, solicit, urge, encourage, exhort, instigate, or procure a person to violate the provisions of item (1) of this subsection.

(C) A person violating the provisions of this section is guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than five thousand dollars or imprisoned not more than five years, or both.

(D) The provisions of this section must not be construed to bar prosecution of other offenses committed on state correctional property.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-12.1; 1972 (57) 2515; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 390; 1993 Act No. 184, Section 60.

SECTION 24-1-280.Employees of Department of Corrections, Department of Juvenile Justice, or Department of Mental Health as peace officers.

An employee of the South Carolina Department of Corrections, the South Carolina Department of Juvenile Justice, or the Department of Mental Health whose assigned work location is one of the correctional facilities of the Department of Corrections or the Department of Juvenile Justice, while performing his officially assigned duty relating to the custody, control, transportation, or recapture of an inmate within the jurisdiction of his department, or an inmate of any jail, penitentiary, prison, public work, chain gang, or overnight lockup of the State or any political subdivision of it not within the jurisdiction of his department, has the status of a peace officer anywhere in the State in any matter relating to the custody, control, transportation, or recapture of the inmate.

HISTORY: 1962 Code Section 55-359; 1963 (53) 505; 1974 (58) 2175; 1999 Act No. 72, Section 2003 Act No. 12, Section 3.

SECTION 24-1-285.Organ and tissue donation program.

(A) An organ and tissue donor program is established within the Department of Corrections. The purpose of the program is to educate prisoners about the need for organ and tissue donors, the procedures required to become a registered organ donor, and, in the case of bone marrow donors, the procedures for determining the person's tissue type and the medical procedures a donor must undergo to donate bone marrow. The Medical University of South Carolina and the University of South Carolina, School of Medicine, in conjunction with the Department of Corrections, must make available to prisoners educational pamphlets and brochures concerning bone marrow donation and the bone marrow donation programs operating in this State.

(B) Organ or tissue donations, other than bone marrow donations, may be made by a prisoner, or other person, who meets the requirements contained in Section 44-43-315 and in the manner provided by Section 44-43-320. However, if the department determines that a prisoner's participation in the program would constitute a threat to security, then the department may prohibit the prisoner from participating.

(C) The department is not responsible for any costs associated with tests or other procedures required to make an organ or tissue donation, including costs associated with follow-up doctor appointments or complications arising from donation.

(D) Within its prisoner housing units, the department must display signage informing prisoners of the donor program and, upon request, must provide prisoners with a form, sufficient under the provisions of the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, for the gift of all or part of the donor's body conditioned upon the donor's death and a document containing a summary description and explanation of the act. If the prisoner would like to make an organ or tissue donation, the department must provide the prisoner with appropriate assistance and the presence of the legally required number of witnesses. A prisoner's election to donate all or any part of his body pursuant to this section must be noted in his prison records.

(E) The department, in conjunction with appropriate medical authorities, must develop and maintain policies and procedures to:

(1) facilitate participation by interested prisoners in the bone marrow donor programs established in Article 2, Chapter 43, Title 44; and

(2) ensure that organ and tissue donations made by prisoners, other than bone marrow donations, comply with Articles 5, 7, and 11, Chapter 43 of Title 44.

(F) All organ or tissue donations, including bone marrow donations, made pursuant to this section must be made on a voluntary basis.

HISTORY: 2007 Act No. 41, Section 1, eff June 4, 2007.

SECTION 24-1-290.Prison industries program; marketing plan; certification by Department of Commerce as to unfair competitive wage disadvantage; publication of notice.

(A) The Department of Corrections, in conjunction with the Department of Commerce, shall develop and maintain a marketing plan to attract private sector service businesses for the employment of inmates through the prison industries program.

(B) Prior to entering into new contracts and renewals of existing contracts with private sector service entities that want to hire inmates through the prison industries program, the Department of Corrections must provide public notice of its intention to establish or continue a prison-based industry at a particular facility and receive certification by the Department of Commerce that an unfair competitive wage disadvantage to the local economy is not created by each new contract for prison labor.

(1) The public notice required in this subsection must be forwarded to a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the prison-based industry is or will be located, with a request that it be published at least once a week for two consecutive weeks. The notice must include a description of the work to be performed, the intent to contract for inmate labor, and provide that objections to the proposed hiring of prison labor may be filed with the Department of Commerce within thirty days of the last date that the notice appears.

(a) The Department of Commerce must maintain a copy of any objections filed for a period of three years from the date that the objections were received.

(b) Advertising costs associated with the publication of notice must be borne by the entity seeking to contract for prison labor.

(2) The certification required by this subsection must be based upon objections to the establishment of a prison-industry program provided for in item (1).

(C) No contract may be negotiated or executed prior to forty days after the last date that the notice required by subsection (A) appears. New contracts and renewals of existing contracts between private sector entities and the Department of Corrections must be negotiated in accordance with procedures established jointly by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Corrections. The procedures must be drafted to ensure fairness and consistency in establishing contracts with private sector entities seeking to establish or continue prison-based operations whenever the wage to be paid is less than the federally established minimum wage.

(D) The marketing plan and the procedures for negotiating new contracts and contract renewals must be submitted to and approved by the Department of Administration prior to implementation. The Department of Corrections shall annually submit an audit report of the program to the Senate Corrections and Penology Committee and the House Medical, Military, Public and Municipal Affairs Committee. The provisions of the section may not be construed to apply to traditional prison industries as authorized in Section 24-3-320.

HISTORY: 2007 Act No. 68, Section 1, eff August 1, 2007.

SECTION 24-1-295.Inmates employed for work involving exportation of products; deductions from wages.

The Director of the Department of Corrections may enter into contracts with private sector entities that allow inmate labor to be provided for prison industry service work and export work that involves exportation of products. The use of inmate labor may not result in the displacement of employed workers within the local region in which work is being performed. Pursuant to this section, service work is defined as any work that includes repair, replacement of original manufactured items, packaging, sorting, recycling, labeling, or similar work that is not original equipment manufacturing. The department may negotiate the wage to be paid for inmate labor provided under prison industry service work contracts and export work contracts, and these wages may be less than the prevailing wage for work of a similar nature in the private sector. However, the Director of the Department of Corrections shall deduct the following from the gross earnings of the inmates engaged in prison industry service work in addition to any other required deductions:

(1) If restitution to a particular victim or victims has been ordered by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, then twenty percent must be used to fulfill the restitution obligation.

(2) If restitution to a particular victim or victims has not been ordered by a court of appropriate jurisdiction, or if the court-ordered restitution to a particular victim or victims has been satisfied, then twenty percent must be applied to the South Carolina Victim Compensation Fund.

(3) Thirty-five percent must be used to pay the prisoner's child support obligations pursuant to law, court order, or agreement of the prisoner. These child support monies must be disbursed to the guardian of the child or children or to appropriate clerks of court, in the case of court ordered child support, for application toward payment of child support obligations, whichever is appropriate. If there are no child support obligations, then twenty-five percent must be used by the Department of Corrections to defray the cost of the prisoner's room and board. Furthermore, if there are no child support obligations, then ten percent must be made available to the inmate during his incarceration for the purchase of incidentals pursuant to item (4). This is in addition to the ten percent used for the same purpose in item (4).

(4) Ten percent must be made available to the inmate during his incarceration for the purchase of incidentals. Any monies made available to the inmate for the purchase of incidentals also may be distributed to the person or persons of the inmate's choice.

(5) Ten percent must be held in an interest bearing escrow account for the benefit of the prisoner.

(6) The remaining balance must be used to pay federal and state taxes required by law. Any monies not used to satisfy federal and state taxes must be made available to the inmate for the purchase of incidentals pursuant to item (4).

HISTORY: 2007 Act No. 68, Section 2, eff August 1, 2007.

SECTION 24-1-300.Unlawful operation of unmanned aerial vehicle near Department of Corrections facility; penalties; exclusions.

(A) Except as provided in subsection (D), a person shall not operate an unmanned aerial vehicle within a horizontal distance of five hundred feet or a vertical distance of two hundred fifty feet from any Department of Corrections facility without written consent from the Director of the Department of Corrections.

(B) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days, or both.

(C)(1) In addition to the penalty provided in this section, an unmanned aerial vehicle involved in the violation of this section may be confiscated by the Department of Corrections. An unmanned aerial vehicle must not be disposed of in any manner until the results of any legal proceeding in which it may be involved are finally determined, or as otherwise required by Section 17-28-300, et seq. Records must be kept of all confiscated unmanned aerial vehicles received by the Department of Corrections under the provisions of this section. Upon conviction, pursuant to a violation of this section, the relevant unmanned aerial vehicle shall be transferred to the State Law Enforcement Division to use within the agency for any lawful purpose or for destruction, unless otherwise provided in this section.

(2) Any unmanned aerial vehicle confiscated pursuant to this section shall be administratively released to an innocent owner. The unmanned aerial vehicle must not be released to the innocent owner until the results of any legal proceedings in which the unmanned aerial vehicle may be involved are finally determined, or as otherwise required by Section 17-28-300, et seq. Before the unmanned aerial vehicle may be released, the innocent owner shall provide the Department of Corrections with proof of ownership; shall certify that the innocent owner neither was a consenting party to nor had knowledge of the use of the unmanned aerial vehicle that made it subject to confiscation; and shall certify that the innocent owner will not release the unmanned aerial vehicle to the person who was charged with the violation of this section that resulted in the confiscation of the unmanned aerial vehicle. The Department of Corrections shall notify the innocent owner when the unmanned aerial vehicle is available for release. If the innocent owner fails to recover the unmanned aerial vehicle within thirty days after notification of the release, the Department of Corrections may use the unmanned aerial vehicle within the agency for any lawful purpose or destroy it.

(D) The provisions of this section do not apply to any person who: registers with the Federal Aviation Administration as an operator of a commercial unmanned aerial vehicle; operates the vehicle for the purpose of monitoring, operating, maintaining or enhancing electric, communications, water conveyance, or transportation infrastructure or determining if repairs to such infrastructure are necessary; and separately notifies the Director of the Department of Corrections or his designee no more than five days and no less two hours prior to each operation of the vehicle, provided that the notification must include the registration number the Federal Aviation Administration has issued for the vehicle.

HISTORY: 2018 Act No. 184 (S.176), Section 1, eff May 17, 2018.

SECTION 24-1-310.Designation of detention and correctional facilities as fixed-state facilities.

The Department of Corrections shall petition the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to designate any local detention facility, or state or federal correctional facility in the State as a fixed-site facility within ninety days of the effective date of this section, pursuant to rules and regulations adopted pursuant to Section 2209 of the FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016, Public Law No. 114-190. The department shall follow all guidance from the FAA in submitting and processing the petition. The South Carolina Aeronautics Commission shall publish designations by the FAA in accordance with this act on the commission's website.

HISTORY: 2018 Act No. 184 (S.176), Section 3, eff May 17, 2018.

SECTION 24-1-320.List of designated sites and unmanned aerial vehicle boundaries.

To promote harmonization and air safety, the Department of Corrections and local detention facilities shall provide the South Carolina Aeronautics Commission a list of designated sites or facilities, and shall provide the commission with the unmanned aerial vehicle boundary in electronic format (ARGIS or AutoCAD) necessary to display the information within the Geographical Information Systems formats utilized by the commission within thirty days of the effective date of this section, and the commission shall publish the designated sites or facilities' information on the commission's website.

HISTORY: 2018 Act No. 184 (S.176), Section 4, eff May 17, 2018.