(a) The Institutional Classification Board shall classify persons in the several institutions and facilities and shall promulgate regulations in accordance with which 1 or more classification committees shall be organized and operated not inconsistent with § 6527(b) of this title.

(b) The Institutional Classification Board’s purpose is the organization and harmony of inmate life.

(c) The Institutional Classification Board shall consist of an equal number of individuals from both the custodial staff and the treatment staff.

(d) The warden shall maintain the power to veto decisions of the Board.

(e) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require the Department to institute or maintain any system of classification of convicted persons for the purpose of assignment to institutions or housing units within institutions. However, the Department may, at its discretion, institute or maintain any such system at any or all of its institutions.

(f) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to require the Department to reduce the inmate population of any of its institutions below the capacity for which that institution was designed in order to accommodate any system of classification of convicted persons for purposes of assignment to institutions or housing units within an institution which the Department institutes or maintains.

(g) Nothing in this chapter requiring or permitting the Department to institute or maintain a program or programs for the custody, rehabilitation or care of persons coming under the jurisdiction of the Department, including but not limited to such programs as may be required or permitted by §§ 6530 and 6531 of this title, shall be construed to require the Department to reduce the inmate population at any of its institutions below the capacity for which that institution was designed.

11 Del. C. 1953, §  6529;  54 Del. Laws, c. 349, §  1;  60 Del. Laws, c. 703, §  2;  61 Del. Laws, c. 193, §§  1, 2; 

(a) The Institutional Release Classification Board shall classify any and all inmates seeking release from an institution for whatever reason.

(b) The Institutional Release Classification Board shall consist of 7 members: Two members each from the custodial staff and treatment staff as well as 3 individuals to be appointed by the Criminal Justice Council and whose terms shall run for a period of 4 years from the date of appointment.

(c) The 3 individuals to be appointed by the Criminal Justice Council shall receive compensation in the amount of $90 per meeting. However, no member so appointed shall receive compensation in excess of $4,000 per annum.

(d) The warden of the institution shall possess veto power over decisions of the Board and also shall possess discretionary authority to grant a furlough in the event of the sudden death of a member in an inmate’s immediate family.

60 Del. Laws, c. 703, §  2;  66 Del. Laws, c. 349, §  1;  78 Del. Laws, c. 305, §  7; 

Immediately after a person who has been sentenced to 90 days or more of imprisonment is received at any institution under the jurisdiction of the Department, a classification committee shall obtain and file complete information with regard to such person. Similar records may be compiled on persons sentenced to less than 90 days, in accordance with rules and regulations of the Department. When all such existing available records have been assembled, each such classification committee shall determine whether or not any further investigation is necessary, and, if so, it shall make such additional investigation. Each classification committee shall determine and prescribe the custodial and rehabilitation program and the care for each person coming under its jurisdiction. The classification committee shall determine the persons who shall work and labor and shall assign persons to jobs, studies and programs according to their abilities and in the manner best calculated to effectuate their training and rehabilitation. Review for reclassification shall occur periodically in accordance with the Department’s regulations, or whenever the committee shall deem it advisable.

11 Del. C. 1953, §  6530;  54 Del. Laws, c. 349, §  1; 

(a) Persons committed to the institutional care of the Department shall be dealt with humanely, with effort directed to their rehabilitation. To the maximum extent possible, the Department shall evaluate each person using an objective risk and needs assessment instrument and shall create a case plan for those persons assessed to be moderate- to high-risk that targets the need factors identified by the assessment. The Department shall prioritize the provision of such evaluations according to the length of sentence and the severity of the conduct giving rise to the sentence of incarceration. The Department shall make efforts to provide treatment and services responsive to the person’s needs and characteristics. Use of the objective risk assessment instrument shall commence by December 31, 2013.

(b) The Department shall establish alcohol and drug counseling and treatment programs for inmates. The Department may further establish a program of mandatory drug testing for inmates. In establishing such programs, the Department shall also establish rules and regulations regarding the order in which inmates shall be eligible to participate in such courses.

(c) When the Department shall make programs of counseling and treatment available to inmates at a correctional facility, inmates at such facility who are eligible in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Department established under subsection (b) of this section, shall be required to enroll in and participate in such programs.

(d) The costs of providing such counseling and treatment programs established pursuant to subsections (b) and (c) of this section shall, in accordance with a schedule to be established by the Department, be assessed against those inmates required under subsection (c) of this section to be enrolled, and may be deducted from said inmate’s account in accordance with the provisions of § 6532(f) of this title.

(e) Inmates required to participate in compulsory programs of drug or alcohol counseling or treatment established by the Department pursuant to this section shall not be eligible for parole nor shall the Department apply for modification of sentence until successfully completing such programs. Inmates refusing to participate in such programs shall further be subject to such other disciplinary measures as the Commissioner shall establish by regulation.

(f) The Department shall establish programs of work, case work counseling and psychotherapy, library and religious services and commissary, and shall further establish procedures for the classification of inmates for those purposes.

(g) The Department shall undertake an assessment of its ability to meet treatment and rehabilitation needs of the confined population every 3 years and endeavor to provide programs in accordance with identified needs. The first report shall be completed by December 31, 2012.

11 Del. C. 1953, §  6531;  54 Del. Laws, c. 349, §  1;  67 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  7;  78 Del. Laws, c. 392, §§  14, 15;  83 Del. Laws, c. 233, § 2; 

(a) The Department of Education and the Department of Correction shall be jointly responsible for the administration of a prison education program. The Department of Correction and the Department of Education shall work collaboratively through designated agency contracts to accomplish this task.

(b) The Department of Education and the Department of Correction shall be responsible for the oversight and management of the prison education program, including academic courses leading towards a high school diploma, life skills, special education, media resource services and vocational technical courses. The Department of Education shall be responsible for the establishment of rules and regulations regarding the administration of academic and vocational programs within the prison education program. The Department of Education shall be responsible for hiring teachers to provide instruction in these programs. The Department of Education shall further supervise these employees, who shall be considered employees of the Department of Education and are subject to all rules and regulations of the Department. Employees who are assigned to the prison education program as teachers that have remained Department of Correction employees shall be supervised by the Department of Education. Teachers who were employees at the time this legislation is enacted, that work for the Department of Correction, shall have the right to transfer to the Department of Education each year upon notification to the Department of Education by April 15 and such transfer shall become effective July 1 of that year. Any position transfer made pursuant to this section shall become permanent. If a remaining Department of Correction teacher position becomes vacant, the position and the associated funding shall be transferred to the Department of Education. Any Department of Education employee working in the prison education program and whose permanent work assignment location resides within or on the campus of a Department of Correction Level 5 or Level 4 facility must submit to the same random drug testing procedure required of Department of Correction employees.

(c) The Department of Correction through the wardens of each facility shall be responsible for classifying offenders in and out of the prison education program, providing dedicated facilities that accommodate the educational needs, and disciplining inmates who have displayed inappropriate behavior in the prison education program. The Department of Correction shall conduct security and background checks on all potential prison education personnel and notify the Department of Education as to the results of that security check.

(d) When the Department of Education shall make prison education programs available to inmates at a correctional facility, inmates at such facility who are eligible, in accordance with rules and regulations established under subsections (b) and (c) of this section, shall be required to enroll in and attend such courses.

(e) Inmates required to participate in compulsory programs of education as established under this section shall not be eligible for parole nor shall the Department of Correction apply for a modification of sentence until successfully obtaining a high school diploma or G.E.D. Inmates refusing to participate in such programs shall be subject to such disciplinary measures as the Commissioner of Correction shall establish by regulation.

(f) The Department of Education shall continue to provide funding through its discretionary federal special education funds for a portion of the education costs associated with prison inmates aged 18 to 21 years who qualify for special education.

67 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  5;  73 Del. Laws, c. 137, §  2;  73 Del. Laws, c. 320, §  4;  76 Del. Laws, c. 20, §  1; 

(a) The Department may establish compulsory programs of employment, work experience and training for all physically able inmates. To the maximum extent practical, these programs shall approximate normal conditions of employment in free agriculture, industry and business, with respect to equipment, management practices and general procedures.

(b) The products of inmate labor and services may be sold and marketed to tax-supported departments and institutions and agencies of the State and its governmental subdivisions and such other employers or entities within or outside of the State, as the Department shall determine. The Department may make contractual arrangements for the use of inmate labor by other tax-supported units of government responsible for the conservation of natural resources or other public works. The Department may also assign inmates to community work projects including, but not limited to, litter control along state highways and on state beaches and trash removal from state facilities, as provided in subsection (c) of this section.

(c) Before entering into an agreement with any other state department seeking prisoner-workers in accordance with this section, the Department shall have established a pilot litter-control program in each of the 3 counties with the cooperation of the Department of Transportation. The Department of Transportation shall advise the Department as to the kinds of equipment and the costs thereof that will be required and will act at all times as the consultant to the Department in this program.

(d) Inmates shall be compensated or awarded additional good time credits, at the discretion of and at rates fixed by the Department, for labor performed, including institutional maintenance.

(e) In the event that an inmate shall labor for more than 40 hours in 1 week, said inmate shall be compensated at 11/2 times the regular hourly rates paid to said inmates for such work time the inmate has labored in excess of 40 hours in 1 week.

(f) The Department shall cause to be placed into an account, payable to each inmate upon the inmate’s discharge, income from the inmate’s employment and any other income or benefits, accruing to or payable to, and for the benefit of said inmate, including but not limited to any worker’s compensation or Social Security benefits. From the account of each inmate, the Department shall deduct, in order of the priority set forth herein, the following sums:

(1) Support payments for dependents of the inmate who are receiving public assistance during the period of incarceration, or to whom the inmate is under a court ordered obligation to provide support and restitution as may have been assessed against said inmate pursuant to court order;

(2) Court costs, fines, and such other items as may be assessed against said inmate pursuant to court order; and

(3) A proportionate share of the costs of incarceration of inmates in the facility in which said inmate is housed including but not limited to room, board, medical care, legal services, prison education, training, library services, counseling and treatment services, religious services and other programs and services as shall be provided together with an allocation of the overhead for operating such prison and the Department in accordance with a fee schedule to be established by the Department.

(g) In assigning inmates to employment, work experience, training and community work project programs in accordance with this section:

(1) Assignments to programs conducted or operated outside the physical boundaries of Department-run correctional facilities shall not be available to inmates serving time for any crime classified as a class A felony, or any crime classified as a class B felony which involves a sex offense, escape or assault.

(2) The Department is authorized to establish regulations or guidelines further restricting the participation of inmates in such programs so as to minimize potential danger to the community.

(h) The Department is authorized to revoke previously earned good time (whether such good time was earned pursuant to this section or other provisions of this title) from inmates who refuse to perform labor as required by the Department pursuant to this section. In addition, the Department may impose such other lawful disciplinary measures as it deems appropriate upon inmates refusing to perform labor as required by the Department pursuant to this section.

(i) No greater amount of labor shall be required of any inmate than the inmate’s physical health and strength will reasonably permit, nor shall any inmate be placed at such labor as the institutional physician determines to be beyond the inmate’s ability to perform.

(j) Inmates refusing to participate in compulsory programs of employment established by the Department pursuant to this program shall not be eligible for parole nor shall the Department apply for modification of sentence, and shall further be subject to such other disciplinary measures as the Commissioner may establish by regulation.

11 Del. C. 1953, §  6532;  54 Del. Laws, c. 349, §  1;  62 Del. Laws, c. 96, §  1;  62 Del. Laws, c. 350, §  1;  62 Del. Laws, c. 377, §§  1, 2;  67 Del. Laws, c. 350, §  31;  67 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  1;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;  77 Del. Laws, c. 327, §  230;  83 Del. Laws, c. 82, § 1; 

(a) The Department shall adopt rules and regulations governing the employment of trustworthy inmates outside the institutions and facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department. Said Department shall adopt policies and procedures outlining the latitude and limitations of employers who utilize the service of inmates and provide provisions for any violation by said employer.

(b) Any inmate employed under subsection (a) of this section shall continue to be in the legal custody of the Department, notwithstanding the inmate’s absence from an institution by reason of such employment and any employer of any such person shall be considered the representative of, or keeper for, the Department.

(c) Whoever, being an employer or other person, through negligent control of the inmate or otherwise, permits, or whoever counsels, advises, aids, assists, abets or procures the escape from the legal control of the Department of any inmate employed under this subchapter, shall be fined, or imprisoned, or both.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or title to the contrary, no person shall be permitted work release under this section, until such person is within 6 months from the date of such person’s release from custody, as determined by the Department, if the person is:

(1) Serving a sentence imposed for a class A felony; or

(2) Serving a sentence imposed pursuant to § 4214 of this title; or

(3) Has previously been convicted of 2 or more of the following crimes set forth in this title under sections:

513 Conspiracy first degree;

531 Any attempt to commit any crime listed in this paragraph;

604 Reckless endangering first degree;

612 Assault second degree;

613 Assault first degree;

629 Vehicular assault first degree;

630 Vehicular homicide second degree;

630A Vehicular homicide first degree;

631 Criminally negligent homicide;

632 Manslaughter;

635 Murder second degree;

768 Unlawful sexual contact second degree;

769 Unlawful sexual contact first degree;

[Former] 770 Unlawful sexual penetration third degree;

[Former] 771 Unlawful sexual penetration second degree;

[Former] 772 Unlawful sexual penetration first degree;

[Former] 773 Unlawful sexual intercourse third degree;

[Former] 774 Unlawful sexual intercourse second degree;

770 Rape in the fourth degree;

771 Rape in the third degree;

772 Rape in the second degree;

773 Rape in the first degree;

776 Continuous sexual abuse of a child;

782 Unlawful imprisonment first degree;

783 Kidnapping second degree;

783A Kidnapping first degree;

801 Arson third degree;

802 Arson second degree;

803 Arson first degree;

831 Robbery second degree;

832 Robbery first degree;

[Former] 835 Carjacking in the second degree;

[Former] 836 Carjacking in the first degree;

1108 Sexual exploitation of a child;

1254 Assault in a detention facility;

1302 Riot;

1312A Stalking;

1338 Bombs, incendiary devices, Molotov cocktails and explosive devices;

1447 Possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony;

1447A Possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony;

1448 Possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited; or

3533 Aggravated act of intimidation.

(e) All wages, salary, or other compensation earned by or payable to an inmate employed in accordance with this section shall be placed in said inmate’s account and subject to deductions in accordance with the provisions of § 6532(f) of this title.

(f) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section or title to the contrary, no person who has previously been convicted under § 1252 or § 1253 of this title or any attempt to commit such crimes under § 531 of this title shall be permitted outside employment or work release under this section.

(g) Funds collected for goods produced or services performed by offenders housed at a Community Corrections facility shall be deposited in the Bureau of Community Corrections Special Services Fund. Such funds shall be used to support the operational costs for offender re-entry and work programs in the Bureau of Community Corrections. The Bureau of Community Corrections Special Services Fund shall be appropriated and expended in conformity with the annual Appropriations Act of the State.

11 Del. C. 1953, §  6533;  54 Del. Laws, c. 349, §  1;  58 Del. Laws, c. 433;  60 Del. Laws, c. 705, §  1;  61 Del. Laws, c. 363, §  1;  67 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  3;  70 Del. Laws, c. 181, §§  1, 2;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1;  71 Del. Laws, c. 285, §§  19, 20;  72 Del. Laws, c. 34, §  6;  77 Del. Laws, c. 318, §  6;  78 Del. Laws, c. 290, §  210;  82 Del. Laws, c. 216, § 1; 

(a) The balance remaining in an inmate’s account established and maintained in accordance with § 6532(f) of this title shall be paid to the inmate at the time of the inmate’s release, except that the Department may from time to time, in its discretion, or upon order from a court of competent jurisdiction, pay all or part thereof to the inmate as spending money. The Department shall establish guidelines and procedures for payments to inmates in accordance with this section.

(b) The Department shall have the authority to deduct from any inmate’s wages resulting from employment under the Private Sector/Prison Industries Enhancement Certification Program a portion thereof to be applied to the Victim Compensation Fund created pursuant to Chapter 90 of this title. All deductions made by the Department pursuant to this subsection shall be limited to no more than 20 percent and no less than 5 percent of an inmate’s gross wages received under the Program.

11 Del. C. 1953, §  6534;  54 Del. Laws, c. 349, §  1;  67 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  4;  67 Del. Laws, c. 436, §  1;  70 Del. Laws, c. 186, §  1; 

Upon the sentencing of any convicted criminal to incarceration in any state correctional facility, the Attorney General may file a claim for future maintenance and support of such inmate with the court from which said inmate was sentenced, and thereupon the court may make an order making such inmate’s estate or property liable for the expenses of such future care and support by the Department as is more fully provided in § 6532(f) of this title, and such claim, upon approval by the court, shall constitute a lien upon all property, real and personal, of said prisoner.

67 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  2; 

(a) There is hereby established a Delaware Correctional Industries Special Fund which shall consist of:

(1) Moneys received from the sale of products as described in § 6532 of this title;

(2) Moneys received through the contract of service or labor as described in § 6532 of this title;

(3) Moneys received per § 6532(f)(3) of this title;

(4) Moneys received per § 6531A(c) of this title; and

(5) Moneys received per § 6531(d) of this title.

(b) Funds from the Delaware Correctional Industries Special Fund shall be expended only for the following purposes:

(1) Financing the Delaware Correctional Industries programs, including, but not limited to, all prison manufacturing, construction, contractual services and labor provided;

(2) Financing the educational programs required by § 6531A of this title;

(3) Financing the treatment and rehabilitation programs required by § 6531 of this title;

(4) Financing any and all programs as itemized in § 6532(f)(3) of this title; and

(5) Financing the casual/seasonal positions referenced in § 6506(c) of this title.

(c) The Delaware Correctional Industries Special Fund shall be appropriated and expended in conformity with the annual Appropriations Act of the State.

(d) Nothing in this subchapter shall preclude the appropriation of general funds to support the programs itemized in subsection (b) of this section.

67 Del. Laws, c. 396, §  8;  78 Del. Laws, c. 305, §  7;  79 Del. Laws, c. 296, §  2;