1997 Minnesota Statutes

     241.277 Pilot project work program at Camp Ripley. 

    Subdivision 1.    Program established.  The commissioner 
 of corrections shall establish a four-year pilot project work 
 program at Camp Ripley.  The program must serve adult male 
 nonviolent felony and gross misdemeanor offenders who are 
 ordered to complete the program by courts under section 609.113. 

    Subd. 2.    Request for proposals.  After consulting 
 with and considering the advice of the association of Minnesota 
 counties, the commissioner may issue a request for proposals and 
 select a vendor to operate the program.  Section 16B.17 does not 
 apply to the issuance of the request for proposals. 

    Subd. 3.    Program described.  The program must require 
 offenders placed there to perform physical labor for at least 
 eight hours a day either at the facility or in other locations 
 in the surrounding area and must provide basic educational 
 programming in the evening. 

    Subd. 4.    Program guidelines.  The commissioner shall 
 develop guidelines for the operation of the work program.  These 
 guidelines must, at a minimum, address the nature and location 
 of the physical labor required and the extent of the educational 
 programming offered. 

    Subd. 5.    Status of offender.  An offender sentenced 
 to the work program is not committed to the commissioner of 
 corrections.  Instead, the offender is under the continuing 
 jurisdiction of the sentencing court.  Offenders sentenced to 
 the work program are not considered incarcerated for purposes of 
 computing good time or credit for time served.  

    Subd. 6.    Length of stay.  An offender sentenced by a 
 court to the work program must serve a minimum of two-thirds of 
 the pronounced sentence unless the offender is terminated from 
 the program and remanded to the custody of the sentencing court 
 as provided in subdivision 7.  The offender may be required to 
 remain at the program beyond the minimum sentence for any period 
 up to the full sentence if the offender violates disciplinary 
 rules. 

    Subd. 7.    Sanctions.  The commissioner shall ensure 
 that severe and meaningful sanctions are imposed for violations 
 of the conditions of the work program.  The commissioner shall 
 require that an offender be removed from the program and 
 remanded to the custody of the sentencing court if the offender: 

    (1) commits a material violation of or repeatedly fails to 
 follow the rules of the program; 

    (2) commits any misdemeanor, gross misdemeanor, or felony 
 offense; or 

    (3) presents a risk to the public, based on the offender's 
 behavior, attitude, or abuse of alcohol or controlled substances.

    Subd. 8.    Disciplinary rules.  By January 1, 1998, the 
 commissioner shall develop disciplinary rules applicable to the 
 work program, a violation of which may result in extending an 
 offender's stay at the program for any period of time up to the 
 maximum sentence.  These rules may address violations of program 
 rules, refusal to work, refusal to participate in the 
 educational program, and other matters determined by the 
 commissioner.  Extending an offender's stay shall be considered 
 to be a disciplinary sanction imposed upon the offender, and the 
 procedure for imposing the extension and the rights of the 
 offender in the procedure shall be those in effect for the 
 imposition of other disciplinary sanctions at state correctional 
 institutions. 

    Subd. 9.    Costs of program.  Counties sentencing 
 offenders to the program must pay 25 percent of the per diem 
 expenses for the offender.  The commissioner is responsible for 
 all other costs associated with the placement of offenders in 
 the program, including, but not limited to, the remaining per 
 diem expenses and the full cost of transporting offenders to and 
 from the program. 

    Subd. 10.    Report.  By January 15, 2002, the 
 commissioner shall report to the chairs of the senate and house 
 committees and divisions having jurisdiction over criminal 
 justice policy and funding on this program.  The report must 
 contain information on the recidivism rates for offenders 
 sentenced to the program. 

    HIST: 1997 c 239 art 9 s 10