§ 42-56-22 - Labor by persons committed on mesne process or to answer criminal charge. - Rhode Island Statutes

SECTION 42-56-22

   § 42-56-22  Labor by persons committed onmesne process or to answer criminal charge. – (a) Every person who shall be committed to the adult correctional institutionsto answer for any criminal offense, whether convicted or awaiting trial, or onmesne process in any qui tam or penal action, or on mesne process or executionin any civil action, may be permitted to labor in the discretion of thedirector, or his or her designee, for the state, and in that case may be paidnot more than three dollars ($3.00) a day for every day he or she shall laborwith the express consent of the director, or his or her designee, of thedepartment, to be credited to the prisoner's account by the assistant directorof administration, or his or her designee, and to be disbursed to the prisonerin accordance with the rules and regulations of the institutions; provided,further, however, there shall be maintained on account at all times at leasttwenty-five percent (25%) of the earnings of each prisoner up to a maximum ofone hundred dollars ($100) for those persons serving a sentence of lifeimprisonment without parole under §§ 11-23-2, 12-19.2-1 et seq., andup to a maximum of one thousand dollars ($1,000) for all other prisoners; thosefunds to be turned over to the prisoner at the time of his or her release fromthe institution, the funds being his or her property; the moneys to be paid tothe prisoner by order of the assistant director of management services upon thegeneral treasurer.

   (b) Nothing contained in this section shall prevent the useof the funds in the account for the payment of any court fees and court costsrequired to be paid for the filing, prosecution, and defense of any action.