53.1-41 - Opportunities for work and career and technical education. - Virginia Statutes

§ 53.1-41. Opportunities for work and career and technical education.

A. To the extent feasible, it shall be the duty of the Director to providepersons sentenced to the Department with opportunities to work and toparticipate in career and technical education programs as operated by theDepartment of Correctional Education in accordance with § 22.1-339 et seq.Such work opportunities may include business, industrial, agricultural,highway maintenance and construction, and work release programs as hereafterspecified in this article. In addition, prisoners may be employed to improve,repair, work on or cultivate public property or buildings.

In addition to meeting the qualifications for work performance and securitycompatibility, preference for placement in work programs shall be given toany prisoner who requests a work assignment and assigns a minimum of 50% ofhis earnings to his child support obligation.

B. When a person committed to the Department owes any court imposed fines,costs, forfeitures, restitution or penalties, he shall be required as acondition of participating in any work program to either make full payment ormake payments in accordance with an agreed upon installment or deferredpayment plan while participating in such work program. If, after the personenters into an installment or deferred payment agreement, the person fails topay as agreed, his participation in the work program may be terminated untilall fines, costs, forfeitures, restitution and penalties are satisfied. TheDirector shall withhold such payments from any amounts due to such person.

(Code 1950, §§ 53-33, 53-57, 53-224; 1970, c. 648; 1982, c. 636; 2001, c.483; 2006, c. 98; 2010, c. 616.)