§ 12-29-802 — Family considerations in inmate placement and visitation

Arkansas § 12-29-802

• Jurisdiction: Arkansas
• Title: 12

Text

(a) (1) To the greatest extent possible, after accounting for security and capacity factors, the Department of Corrections shall place an inmate who is a parent of one (1) or more minor children within two hundred fifty (250) miles of the inmate's permanent address of record. (2) An inmate's parentage of a minor child shall be evidenced by birth certificate or court order. (b) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections shall adopt rules authorizing the visitation of an inmate who is a parent of one (1) or more minor children and who has a low or minimum-security classification with his or her minor children under the following minimum requirements: (1) Ensure opportunities for the minor children to attend in-person visitation with their incarcerated parent at least one (1) time per week unless the department has a reasonable belief that the visitation poses a risk to the safety of the minor child or the security and good order of the facility; (2) Eliminate any restrictions on the number of minor children that are permitted visitation privileges with an inmate; (3) Authorize contact visits for an inmate who is a parent of one (1) or more minor children unless the department has a reasonable belief that contact visitation poses a risk to the safety of the minor child or the security and good order of the facility; (4) Eliminate any restrictions on the number of days on which an inmate may conduct video visitation with a minor child unless restrictions are necessary to maintain the security and good order of the facility; and (5) Require restrictions on an inmate's visitation with his or her minor children as a disciplinary measure to be subject to a higher level of review than restrictions on visitation with other individuals.

Legislative History

Added by Act 2023, No. 659,§ 112, eff. 1/1/2024.