Operations

Title 29: Prisons and Parole Part 2: Operations Subpart 1: Security Part 2 Chapter 1: Outside Business/Company Entry and Exit to Institution Property Subchapter 1: Policy Rule 1.1.1 POLICY: It is the policy of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) to establish procedures for the controlled entry and exit of outside businesses/companies relative to institutional property. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Rule 1.1.2 PRECEPTS: The Deputy Commissioner of Institutions or designee will develop procedures to provide guidelines for outside businesses and companies entering or exiting institutional grounds. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Rule 1.1.3 DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: As required by this policy and through the chain of command. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Subpart 1: Security Part 2 Chapter 1: Outside Business/Company Entry and Exit to Institution Property Subchapter 2: Standard Operating Procedure Rule 1.2.1 APPLICABILITY: This procedure applies to outside business/companies and Mississippi Department of Corrections employees. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Rule 1.2.2 POLICY STATEMENT:

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It is the policy of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) to establish procedures for the controlled entry and exit of outside businesses/companies relative to institutional property. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Rule 1.2.3 PROCEDURES: A. Prior to the beginning of any outside business/company project, security manpower needs

and working hours will be agreed upon at the preliminary meeting. B. A list of employees will be submitted to the Superintendent by the company/business two

weeks prior to the beginning of any project. A copy of this list will be maintained at the front gate. Only the listed employees will be permitted access to the institution. C. A log will be maintained at the designated entry point for each business/company listing

the name of the company, the supervisor, and each worker. All individuals entering and exiting the facility will be required to stop their vehicles and identify themselves. D. All passenger vehicles will be parked in a designated area and will be subject to

inspection. All vehicles will be locked and will not contain contraband items, including alcoholic beverages. E. Individuals may be prosecuted for illicit interactions with offenders based on the

applicable Mississippi state laws. F. Company/Business employees will be subject to a frisk search by officers of the same sex

at any time. G. Company/Business employees will not provide or receive anything from offenders

assigned to the facility. H. The entry of any weapon will be strictly forbidden. Any lost item or tool will be reported

to security staff immediately. I.

If company/business employees are taking prescribed medication, it will be carried in the prescription bottle with only enough dosage for the work shift. The front gate officer will be advised and will register the name of the worker and the medication.

J. The company/business supervisor will be responsible for notifying the institution as soon

as possible if employees are not working because of inclement weather or some other reason. K. Former inmates or parolees will not be permitted on the compound as a part of a work

crew unless prior approval has been granted by his supervising officer and the Superintendent.

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1. Projects Inside Secure Perimeters A. All employees in vehicles requiring access to a secure perimeter will enter through the

identified vehicle entry of the correctional facility. B. Employees will not be permitted to enter the secure perimeter if believed to be under the

influence of intoxicants. The Shift Commander will be advised if there is a suspicion and make the decision to deny entry. C. A security officer will escort all employees inside the compound. D. Each employee will be required to submit his driver’s license in exchange for a pass at

the entry point. The pass number will be registered upon entry as well as exit. E. Employees will maintain the pass on their person while on the premises and produce the

pass to any Department of Corrections personnel for review upon request. A lost pass will be immediately reported to the Superintendent. F. The driver’s license will be returned upon exit from the secure perimeter.

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identification will be made prior to exiting the compound. G. Employees will be required to provide an inventory of tools taken into the compound.

Institutional personnel will check this inventory as necessary. Only the tools required for that day’s work will be taken inside the compound. Non-required utility trucks and tools will remain outside the fence in a secure area approved for this purpose. H. All tools will be accounted for upon the crew’s exit from the secure perimeter. No tools

will be left overnight inside the secure perimeter except in a locked gang box or in a secure area approved by the Superintendent. I.

Violation of this policy will result in employees not being permitted on the grounds. Statutory violations will be prosecuted.

J. All construction projects as they relate to the security of the institution will be channeled

through the Superintendent for review. 2. Outside Deliveries A. Deliveries at the state institutions will be made during normal business hours from 8:00

a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. B. Any exceptions must be approved by the institutional controlling authority prior to

delivery. C. Drop-offs and pick-ups will be limited to the following locations at the state institutions:

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1. Mississippi State Penitentiary:

Post Office, Mississippi Prison Industries – Textile building

Hospital, Central Warehouse,

2. Central Mississippi Correctional Facility: Maintenance Department, Mississippi

Prison Industries, CMCF III Clinic, Warehouse, Post Office 3. South Mississippi Correctional Institution:

Central Warehouse, Maintenance Warehouse, Mississippi Prison Industries, Vo-Tech, Infirmary, Central Kitchen

Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Rule 1.2.4 DOCUMENTS REQUIRED: As required by this procedure and through the chain of command. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Subpart 1: Security Part 2 Chapter 2: Mail, Telephone, Visiting Subchapter 1: Control of Contraband/Body Searches - Visitors Rule 2.1.1 POLICY: It is the policy of the Mississippi Department of Corrections (MDOC) to control contraband from visitors. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-193, 47-5-194, 47-5-195, 47-5-198. Rule 2.1.2 DEFINITIONS 1. Contraband – Any items not authorized by Mississippi Code, MDOC policy, procedure, or post order. 2. Identification (ID) – Valid photo identification denoting vital statistical information specific to an individual. Forms of ID include: driver’s license, state ID, or Federal ID. 3. Visitor – Any person entering a MDOC facility who is not an authorized agency staff member, contract employee, volunteer or consultant. 4. Spice/Mojo – A form of contraband which is a combination of herbs; baybean (canavalia maritime), blue lotus (nymphaea carulea & nymphaea alba), lion’s tail (Leonotis leonurus), Indian warrior (pedicularis densiflora), dwarf scallop (scuttelaria nana), moconha brava (zornia latifolia), pink lotus (nelumbo nucifera), Siberian motherwort (leonurus sibircus), vanilla and honey, that produces some of the same effects as 4

marijuana. 5. JHW-108 Synthetic Marijuana – A man-made chemical/THC variant that produces similar affects as THC except is four (4) times stronger. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-10. Rule 2.1.3 PRECEPTS: 1. The Deputy Commissioner of Institutions and the Deputy Commissioner of Community Corrections or designees will develop procedures for contraband searches of any visitor entering MDOC property. The scope of searches will include: A. Persons B. Vehicles C. Personal property D. Allowable items 2. Penalty for Contraband Spice/Mojo/JHW-108 synthetic marijuana is considered contraband and is not allowed at any MDOC facility. Those visitors detected with contraband will incur one or more of the following punitive actions: A. Confiscation B. Loss or suspension of visitation privileges C. Expulsion from MDOC property D. Arrest E. Prosecution Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-193, 47-5-194, 47-5-195, 47-5-198. Rule 2.1.4 APPLICABILITY: This procedure applies to all MDOC employees, offenders, and visitors. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-193, 47-5-194, 47-5-195, 47-5-198. Rule 2.1.5 PROCEDURES: 1. Facility Contraband Warnings A. In accordance with each MDOC facility’s physical layout, signs will be posted at facility entrances specifying those items deemed to be contraband by agency security and the

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subsequent penalty for violating said prohibitions. The signs will contain the following information: Attention all Visitors and Vendors B. At all times while on the grounds of the Mississippi Department of Corrections, you are subject to search of your person, vehicles, personal property, or any/all items you may have in your possession. Guns, knives, ammunition, alcohol, drugs, weapons, or any instrument or tool that may be used as a weapon or any other items declared by this institution to be contraband are strictly forbidden. Contraband will be confiscated and violators will be prosecuted. 2. Facility Ingress All visitors entering any MDOC facility will be subject to vehicle, person and personal effects searches by the Canine (K-9) Tactical Unit, Emergency Response Team and/or other security designations by the facility’s controlling authority or designee. These searches may include the coordinated efforts of K-9 dogs trained in the detection of drugs, weapons and other contraband. 3. Visitor Refusal of Search When a visitor refuses an initial search or screening by a scanning device, the visitor will: A. Not be allowed to enter the facility B. Have their visit terminated C. Have their visitor’s privileges suspended 4. Strip Searches and/or Body Cavity Searches of Visitors A. When any visitor is believed, upon reasonable suspicion, to be carrying contraband, they will be asked to consent to a strip search and/or body cavity search. Such searches must have the approval of the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees. B. Any visitor who refuses to consent to a strip search or body cavity search will be denied visitation access and will be escorted off MDOC property. The Senior Duty Officer will forward an incident report to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees C. Strip searches of visitors will always be conducted by a supervisory employee of the same sex as the visitor being searched. The Institutional Duty Warden will forward a strip search incident report to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees. D. Medical personnel at institutions will always conduct the same sex body cavity searches of all visitors. The results of a body cavity search and subsequent incident report will be

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forwarded to the facility Superintendent, Warden and/or other controlling authority or designees by the Senior Duty Officer. 5. Investigative Protocols for Visitor Contraband A. Upon confiscation of contraband as specified by statutes 47-5-193 through 47-5-198, contraband item(s) will be handled by the least number of persons possible in order to ensure evidential integrity. B. Any person(s) handling evidence will wear latex gloves. C. Contraband will be secured in an evidence bag in order to establish a chain of custody. D. Institutional staff will notify and debrief the on-call Corrections Investigation Division (CID) Investigator who will then recommend disposition of the contraband. E. Private prisons, County Regional facilities and Community Work Centers will notify local law enforcement authorities. F. Involved staff will detain and isolate suspect(s) without questioning them. G. When more than one suspect is involved, the suspects will be isolated in separate locations. H. Suspects will never be left unattended. I. Upon arrival of CID or the law enforcement authorities, suspects and evidence will be surrendered to the investigating officer. J. An interview with the confiscating staff member(s) will either follow immediately or be scheduled shortly thereafter. 6. Handicapped Visitors Under extraordinary circumstances, handicapped visitors will be escorted to and from offender housing units for visits and will be searched by Visitation staff and by staff assigned to those units. Extraordinary circumstances may include, but not be limited to: A. Visitor’s wheelchair is too large to fit on a lift B. Visitor is in need of breathing equipment C. Visitor cannot enter through the Visitation Center Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-193, 47-5-194, 47-5-195, 47-5-198. Rule 2.1.6 DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:

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As required by this policy and through the chain of command. Source: Miss. Code Ann. §47-5-193, 47-5-194, 47-5-195, 47-5-198.

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