2023 South Carolina Code of Laws › Title 24 - Corrections, Jails, Probations, Paroles and Pardons › Chapter 13 - Prisoners Generally › Section 24-13-710. Implementation of supervised furlough program; search and seizure; fee; guidelines; eligibility criteria.

The Department of Corrections and the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services shall jointly develop the policies, procedures, guidelines, and cooperative agreement for the implementation of a supervised furlough program which permits carefully screened and selected inmates who have served the mandatory minimum sentence as required by law or have not committed a violent crime as defined in Section 16-1-60, a "no parole offense" as defined in Section 24-13-100, the crime of criminal sexual conduct in the third degree as defined in Section 16-3-654, or the crime of criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the third degree as defined in Section 16-3-655(C) to be released on furlough prior to parole eligibility and under the supervision of state probation and parole agents with the privilege of residing in an approved residence and continuing treatment, training, or employment in the community until parole eligibility or expiration of sentence, whichever is earlier.
Before an inmate may be released on supervised furlough, the inmate must agree in writing to be subject to search or seizure, without a search warrant, with or without cause, of the inmate's person, any vehicle the inmate owns or is driving, and any of the inmate's possessions by:
(1) any probation agent employed by the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; or
(2) any other law enforcement officer.
An inmate must not be granted supervised furlough if he fails to comply with this provision. However, an inmate who was convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a Class C misdemeanor or an unclassified misdemeanor that carries a term of imprisonment of not more than one year may not be required to agree to be subject to search or seizure, without a warrant, with or without cause, of the inmate's person, any vehicle the inmate owns or is driving, or any of the inmate's possessions.
The department and the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services shall assess a fee sufficient to cover the cost of the participant's supervision and any other financial obligations incurred because of his participation in the supervised furlough program as provided by this article. The two departments shall jointly develop and approve written guidelines for the program to include, but not be limited to, the selection criteria and process, requirements for supervision, conditions for participation, and removal.
The conditions for participation must include the requirement that the offender must permit the search or seizure, without a search warrant, with or without cause, of the offender's person, any vehicle the offender owns or is driving, and any of the offender's possessions by:
(1) any probation agent employed by the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services; or
(2) any other law enforcement officer.
However, the conditions for participation for an offender who was convicted of or pled guilty or nolo contendere to a Class C misdemeanor or an unclassified misdemeanor that carries a term of imprisonment of not more than one year may not include the requirement that the offender agree to be subject to search or seizure, without a search warrant, with or without cause, of the offender's person, any vehicle the offender owns or is driving, or any of the offender's possessions.
By enacting this provision, the General Assembly intends to provide law enforcement with a means of reducing recidivism and does not authorize law enforcement officers to conduct searches for the sole purpose of harassment. Immediately before each search or seizure conducted pursuant to this section, the law enforcement officer seeking to conduct the search or seizure must verify with the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services or by any other means available to the officer that the individual upon whom the search or seizure will be conducted is currently on supervised furlough. A law enforcement officer conducting a search or seizure without a warrant pursuant to this section shall report to the law enforcement agency that employs him all of these searches or seizures, which shall include the name, address, age, gender, and race or ethnicity of the person that is the subject of the search or seizure. The law enforcement agency shall submit this information at the end of each month to the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services for review of abuse. A finding of abuse of the use of searches or seizures without a search warrant must be reported by the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services to the State Law Enforcement Division for investigation. If the law enforcement officer fails to report each search or seizure pursuant to this section, he is subject to discipline pursuant to the employing agency's policies and procedures.
The cooperative agreement between the two departments shall specify the responsibilities and authority for implementing and operating the program. Inmates approved and placed on the program must be under the supervision of agents of the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services who are responsible for ensuring the inmate's compliance with the rules, regulations, and conditions of the program as well as monitoring the inmate's employment and participation in any of the prescribed and authorized community-based correctional programs such as vocational rehabilitation, technical education, and alcohol/drug treatment. Eligibility criteria for the program include, but are not limited to, all of the following requirements:
(1) maintain a clear disciplinary record for at least six months prior to consideration for placement on the program;
(2) demonstrate to Department of Corrections' officials a general desire to become a law-abiding member of society;
(3) satisfy any other reasonable requirements imposed upon him by the Department of Corrections;
(4) have an identifiable need for and willingness to participate in authorized community-based programs and rehabilitative services;
(5) have been committed to the State Department of Corrections with a total sentence of five years or less as the first or second adult commitment for a criminal offense for which the inmate received a sentence of one year or more. The Department of Corrections shall notify victims pursuant to Article 15, Chapter 3, Title 16 as well as the sheriff's office of the place to be released before releasing inmates through any supervised furlough program. These requirements do not apply to the crimes referred to in this section.
HISTORY: 1981 Act No. 100 Section 16; 1981 Act No. 178 Part II, Section 37; 1983 Act No. 96 Section 1; 1986 Act No. 462, Section 36; 1987 Act No. 40 Section 1; 1988 Act No. 480, Section 17; 1993 Act No. 181, Section 441, eff July 1, 1993; 1995 Act No. 83, Section 31; 2010 Act No. 151, Section 6, eff April 28, 2010; 2012 Act No. 255, Section 9, eff June 18, 2012.
Editor's Note
2010 Act No. 151, Sections 2 and 16, provide:
"SECTION 2. It is the intent of the General Assembly of South Carolina to provide law enforcement officers with the statutory authority to reduce recidivism rates of probationers and parolees, apprehend criminals, and protect potential victims from criminal enterprises."
"SECTION 16. In any instance in which a law enforcement officer has failed to make the reports necessary to the State Law Enforcement Division for warrantless searches, then in the absence of a written policy by the employing agency enforcing the reporting requirements, the otherwise applicable state-imposed, one-day suspension without pay applies."
Effect of Amendment
The 2010 amendment rewrote the section.
The 2012 amendment substituted "criminal sexual conduct with a minor in the third degree as defined in Section 16-3-655(C)" for "committing or attempting a lewd act upon a child under the age of fourteen as defined in Section 16-15-140".