53.1-68 - Minimum standards for local correctional facilities, lock-ups and personnel, health inspections.
§ 53.1-68. Minimum standards for local correctional facilities, lock-ups andpersonnel, health inspections.
A. The Board shall establish minimum standards for the construction,equipment, administration and operation of local correctional facilities,whether heretofore or hereafter established. However, no minimum standardshall be established that includes square footage requirements in excess ofaccepted national standards. The Board or its agents shall conduct at leastone unannounced inspection of each local facility annually. However, in thoseyears in which a certification audit of a facility is performed and thefacility is in compliance with all the standards, the Board may elect tosuspend the unannounced inspection based upon that certification audit andthe history of compliance of the facility with the standards promulgated inaccordance with this section, except in any year in which there is a changein the administration of a local or regional jail. The Board shall alsoestablish minimum standards for the construction, equipment and operation oflock-ups, whether heretofore or hereafter established. However, no minimumstandard shall be established that includes square footage requirements inexcess of accepted national standards.
B. Standards concerning sanitation in local correctional facilities andprocedures for enforcing these standards shall be promulgated by the Boardwith the advice and guidance of the State Health Commissioner. The Board, inconjunction with the Board of Health, shall establish a procedure for theconduct of at least one unannounced annual health inspection by the StateHealth Commissioner or his agents of each local correctional facility. TheBoard and the State Health Commissioner may authorize such other announced orunannounced inspections as they consider appropriate.
C. The Department of Criminal Justice Services, in accordance with § 9.1-102,shall establish minimum training standards for persons designated to providecourthouse and courtroom security pursuant to the provisions of § 53.1-120and for persons employed as jail officers or custodial officers under theprovisions of this title. The sheriff shall establish minimum performancestandards and management practices to govern the employees for whom thesheriff is responsible.
D. The superintendent of a regional jail or jail farm shall establish minimumperformance standards and management practices to govern the employees forwhom the superintendent is responsible.
(Code 1950, § 53-133; 1982, c. 636; 1991, c. 383; 1992, c. 179; 1994, c. 861;1995, c. 797; 1997, c. 644; 2000, c. 256.)