CHAPTER 24.
Prison and Prisoners.[380]
§ 24-1. City jail established.
§ 24-2. Sheriff to have supervision and control of jail.
§ 24-3. Duty to receive and retain persons committed to jail.
§ 24-4. Committing persons to jail; release from custody.
§ 24-5. Purchases for jail.
§ 24-6. Health officer to inspect jail; reports to city manager.
§ 24-7. Sick prisoners.
§ 24-8. Credit for good conduct; credit on fine and costs.
§ 24-9. Limitation of confinement for failure to pay fine and costs.
§ 24-10. Work force—Establishment; control of city manager.
§ 24-11. Same—Persons required to work.
§ 24-12. Same—Foreman and assistant foreman—Appointment.
§ 24-13. Same—Same—Police powers; removal from office.
§ 24-14. Same—Taking out prisoners to labor.
§ 24-15. Same—Prisoners to obey orders and work each day unless
excused.
Sec. 24-1. City jail established.
A city jail shall be established for the confinement of all
persons who may be committed or sentenced thereto. (Code
1959, § 24-1.)
Sec. 24-2. Sheriff to have supervision and control of jail.
The city sheriff shall have supervision and control of the
city jail and the custody of all prisoners confined therein, as
provided by sections 14-95 and 53-187 of the Code of Virginia.
(Code 1959, § 24-2.)
Sec. 24-3. Duty to receive and retain persons committed to
jail.[381]
All persons who may be lawfully committed to the city jail
by the judge of any court shall be received by the city sheriff
in such jail and shall be there retained until released by proper
order. (Code 1959, § 24-3.)
Sec. 24-4. Committing persons to jail; release from custody.[382]
No person shall be committed to the city jail except upon
written order of the municipal judge or the chief of police, nor
shall any person committed to the city jail be released therefrom
except upon a like order. (Code 1959, § 24-4.)
Sec. 24-5. Purchases for jail.[383]
The city purchasing agent shall make all purchases of every
kind and character necessary for the operation of the jail, and
the costs of the same shall be paid by the city. (Code 1959, §
24-5.)
Sec. 24-6. Health officer to inspect jail; reports to city manager.[384]
The health officer shall at least once a month inspect the jail
and make a report of the same to the city manager. (Code
1959, § 24-6.)
Sec. 24-7. Sick prisoners.
When a prisoner claims to be sick the city sergeant shall
promptly notify the physician of the jail, who shall visit such
prisoner during the day in which he is so notified. If, in his
opinion, the prisoner is unfit for work, he shall so certify to
the city manager and such physician shall continue to visit
the prisoner daily so long as he may require medical attention.
(Code 1959, § 24-7.)
Sec. 24-8. Credit for good conduct; credit on fine and costs.
Prisoners shall be allowed a credit upon their term of imprisonment
at the rate of ten days per month for good conduct
when such term is on account of sentence imposed.
Where a prisoner is held in confinement for failure to pay
a fine and costs, he shall be allowed a credit on such fine and
costs of seventy-five cents per day, but nothing herein contained
shall prevent the city from collecting such fine and
costs or any part thereof by civil proceedings; provided, that
in the event of the wilful failure of any prisoner to work, the
credit allowed shall be twenty-five cents per day.
No credit shall be allowed on account of fine or costs until
after the service of any jail sentence imposed shall have been
completed. (Code 1959, § 24-8.)
Sec. 24-9. Limitation of confinement for failure to pay fine
and costs.[385]
If any person is confined in jail until his fine and costs, or
costs where there is no fine, are paid, such confinement shall
not exceed five days when the fine and costs, or costs where
there is no fine, are less than five dollars, when less than ten
dollars it shall not exceed ten days, when less than twenty-five
dollars it shall not exceed fifteen days, when less than
fifty dollars it shall not exceed thirty days, and in no case
shall the confinement exceed two months. (Code 1959, § 24-9.)
Sec. 24-10. Work force[386]
—Establishment; control of city manager.
A prisoners' work force shall be established in the city and
shall be under the direction and control of the city manager,
subject to such rules as may be prescribed by the council.
The city manager shall direct such work force or part thereof
to be worked at such time and places as he may designate or
as necessity may require. (Code 1959, § 24-10.)
Sec. 24-11. Same—Persons required to work.
Any male person over the age of eighteen years convicted
of a misdemeanor, or any offense, and sentenced to confinement
in jail as a punishment, or part punishment, or who is
imprisoned for failure to pay any fine or penalty, imposed
upon or assessed against him upon such conviction or for any
violation of this Code or any other ordinance of this city which
is punishable by fine and imprisonment or for failure to give
a bond required of him, or who is awaiting delivery to the state
penitentiary or road force, shall be required to work on the
prisoners' work force unless excused for cause by the city
manager. (Code 1959, § 24-11.)
Sec. 24-12. Same—Foreman and assistant foreman—Appointment.
The city manager shall appoint a competent and efficient
person as foreman of the work force and when necessary shall
appoint another as assistant foreman. (Code 1959, § 24-12.)
Sec. 24-13. Same—Same—Police powers; removal from office.
The foreman and assistant foreman of the work force are
hereby vested with all the powers and responsibilities of
policemen. They shall be under the control of the city manager
and may be suspended or removed from office by the city
manager, without formal proceedings, for any cause deemed
sufficient by him. (Code 1959, § 24-13.)
Sec. 24-14. Same—Taking out prisoners to labor.
The foreman of the work force shall take out such prisoners
as may from time to time be delivered to him by the city sergeant
and shall require them to perform such labor as may
previously have been designated by the city manager. The
foreman shall treat such prisoners humanely, using at the
same time, however, all such measures as may be necessary
to secure diligent service on the part of the prisoners and to
prevent their escape. (Code 1959, § 24-14.)
Sec. 24-15. Same—Prisoners to obey orders and work each
day unless excused.
Each prisoner who is assigned to the work force shall obey
each and every proper order of the foreman or assistant foreman,
shall perform such work as is required of him by the
officers in charge of such force and shall work each day the
force is out unless excused by sickness or by the city manager.
(Code 1959, § 24-15.)
