§ 24–241.01. Authority granted to establish program.
There is hereby authorized to be established in the District of Columbia a work release program under which any person who is: (1) convicted of a misdemeanor or of violating a municipal regulation or an act of Congress in the nature of a municipal regulation, and is sentenced to serve in a penal institution a term of 1 year or less; (2) imprisoned for nonpayment of a fine, or for contempt of court; or (3) committed to jail after revocation of probation pursuant to § 24-304, may, whenever the judge of the sentencing court is satisfied that the ends of justice and the best interests of society as well as of such person would be subserved thereby or whenever after service by the person of 1/3 of his or her sentence, the Board of Parole is satisfied that the ends of justice and the best interests of society as well as of the sentenced person would be served thereby, be granted the privilege of a work release for the purpose of working at his employment or seeking employment. Such a work release privilege may also be granted, in the discretion of the sentencing court or the Director of the Department of Corrections, whenever there exist such special circumstances as merit the granting of the privilege. As used in this subchapter, the word “sentence” and its derivatives shall be construed to include sentencing, imprisonment, and commitment as referred to in this section.
§ 24–241.02. Recommendations; order of court or Board of Parole required.
At the time of imposition of sentence, the probation officers of the court or the Director of the Department of Corrections, may recommend to, or the person sentenced may request, the sentencing court that such person be granted the privilege of work release. At any time subsequent to the imposition of sentence, the person sentenced may request the sentencing court or the Director of the Department of Corrections that such person be granted the privilege of work release. No person shall be given work release privileges except by order of the sentencing court or the Director of the Department of Corrections, or by order of the Board of Parole pursuant to § 24-241.01.
§ 24–241.03. Conditions for release.
The Director of the Department of Corrections shall state in writing the terms and conditions under which a person granted work release privileges may be released from actual custody during the time necessary to proceed to the person’s place of employment or other authorized places, perform specified activities, and return to a place of confinement designated by the Director of the Department of Corrections.
§ 24–241.04. Regulations; individual plans.
The Council of the District of Columbia is authorized to promulgate from time to time such rules and regulations as it deems necessary for the administration by the Department of Corrections of the work release program.
§ 24–241.05. Suspension of work release privilege; violations of work release plan.
(a) The Director of the Department of Corrections may suspend or revoke the work release privilege for any breach of discipline or infraction of institution regulations. The Court may revoke the work release privilege at any time, either upon its own motion or upon recommendation of the Director of the Department of Corrections.
(b) Any prisoner who willfully fails to return at the time and to the place of confinement designated in his work release plan shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both, such sentence of imprisonment to run consecutively with the remainder of previously imposed sentences. All prosecutions for violation of this subsection shall be in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia upon information filed by the Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia or any of his assistants.
§ 24–241.06. Trust fund for earnings; disbursements.
The Mayor is authorized to include in individual work release plans provisions for the collection of the wages, salary, earnings, and other income of each gainfully employed prisoner when paid, or require that the same be surrendered when received, less payroll deductions required or authorized by law, and to deposit the amount so received in a trust fund account in the Treasury of the United States. Such wages, salary, or earnings in the hands of either the employer or the Mayor during such prisoner’s terms shall not be subject to garnishment or attachment. The Mayor is further authorized in individual work release plans to provide for disbursements from the trust fund account established under this section for any or all of the following purposes: (1) the payment of an amount not to exceed the lesser of 20% of the prisoner’s earnings, or $4 per day, as the cost of his room and board; (2) necessary travel expenses to and from work or other business and incidental expenses of the prisoner; (3) support of the prisoner’s dependents, if any; (4) support of minor children pursuant to court order; (5) payment of court fines or forfeitures; or (6) payment, either in full or ratably, of the prisoner’s debts which have been acknowledged by him in writing or have been reduced to judgment. The balance of such earnings, if any there be after payments therefrom for the foregoing purposes, shall be paid to the prisoner upon the completion of the period during which he is subject to confinement.
§ 24–241.07. Support of dependents.
Payments for support pursuant to § 24-241.06 shall be made through the clerks of the respective courts. In cases where there is no outstanding court order of support or judgment against the prisoner, the Director, Department of Public Welfare, or his designated agent, shall, after investigation, report to the Mayor the amounts deemed necessary for support of the prisoner’s dependents.
§ 24–241.08. Designation of Mayor as representative of Attorney General.
The Attorney General of the United States may, in order to carry out the purposes of this subchapter, designate the Mayor as his authorized representative to perform the functions vested in him by § 24-201.26.
§ 24–241.09. “Mayor” defined; authority of Commissioners.
(a) As used in this subchapter the term “Mayor” means the Mayor of the District of Columbia or his designated agents.
(b) Nothing in this subchapter shall be construed so as to affect the authority vested in the Commissioners by Reorganization Plan No. 5 of 1952 (66 Stat. 824). The performance of any function vested by this subchapter in the Commissioners or in any office or agency under the jurisdiction and control of said Commissioners may be performed by the Commissioners or may be delegated by said Commissioners in accordance with § 3 of such plan.
§ 24–241.10. Prisoner not agent, employee or servant of District.
Except when employed and paid by the District of Columbia for the performance of work for the District of Columbia government, no prisoner employed in the free community under the provisions of this subchapter shall, while working in such employment in the free community or going to or from such employment, be deemed to be an agent, employee, or servant of the District of Columbia government.
