Rhode Island House Bill H5785

Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/22/23
• Refer: 2/22/23

Caption

Department Of Administration

Impact

The enactment of HB 5785 is expected to have significant implications for state laws concerning correctional management and the economic motivations behind private detention facilities. By banning contracts with for-profit entities in this sector, the bill could lead to an increase in transparency and accountability within the state's correctional system. Stakeholders, including advocacy groups for criminal justice reform, welcome these changes as steps towards a more humane and ethical approach to incarceration, emphasizing the need for public funding to ensure adequate facilities and treatment of detainees.

Summary

House Bill 5785, introduced in the Rhode Island General Assembly, focuses on amending the powers and duties of the Department of Administration, particularly concerning contracts related to the housing and detention of individuals. This bill explicitly prohibits state agencies from entering into contracts with private, for-profit prison facilities and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) for the purposes of detaining people. The intent is to mitigate the reliance on privatized incarceration and to enhance the oversight of detention practices, thereby aiming to improve the treatment of detainees and the overall functioning of state correctional facilities.

Contention

Despite these supportive elements, the bill's prohibition may face contention from opponents who argue that the private sector can sometimes provide needed flexibility and efficiency that traditional state-run facilities lack. Critics may raise concerns over how this decision may affect the capacity of existing detention facilities and whether it might lead to overcrowding or underfunding of state-operated institutions. Moreover, there may be debates about how these changes will affect the management of detainees, particularly regarding the balance between public safety and fairness in treatment.