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H 8061Police & Prisons

Criminal Offenses - Jails and Prisons

This bill makes it a crime to provide drugs, tobacco, cell phones, or weapons to youth detained at the state training school.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends existing laws regarding jails and prisons to specifically include the Rhode Island Training School for Youth. It establishes criminal penalties for any person who conveys unauthorized items—specifically drugs, tobacco, portable electronic communication devices (such as cell phones), or weapons—to a resident of the training school. The bill defines "resident" to include youth detained at the facility or in the custody of staff, excluding those on home confinement. Violators face penalties of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.

For younger readers

This law creates strict rules for the training school, which is a place where young people go when they are in trouble with the law. It says that adults are not allowed to give the young people there certain dangerous or distracting things. These forbidden items include drugs, cigarettes, weapons, and cell phones. If an adult tries to sneak these things to a young person at the school, that adult can get in big trouble, including having to pay a large fine or going to jail for a long time.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Detained YouthDCYF StaffFamily Members of DetaineesVisitors to the Training SchoolLaw Enforcement
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Enhances the safety of vulnerable youth in state custody by strictly prohibiting the introduction of dangerous items like weapons and narcotics into the facility.
  • Standardizes safety protocols between adult and juvenile facilities, ensuring that staff and residents are protected from external threats.
  • May reduce the exploitation of detained youth by preventing outside adults from involving them in the trade of illicit substances within the facility.
  • Imposes excessively harsh criminal penalties, including up to ten years in prison, for non-violent actions like providing a cell phone to a detained youth.
  • Potentially criminalizes family members attempting to maintain communication with their children, further isolating youth from their support networks.
  • Expands the carceral state by creating new felonies and relying on punitive measures rather than addressing the root causes of why contraband enters facilities.
For Conservatives
  • Strengthens security and order within juvenile detention facilities by strictly prohibiting communication devices and contraband that undermine authority.
  • Imposes stiff penalties that serve as a strong deterrent against smuggling illegal items to detainees, upholding the rule of law.
  • Aligns juvenile detention standards with adult correctional standards, ensuring that state institutions maintain rigorous control over their populations.
  • Grants significant discretion to government bureaucrats (DCYF directors) to decide who can and cannot bring items in, potentially leading to arbitrary enforcement.
  • Could lead to increased taxpayer costs associated with prosecuting and incarcerating individuals for minor infractions like passing a phone.
  • Potentially infringes on the rights of visitors or family members through broad interpretations of what constitutes "conveying" an article to a resident.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 16 additions · 1 deletion

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 11-25-14 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-25 entitled "Jails and Prisons" is hereby amended to read as follows: 11-25-14. Conveyance of unauthorized articles to or from institutions Conveyance of unauthorized articles to or from institutions or the training school for youth.

(a) Every person who shall convey or cause to be conveyed into the adult correctional institutions any article without first obtaining the consent of the director of corrections, or who shall convey from the institutions any article without the consent of the director of corrections, shall be punished, upon conviction, by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years, or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

(b) Every person who shall convey or cause to be conveyed to any prisoner any drugs, tobacco or any article that could be used as a weapon, without first obtaining the consent of the director of corrections, may be punished, upon conviction, by imprisonment for not more than ten

(10) years, or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

(c) For the purposes of subsection (b), “prisoner” includes all persons committed to the adult correctional institution, in the custody of the warden, in the custody of any other officer while outside the confines of the custodial unit, in the custody of the state director of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals pursuant to § 40.1-5.3-1, regardless of whether that prisoner is held upon conviction or upon any criminal charge. “Prisoner” shall not include persons on home confinement.

(d) Every person who shall convey or cause to be conveyed to any resident at the training school for youth, any drugs, tobacco, portable electronic communication device, or any article that could be used as a weapon, without first obtaining the consent of the executive director of the division of youth development at the department of children, youth and families, may be punished, upon conviction, by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years, or by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

(e) For the purposes of subsection (d) of this section, “resident” includes all persons detained at the training school for youth, in the custody of the superintendent of the training school for youth, in the custody of any other juvenile program worker while outside the confines of the custodial unit, or in the custody of the state director of behavioral healthcare, developmental disabilities and hospitals pursuant to § 40.1-5.3-1, regardless of whether that person is held upon adjudication or upon any petition for delinquency or waywardness. “Resident” shall not include persons on home confinement.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.