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S 3046Police & Prisons

Criminal Offenses - Jails and Prisons

This bill makes it illegal to bring drugs, weapons, or electronic devices to residents of the state youth training school.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 5, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends existing laws regarding jails and prisons to specifically include the Rhode Island Training School for Youth. It makes it a criminal offense to convey drugs, tobacco, portable electronic communication devices (such as cell phones), or weapons to any resident of the training school without the consent of the executive director. The bill defines "resident" to include persons in the custody of the training school or associated programs, excluding those on home confinement. Violators face penalties of up to ten years in prison, fines up to $5,000, or both.

For younger readers

There is a special place called a training school where young people go if they get into serious trouble. This bill creates a new rule that says visitors cannot bring certain things to the young people staying there. Specifically, visitors are not allowed to bring drugs, tobacco, dangerous weapons, or electronic devices like cell phones or tablets. If someone breaks this rule and brings these items to a young person without permission from the person in charge, they can get into big trouble with the police and might have to go to jail or pay a lot of money.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Residents of the Rhode Island Training SchoolVisitors to the Rhode Island Training SchoolDepartment of Children Youth and Families (DCYF) staffJuvenile program workersFamilies of detained youth
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

Moderate risk

The legislation poses a low to moderate risk regarding the Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment. A ten-year sentence for conveying a cell phone could be argued as grossly disproportionate to the offense. However, courts generally grant significant deference to the state regarding security measures in detention facilities. There are no obvious free speech or search and seizure violations distinct from standard prison security protocols.

Estimated cost
Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Protects the safety and physical well-being of vulnerable youth in state custody by strictly prohibiting weapons and dangerous contraband from entering the facility.
  • Promotes better health outcomes for minors by explicitly banning the introduction of tobacco and drugs into the youth training school environment.
  • Prevents potential exploitation of detained youth by outside criminal elements by restricting unmonitored communication channels via unauthorized electronic devices.
  • Imposes excessively harsh maximum penalties (up to 10 years in prison) for non-violent offenses, such as providing a cell phone to a teenager, contributing to mass incarceration.
  • Further isolates detained youth from their support networks and families by criminalizing the possession of communication devices, potentially hindering their rehabilitation and mental health.
  • Expands the carceral system by creating severe criminal liability for family members or friends who may simply be trying to maintain contact with a detained loved one.
For Conservatives
  • Strengthens the rule of law and institutional security by establishing clear, strict prohibitions against smuggling contraband into youth detention facilities.
  • Closes a legal loophole to ensure that the Rhode Island Training School has similar protections and enforcement mechanisms regarding contraband as adult correctional institutions.
  • Establishes significant penalties that serve as a strong deterrent against those attempting to undermine the authority and safety protocols of state detention centers.
  • Potentially represents government overreach by imposing felony-level penalties for the possession of common items like cell phones, which could be seen as disproportionate to the offense.
  • Increases the potential burden on taxpayers by expanding the criteria for long-term incarceration, which is expensive to maintain.
  • Grants broad discretion to state administrators to determine authorized articles, which could lead to arbitrary enforcement or abuse of power against visitors.

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.