State Codes and Statutes
Statutes > New-hampshire > TITLEI > CHAPTER21-H > 21-H-4The department shall include the following internal organizational units performing the following major functions:
I. The division of administration, under the supervision of a director of administration, who shall, in accordance with applicable laws:
(a) Be responsible to provide for:
(1) Accounting, purchasing, and budget control.
(2) Property, contracts, and grant management.
(3) Assistance to the commissioner with short and long range department-wide planning activities.
(b) Exercise, subject to the supervision of the commissioner, superior authority over the directors of the other divisions of the department relative to areas of responsibility specified in this paragraph.
[Subparagraph I(c) repealed by 2009, 222:8 effective upon the closing of the Lakes Region facility, as provided by 2009, 222:10; see contingency note set out below.]
(c) Be responsible for the operation of the special school district, established under RSA 194:60, which shall provide appropriate education services to eligible offenders held in facilities operated by the department of corrections.
II. The division of field services, under the supervision of a director of field services, who shall be responsible for supervising adults placed on probation and inmates placed on parole.
III. [Repealed.]
IV. The division of medical and psychiatric services, under the joint supervision of a medical director and a non-medical director, who shall respectively have the duties and responsibilities provided in RSA 622:43, and who shall act in an advisory and coordinative capacity in assisting other agencies and activities in the provision of mental health and psychiatric services to persons involved in the criminal justice system.
V. The professional standards director, under the supervision of the commissioner, who shall:
(a) Conduct and supervise investigations and audits relating to all aspects of the operations and programs of the department, including but not limited to, complaints and grievances.
(b) Coordinate and recommend policies designed to promote economy, efficiency, and effectiveness in the administration of the department, and to detect and prevent fraud and abuse in departmental programs and operations.
(c) Advise the commissioner concerning problems or deficiencies relating to the administration of departmental programs and operations, and provide advice on the necessity for, and progress of, correctional action.
(d) Perform other duties as assigned by the commissioner.
VI. The director of security and training, under the supervision of the commissioner, who shall:
(a) Be responsible for the security and safety of the operations in all facilities and ensure the consistency of the operations within departmental policies.
(b) Review and research inquiries, complaints, and grievances from the inmate population and provide a timely, proper response.
(c) Monitor and ensure the proper functioning of the facilities security program.
(d) Oversee and ensure the proper training and development of staff.
(e) Oversee and ensure the proper functioning of the emergency management program.
(f) Perform other duties as assigned by the commissioner.
[Introductory paragraph of paragraph VII effective until the closing of the Lakes Region facility, as provided by 2009, 222:10; see contingency note set out below.]
VII. The division of community corrections, under the supervision of a director of community corrections, who shall:
[Introductory paragraph of paragraph VII effective upon the closing of the Lakes Region facility as provided by 2009, 222:10; see contingency note set out below.]
VII. The director of community corrections, under the supervision of the commissioner, who shall:
(a) Direct and oversee departmental services for inmates preparing for release from institutional settings into the community.
(b) Direct and oversee departmental services for individuals under probation or parole supervision in order to achieve stability within the community and reduce recidivism.
(c) Operate and administer all transitional work and housing units where inmates are assigned for minimum security and work release.
(d) Serve as the primary liaison between the department and community-based service providers, state courts, and municipal, county, and state entities with common issues and responsibilities, including substance abuse and mental health issues.
(e) Work with the department of justice and other state and federal agencies to identify, secure, and manage grant funds to supplement services available to offenders under departmental supervision, including but not limited to housing and employment assistance, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, and medical and prescription services.
VIII. The victim-offender dialogue program which shall be a victim-initiated, voluntary program to assist crime victims who seek access to restorative justice programs as provided under RSA 21-M:8-k, II(u), under the direction of the victim services coordinator who shall:
(a) Implement and oversee the program.
(b) Advocate for the rights of crime victims.
(c) Provide corrections-based victim services including but not limited to:
(1) Notification of offender status changes.
(2) Victim-initiated victim-offender dialogue.
(3) Advocacy, safety, and support for victims during reduced custody, offender re-entry, and hearings of the adult parole board.
Participation in the program shall not affect the court's decision relative to sentencing, parole, or other types of supervised or unsupervised release programs.
Source. 1983, 461:1. 1988, 170:1. 1993, 321:1, 2, eff. July 1, 1993. 1996, 159:8, eff. July 1, 1996. 1998, 270:1, eff. July 1, 1999. 2008, 313:1, 2, eff. July 1, 2008. 2009, 144:184, eff. July 1, 2009; 222:2, 8, eff. upon closing of Lakes Region facility; 283:2, eff. Sept. 27, 2009.
