Prohibits individuals from conveying items to or from the training school for youth without prior consent by the executive director of the division of youth development at the department of children, youth and families.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would make it illegal to bring items into or take items out of Rhode Island's Training School for Youth — the state's secure facility that houses juveniles who have been committed by the courts — without first getting permission from the executive director of the Division of Youth Development within the Department of Children, Youth and Families (DCYF). Currently, similar restrictions exist for adult prisons, and this bill would establish a comparable rule specifically for the youth facility.

Under this bill, anyone who tries to smuggle or transfer items to or from the Training School without that prior approval could face criminal penalties. This would apply broadly to anyone who might attempt to bring in unauthorized goods — whether visitors, outside individuals, or others — without the required consent from the appropriate DCYF official.

The bill is primarily intended to improve safety and security at the Training School by giving the facility's oversight authority a formal legal tool to control what comes in and goes out. It affects anyone who interacts with or visits the facility, as well as the young people housed there. The bill has been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, where it will be reviewed before any further action is taken.