Title 13
Criminals — Correctional Institutions

Chapter 9
Out of State Parolee Supervision

§ 13-9-2. Interstate compact.

The governor of this state is authorized and directed to enter into a compact on behalf of the state of Rhode Island with any of the United States legally joining in it in the form substantially as follows:

Entered into by and among the contracting states, signatories to this compact, with the consent of the Congress of the United States of America, granted by an act entitled “An act granting the consent of Congress to any two (2) or more states to enter into agreements or compacts for co-operative effort and mutual assistance in the prevention of crime and for other purposes.”

The contracting states solemnly agree:

(1) That it shall be competent for the duly constituted judicial and administrative authorities of a state party to this compact, (herein called “sending state”) to permit any person convicted of an offense within such state and placed on probation or released on parole to reside in any other state party to this compact, (herein called “receiving state”) while on probation or parole, if

(a) The person is in fact a resident of or has his or her family residing within the receiving state and can obtain employment there;

(b) Though not a resident of the receiving state and not having his or her family residing there, the receiving state consents to the person being sent there.

Before granting permission, opportunity shall be granted to the receiving state to investigate the home and prospective employment of the person.

A “resident of the receiving state”, within the meaning of this section, is one who has been an actual continuous inhabitant of the state for more than one year prior to his or her coming to the sending state and has not resided within the sending state more than six (6) continuous months immediately preceding the commission of the offense for which he or she has been convicted.

(2) That each receiving state will assume the duties of visitation of and supervision over probationers or parolees of any sending state and in the exercise of those duties will be governed by the same standards that prevail for its own probationers and parolees.

(3) That duly accredited officers of a sending state may at all times enter a receiving state and there apprehend and retake any person on probation or parole. For that purpose no formalities will be required other than establishing the authority of the officer and the identity of the person to be retaken. All legal requirements to obtain extradition of fugitives from justice are expressly waived on the part of states party to this compact, as to persons to be apprehended or retaken. The decision of the sending state to retake a person on probation or parole shall be conclusive upon and not reviewable within the receiving state; provided, that if, at the time when a state seeks to retake a probationer or parolee, there should be pending against him or her within the receiving state any criminal charge, or he or she should be suspected of having committed within that state a criminal offense, he or she shall not be retaken without the consent of the receiving state until discharged from prosecution or from imprisonment for the offense.

(4) That the duly accredited officers of the sending state will be permitted to transport prisoners being retaken through any and all states parties to this compact, without interference.

(5) That the governor of each state may designate an officer who, acting jointly with like officers of other contracting states, if and when appointed, shall promulgate any rules and regulations that may be deemed necessary to more effectively carry out the terms of this compact.

(6) That this compact shall become operative immediately upon its ratification by any state as between it and any other ratifying state or states. When ratified it shall have the full force and effect of law within the state, the form of ratification to be in accordance with the laws of the ratifying state.

(7) That this compact shall continue in force and remain binding upon each ratifying state until renounced by it. The duties and obligations under this compact of a renouncing state shall continue as to parolees or probationers residing therein at the time of withdrawal until retaken or finally discharged by the sending state. Renunciation of this compact shall be by the same authority which ratified it, by sending six (6) months’ notice in writing of its intention to withdraw from the compact to the other states party to this agreement.