53.1-191 - Credits allowed in cases of injuries to or extraordinary services performed by prisoners; nonforfeiture of credits hereunder.
§ 53.1-191. Credits allowed in cases of injuries to or extraordinary servicesperformed by prisoners; nonforfeiture of credits hereunder.
The Board, with the consent of the Governor, may allow to any prisonerconfined in a state correctional facility a credit toward his term ofconfinement if he (i) renders assistance in preventing the escape of anotherprisoner or in the apprehension of an escaped prisoner; (ii) gives a blooddonation to another prisoner; (iii) voluntarily or at the instance of aprison official renders other extraordinary services; or (iv) suffers bodilyinjury while in the prison system. The Board shall determine the amount ofany such credit for each such service or injury. In unusual circumstances aprisoner may receive credit for donating blood, under regulations prescribedby the Board, to blood banks licensed by or subject to regulations of theState Board of Health. The Board may allow the credit permitted by thissection to a prisoner who has been sentenced to the Department of Correctionsbut who is confined in a local correctional facility.
Except as provided hereafter, any credit allowed under the provisions of thissection shall be applied as provided in § 53.1-199. A prisoner who has beensentenced to a term of life imprisonment or to two or more life sentencesshall be eligible for credits allowed under the provisions of this section.One-half of such credit shall be applied to reduce the period of time suchprisoner shall serve before being eligible for parole.
Credits allowed under the provisions of this section may not be forfeitedunder § 53.1-189. Credits shall not be allowed under the provisions of thissection to apply toward a term of confinement imposed upon a conviction of afelony offense committed on or after January 1, 1995.
(Code 1950, § 53-220; 1952, c. 8; 1976, c. 209; 1981, c. 392; 1982, c. 636;1984, c. 253; 1994, 2nd Sp. Sess., cc. 1, 2; 2002, c. 59.)