Housing Options for Formerly Incarcerated People (Department of Corrections)

Sarika,

SCDC received your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request on October 26, 2018. I have forwarded your request to the appropriate records custodians to obtain the requested documents. While SCDC has documents that may be responsive to your request, the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act, S.C. Code Section 30-4-10, et seq. defines public records that are subject to disclosure and also enumerates matters that are exempt from disclosure. The following exemptions apply: records that contain information of a personal nature as defined in 30-4-40(a)(2), records of law enforcement and public safety agencies (to include SCDC) compiled in the process of detecting and investigating a crime as defined in 30-4-40(a)(3) and its subsections, and correspondence and other work products of legal counsel and any other material that would violate the attorney-client or attorney work product privileges as outlined in 30-4-40(a)(7). Please note that medical records and all "other records which by law are required to be closed to the public" are not available through FOIA as stated in 30-4-20(c). Additionally, documents that contain information regarding SCDC security plans and devices are not available through FOIA as is stated in 30-4-20(c). Requested records that are subject to FOIA and not exempt will be provided once copied. Please note, SCDC may require a deposit and will charge a fee as permitted by 30-4-30(b) for all record production. This serves as the final opinion of SCDC on the public availability of the records you have requested as required by 30-4-30(c). However, please note that, as allowed by 30-4-30(c), redactions may be made pursuant to additional exemptions. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act's requirement that we make public records available for "inspection or copying," codified in SC Code Ann. 30-4-30(a), the SCDC non-restricted policies and procedures you have requested (second bullet point in your request) are available for your inspection on our website. To access these policies, please visit our website at http://www.doc.sc.gov/pubweb/. Choose General Counsel under Quick Links on the right hand menu. Once on General Counsel's page, choose SCDC Policies under Quick Links on the right hand menu. Then you will be able to choose the policies you are interested in from the list of SCDC Policies. The SCDC restricted policies are not available through FOIA pursuant to 30-4-20 (C)

SC Code Ann § 30-4-30(B) allows us to charge for "search, retrieval, and redaction" of records responsive to FOIA requests. This fee cannot "exceed the prorated hourly salary of the lowest paid employee who, in the reasonable discretion of the custodian of the records, has the necessary skill and training" to complete the necessary search, retrieval, and redaction of the records. Additionally, the law allows us to charge a copy fee. We charge $0.25 per page for copying. In order to determine the cost for search, retrieval, and redaction, the FOIA office contacts the SCDC office which has custody of the requested records. That office indicates to us how long the search, retrieval, and redaction process will likely take and who they feel is the lowest paid qualified employee to perform it.

SCDC will not provide information/documentation on a rolling basis. You need to submit a new FOIA request in the future for any additional documentation you are seeking.

Sincerely,

SCDC FOIA Office

Post Office Box 21787

Columbia, SC 29221-1787

FOIA@doc.sc.gov<mailto:FOIA@doc.sc.gov>

Sarkia,

As to the first item in your request ("Any informational and educational materials distributed in correctional facilities about housing options available to inmates post-release"), SCDC does not have any documentation responsive to this request.

As to the second item in your request ("Any currently valid policies/procedures detailing Department reentry services specific to accessing housing options post-release"), please see SCDC Policy PS-10.14, "Inmate Reentry Program," section 7. Pursuant to the South Carolina Freedom of Information Act's requirement that we make public records available for "inspection or copying," codified in SC Code Ann. 30-4-30(a), the SCDC non-restricted policy you have requested is available for your inspection on our website. To access this policy, please visit our website at http://www.doc.sc.gov/disclaimer.html . Choose General Counsel under Quick Links on the right hand menu. Once on General Counsel's page, choose SCDC Policies under Quick Links on the right hand menu. Then you will be able to choose the policy you are interested in from the list of SCDC Policies. As a courtesy, I have included the policy below.

7. REENTRY PLANS:
Each inmate's reentry plan will be documented in the Offender Management System and in files maintained by the Transition Coordinator. This plan will include information on work plans, housing plans, finances, family, etc., as well as information on the inmate's scheduled individual and group counseling and other activities as required.
As to the third and fourth items in your request, ("Any statistical reports detailing admission and release trends from between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017"); ("Any statistical reports detailing recidivism data from between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017"), this information can be found on our web site at http://www.doc.sc.gov/research/statistics.html.

As to the fifth item in your request ("Any statistical reports regarding inmates' housing status prior to and following commitment to the Department from between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017"), SCDC does not have any documentation responsive to this request.

Sincerely,

SCDC FOIA Office

Post Office Box 21787

Columbia, SC 29221-1787

FOIA@doc.sc.gov<mailto:FOIA@doc.sc.gov>