Agency 16. Department of Corrections
- Preface
VAC AGENCY NO. 16
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS
AGENCY SUMMARY
The Department of Corrections is an Executive Branch agency operating under the Office of the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security. Title 53.1, Chapter 1, Article 3. The mission of the department is to enhance the quality of life in the Commonwealth by improving public safety. The department accomplishes its mission through the purposeful control and supervision of those sentenced to prison and state supervision. The department is under the supervision and management of the Director of the Department of Corrections.
The director has authority to establish and operate state correctional facilities, facilities for juveniles sentenced as adults, a statewide community-based corrections system for state-responsible offenders, and community corrections alternative programs. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 2. The director is also authorized to (i) establish probation and parole districts and halfway houses and (ii) oversee state probation and parole services and community correctional facilities and programs. Title 53.1, Chapters 4 and 5. The director is also authorized to enter into contracts with prison contractors subject to requirements and limitations specified by the Code of Virginia. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 15.
The Director of the Department of Corrections has the authority or mandate to promulgate regulations under various sections of Title 53.1 of the Code of Virginia:
The director is required to promulgate regulations to effectuate the provisions of Chapter 5.1 of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia regarding human research, as defined in § 32.1-162.16 of the Code of Virginia, to be conducted or authorized by the department. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 1, Article 3.
The director is required to promulgate regulations governing the extension of limits of confinement related to permitting furloughs. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 2, Article 2.
The director is authorized to establish regulations governing the allowance for inmate labor and the disposition of the allowance. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 2, Article 3.
The director is required to promulgate regulations governing the disposition of inmate wages to meet obligations and payments in the order of priority as specified by § 53.1-60 of the Code of Virginia. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 2, Article 3.
The director is required to promulgate regulations governing the process of collecting funds from inmates to be used for (i) the satisfaction of judgments or orders granting monetary relief or imposing fines or other monetary sanctions or (ii) payment of court costs and fees. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 2, Article 3.
The director is required to promulgate regulations governing the exercise of probation and parole officers' authority to (i) order and conduct drug and alcohol screening tests of any probationer, person subject to post-release probation pursuant to § 19.2-295.2 of the Code of Virginia, or parolee under supervision who the officer has reason to believe is engaged in the illegal use of control substances or marijuana, or the abuse of alcohol and (ii) carry a concealed weapon. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 4, Article 2.
The director is required to promulgate regulations governing the collection and payment of fees by persons granted parole and required to receive substance abuse treatment as a condition of parole. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 4, Article 2.
The director is required to approve regulations governing the earning of good conduct allowance. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 6, Article 3.
The director is required to make, adopt, and promulgate regulations governing aspects of private management and operation of prison facilities. Code of Virginia, Title 53.1, Chapter 15.
Chapter 759 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly clarified and expanded the authority of the director in relation to the State Board of Corrections and renamed the State Board of Corrections as the State Board of Local and Regional Jails.
Regulations are available at the Department of Corrections principal office at 6900 Atmore Drive, Richmond, Virginia, mailing address: P.O. Box 26963, Richmond, VA 23261. A fee may be imposed for large numbers of copies of regulations. Internet address: http://www.vadoc.virginia.gov.
Rev. 8/2025
- Chapter 10
- Public Participation GuidelinesRead all
- Part I
- Purpose and Definitions
- Section 10
- Purpose
- Section 20
- Definitions
- Part II
- Notification of Interested Parties
- Section 30
- Notification List
- Section 40
- Information to Be Sent to Persons on the Notification List
- Part III
- Public Participation Procedures
- Section 50
- Public Comment
- Section 60
- Petition for Rule Making
- Section 70
- Appointment of Regulatory Advisory Panel
- Section 80
- Appointment of Negotiated Rulemaking Panel
- Section 90
- Meetings
- Section 100
- Public Hearings on Regulations
- Section 110
- Periodic Review of Regulations
- Chapter 20
- Regulations for Human Subject ResearchRead all
- Part I
- General provisions
- Section 10
- Definitions
- Section 20
- Applicability
- Section 30
- Policy
- Part II
- Human subject research review committee
- Section 40
- Composition
- Section 50
- Duties and Responsibilities
- Section 60
- Reports
- Section 70
- Records Maintenance
- Section 80
- Publication Rights
- Section 90
- Research Exempt from Hsrrc Review
- Section 100
- Waiver of Signed Voluntary Informed Consent Form
- Part III
- Role of the department and director
- Section 110
- Role of the Department and Director
- Part IV
- Applicability of state and federal policies
- Section 120
- Applicability of State and Federal Policies
- FORMS
- Forms (6VAC16-20)
