Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 31 - Public Safety
Part 9 - REGULATION REGARDING THE LICENSURE OF JUVENILE DETENTION FACILITIES
Chapter 4 - Restraints, Isolation, Due Process & Grievances
Rule 31-9-4.5 - Room Confinement

1. Youth are not automatically subjected to room confinement and/or isolation upon their admission to the facility.

2. Immediately upon a youth's placement in room confinement, staff notify the unit supervisor.

3. Staff may not keep youth in room confinement for longer than one hour without explicit approval of the unit supervisor. Staff may not keep youth in room confinement longer than four hours without explicit approval of the facility administrator or his/her designee.

4. Room confinement of more than 24 hours is reserved for the most serious violations, is approved by the facility administrator or his/her designee and is not to extend more than 48 hours continuously.

5. If a youth is in room confinement longer than 24 hours, at least every 24 hours the facility administrator or his/her designee who was not involved in the incident reviews and determines whether it is appropriate to authorize release.

6. If the youth repeatedly engages in behavior which results in room confinement, the facility administrator or his/her designee develops an individualized behavior plan for the youth.

7. Staff document all incidents in which a youth is placed in room confinement, including the name of the youth, the date and time the youth was placed in room confinement, the circumstances leading up to the confinement, less restrictive sanctions considered, the person authorizing placement in room confinement, the staff or youth involved in the incident, and the date and time the youth was released from the confinement.

8. The facility administrator or his/her designee regularly reviews and analyzes the use of room confinement and maintains a file in his or her office for a period of at least one year after the incident of reports on all incidents in which youth are placed in room confinement. After a year all records are preserved and maintained pursuant to state laws and regulations.

9. Unit staff receive regular training on the appropriate use of, and alternatives to, room confinement.

10. Staff are to monitor youth in room confinement in at least fifteen (15) minute intervals. Staff should maintain a monitoring log.

11. Youth in room confinement have reasonable access to water, toilet facilities, and hygiene supplies.