South Carolina Department of Corrections Jail and Prison Inspection Division

Summary

Established under Title 24, Chapter 9, the Division is an administrative unit within the SC Department of Corrections charged with inspecting at least annually every facility housing prisoners or pretrial detainees operated by any state, county, or municipal authority. Inspections cover all phases of operation, fire safety, health, and sanitation (§24-9-20). The Division can order non-compliant facilities closed after a 90-day cure period (§24-9-30). It has no discipline authority over correctional officers, no subpoena power, and no civilian membership. Inmate deaths must be reported to the Division within 72 hours (§24-9-35). The Division is internal to the SCDC and thus not structurally independent from the agency it oversees.