The policy of the General Assembly with respect to local confinement facilities is:

(1)        Local confinement facilities should provide secure custody of persons confined therein in order to protect the community and should be operated so as to protect the health and welfare of prisoners and provide for their humane treatment.

(2)        Minimum statewide standards should be provided to guide and assist local governments in planning, constructing, and maintaining confinement facilities and in developing programs that provide for humane treatment of prisoners and contribute to the rehabilitation of offenders.

(3)        The State should provide services to local governments to help improve the quality of administration and local confinement facilities. These services should include inspection, consultation, technical assistance, and other appropriate services.

(4)        Adequate qualifications and training of the personnel of local confinement facilities are essential to improving the quality of these facilities. The State shall establish entry level employment standards for jailers and supervisory and administrative personnel of local confinement facilities to include training as a condition of employment in a local confinement facility pursuant to the provisions of Article 1 of Chapter 17C and Chapter 17E and the rules promulgated thereunder. ?(1967, c. 581, s. 2; 1973, c. 822, s. 1; 1983, c. 745, s. 4; 2018-5, s. 17.1(a).)