Section 42-4-71. Deduction of costs from inmate's account for destruction of property, medical treatment, and other causes; exception for certain medical costs

   (a) The officer in charge may establish by rules or regulations criteria for a reasonable deduction from money credited to the account of an inmate to:

   (1) Repay the costs of:

      (A) Public property willfully damaged or destroyed by the inmate during his incarceration;

      (B) Medical treatment for injuries inflicted by the inmate upon himself or others;

      (C) Searching for and apprehending the inmate when he escapes or attempts to escape; such costs to be limited to those extraordinary costs incurred as a consequence of the escape; or

      (D) Quelling any riot or other disturbance in which the inmate is unlawfully involved;

   (2) Defray the costs paid by a municipality or county for medical treatment for an inmate, which medical treatment has been requested by the inmate, provided that such deduction from money credited to the account of an inmate shall not exceed $5.00 for each such occurrence of treatment received by the inmate at the inmate's request; provided, further, that if the balance in an inmate's account is $10.00 or less, such fee shall not be charged; and provided, further, that in the event that the costs of medical treatment of an inmate have been collected from said inmate pursuant to Code Section 42-4-51, there shall be no deductions from money credited to the account of an inmate under the provisions of this paragraph for the cost of such medical treatment.

(b) The provisions of paragraph (2) of subsection (a) of this Code section shall not apply in any case where an officer of the detention facility or a medical practitioner determines that an inmate is in need of medical treatment.

(c) All sums collected for medical treatment shall be reimbursed to the inmate if such inmate is acquitted or otherwise exonerated of all charges for which the inmate was being held.

Code 1981, § 42-4-71, enacted by Ga. L. 1992, p. 2942, § 1; Ga. L. 1993, p. 304, § 1; Ga. L. 1996, p. 1264, § 3.