(a) The commissioner shall do the following:

1. (1) Organize the department and employ personnel necessary to discharge the duties and powers of the department.
2. (2) Administer and supervise the department, including all state owned or operated correctional facilities.
3. (3) Except for employees of the parole board, be the appointing authority for all positions in the department.
4. (4) Define the duties of a deputy commissioner and a warden.
5. (5) Accept committed persons for study, evaluation, classification, custody, care, training, and reintegration.
6. (6) Determine the capacity of all state owned or operated correctional facilities and programs and keep all Indiana courts having criminal or juvenile jurisdiction informed, on a quarterly basis, of the populations of those facilities and programs.
7. (7) Utilize state owned or operated correctional facilities and programs to accomplish the purposes of the department and acquire or establish, according to law, additional facilities and programs whenever necessary to accomplish those purposes.
8. (8) Develop policies, programs, and services for committed persons, for administration of facilities, and for conduct of employees of the department.
9. (9) Administer, according to law, the money or other property of the department and the money or other property retained by the department for committed persons.
10. (10) Keep an accurate and complete record of all department proceedings, which includes the responsibility for the custody and preservation of all papers and documents of the department.
11. (11) Make an annual report to the governor according to subsection (c).
12. (12) Develop, collect, and maintain information concerning offenders, sentencing practices, and correctional treatment as the commissioner considers useful in penological research or in developing programs.
13. (13) Cooperate with and encourage public and private agencies and other persons in the development and improvement of correctional facilities, programs, and services.
14. (14) Explain correctional programs and services to the public.
15. (15) As required under 52 U.S.C. 21083, provide information to the election division to coordinate the computerized list of voters maintained under IC 3-7-26.3 with department records concerning individuals disfranchised under IC 3-7-46 .
16. (16) Make an annual report to the legislative council in an electronic format under IC 5-14-6 before September 1 of each year.

(b) The commissioner may:

1. (1) when authorized by law, adopt departmental rules under IC 4-22-2 ;
2. (2) delegate powers and duties conferred on the commissioner by law to a deputy commissioner or commissioners and other employees of the department;
3. (3) issue warrants for the return of escaped committed persons (an employee of the department or any person authorized to execute warrants may execute a warrant issued for the return of an escaped person);
4. (4) appoint personnel to be sworn in as correctional police officers;
5. (5) enter into a regional holding facility lease agreement with a local economic development organization as described under IC 4-20.5-7-22 ; and
6. (6) exercise any other power reasonably necessary in discharging the commissioner's duties and powers.

(c) The annual report of the department shall be transmitted to the governor by September 1 of each year and must contain:

1. (1) a description of the operation of the department for the fiscal year ending June 30;
2. (2) a description of the facilities and programs of the department;
3. (3) an evaluation of the adequacy and effectiveness of those facilities and programs considering the number and needs of committed persons or other persons receiving services; and

4. (4) any other information required by law.

   Recommendations for alteration, expansion, or discontinuance of facilities or programs, for funding, or for statutory changes may be included in the annual report.

   As added by Acts 1979, P.L.120, SEC.1. Amended by P.L.209-2003, SEC.200; P.L.246-2005, SEC.91; P.L.77-2009, SEC.3; P.L.6-2012, SEC.77; P.L.23-2012, SEC.1; P.L.67-2017, SEC.6; P.L.130-2018, SEC.35; P.L.239-2019, SEC.6; P.L.278-2019, SEC.167; P.L.156-2020, SEC.51.