{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/53.1-29.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/53.1-29.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/53.1-29.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/53.1-29.html"}],"law_id":70840,"edition_id":1,"section_id":70840,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-29","catch_line":"Authority for correctional officers and other employees to carry weapons","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 53-39; 1970, c. 648; 1979, c. 642; 1982, c. 636; 1984, c. 720; 1996, cc. 804, 838.","full_text":"It shall be lawful for any correctional officer and any noncustodial employee who has been designated by the Director of the Department, and who has completed the basic course in firearms for correctional officers as approved by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to carry and use sufficient weapons to prevent escapes, suppress rebellion, and defend or protect himself or others in the course of his assigned duties.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":255440,"text":"It shall be lawful for any correctional officer and any noncustodial employee who has been designated by the Director of the Department, and who has completed the basic course in firearms for correctional officers as approved by the Department of Criminal Justice Services, to carry and use sufficient weapons to prevent escapes, suppress rebellion, and defend or protect himself or others in the course of his assigned duties.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":12719,"edition_id":1,"name":"General Provisions","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12718,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":237863,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12719,"identifier":"1","token":"53.1\/2\/1","url":"\/53.1\/2\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12718,"edition_id":1,"name":"State Correctional Facilities","identifier":"2","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12717,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":237861,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12718,"identifier":"2","token":"53.1\/2","url":"\/53.1\/2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12717,"edition_id":1,"name":"Prisons and Other Methods of Correction","identifier":"53.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:49","permalink":{"id":237591,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12717,"identifier":"53.1","token":"53.1","url":"\/53.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":53940,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-18","catch_line":"Department to have custody of property; 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rules to be available to prisoners","url":"\/53.1-25\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-25","metadata":false},{"id":56296,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-25.1","catch_line":"Rules of state correctional facilities","url":"\/53.1-25.1\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-25.1","metadata":false},{"id":83061,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-26","catch_line":"Confiscation of prohibited articles","url":"\/53.1-26\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-26","metadata":false},{"id":54317,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-27","catch_line":"Establishment of stores in state correctional facilities","url":"\/53.1-27\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-27","metadata":false},{"id":83094,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-28","catch_line":"Authority to fix discharge date; improper release; warrant, arrest and hearing","url":"\/53.1-28\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-28","metadata":false},{"id":70840,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-29","catch_line":"Authority for correctional officers and other employees to carry weapons","url":"\/53.1-29\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-29","metadata":false},{"id":81741,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-30","catch_line":"Who may enter interior of state correctional facilities; 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Department of Corrections-issued identification","url":"\/53.1-31.4\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-31.4","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83094,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-28","catch_line":"Authority to fix discharge date; improper release; warrant, arrest and hearing","url":"\/53.1-28\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-28","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":81741,"structure_id":12719,"section_number":"53.1-30","catch_line":"Who may enter interior of state correctional facilities; searches of those entering","url":"\/53.1-30\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-30","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/53.1-29\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 5 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1970, chapter 648; in 1979, chapter 642; in 1982, chapter 636; in 1984, chapter 720; in 1996, chapters 804<\/a> and 838<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":56600,"section_number":"18.2-308","catch_line":"Carrying concealed weapons; exceptions; penalty","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-308\/"},{"id":62627,"section_number":"19.2-81.2","catch_line":"Power of correctional officers and designated noncustodial employees to detain","order_by":null,"url":"\/19.2-81.2\/"},{"id":68457,"section_number":"53.1-58","catch_line":"Highway employees as guards","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-58\/"},{"id":87161,"section_number":"53.1-59","catch_line":"Prisoners performing work for localities, state agencies or nonprofit civic organizations; payment of costs; foremen as guards","order_by":null,"url":"\/53.1-59\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":237925,"object_type":"law","relational_id":70840,"identifier":"53.1-29","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-29","url":"\/53.1-29\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/53.1-29\/","token":"53.1\/2\/1\/53.1-29","dublin_core":{"Title":"Authority for correctional officers and other employees to carry weapons","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 53.1-29","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It shall be lawful for any correctional officer<\/span> and any noncustodial employee who has been designated by the Director<\/span> of the Department<\/span>, and who has completed the basic course in firearms for correctional officers<\/span> as approved by the Department<\/span> of Criminal Justice Services, to carry and use sufficient weapons to prevent escapes, suppress<\/span> rebellion, and defend or protect himself or others in the course of his assigned duties.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nAUTHORITY FOR CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS AND OTHER EMPLOYEES TO CARRY WEAPONS (\u00a7\n53.1-29)\n\nIt shall be lawful for any correctional officer and any noncustodial employee\nwho has been designated by the Director of the Department, and who has completed\nthe basic course in firearms for correctional officers as approved by the\nDepartment of Criminal Justice Services, to carry and use sufficient weapons to\nprevent escapes, suppress rebellion, and defend or protect himself or others in\nthe course of his assigned duties.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 53-39; 1970, c. 648; 1979, c. 642; 1982, c. 636; 1984, c.\n720; 1996, cc. 804, 838.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}