Rhode Island § 8-10-9 - Family Court

§ 8-10-9. Assistance of services of department of corrections.

(a) The facilities of the department of corrections shall be available at all times to the court. The director of the department of corrections shall assign to service in the court a supervisor of probation counsellors, probation counsellors, and other workers to carry out the purposes of the court. The supervisor, counsellors, and workers, when so assigned, shall be responsible to the court and shall serve in the court at the pleasure of the chief judge in his or her capacity as administrative judge.

(b) At the request of the court, the director of the department of corrections, his or her assistants, and the bureau of mental hygiene shall make such investigation or examination, or both, as the court or any justice thereof may request of any party within its jurisdiction, and shall file with the court a written report of the investigation or examination, or both, within the time fixed by the court. Any party in interest or his or her counsel shall be entitled to examine the report, and shall be given the opportunity to cross-examine under oath the person who submits the report, and to introduce evidence in support of or in opposition to it before a decision is rendered by the court. The written report of investigation or examination shall not be used as evidence in any criminal matter heard by the court.

(c) At the direction of the court, the supervisor of probation counsellors, probation counsellors, and other workers shall assume responsibility for the enforcement of all preliminary, interlocutory, and decretal orders in cases referred to them by the court. The court may order payments of temporary or permanent alimony for the support of a wife or children, or both, to the supervisor, counsellors, or workers for the account of the wife or children, or both.