(a) Each prisoner who shall hereafter be convicted of any offense against the laws of the State of Alabama and is confined, in execution of the judgment or sentence upon any conviction, in the penitentiary or at hard labor for the county or in any municipal jail for a definite or indeterminate term, other than for life, whose record of conduct shows that he or she has faithfully observed the rules for a period of time to be specified by this article may be entitled to earn a deduction from the term of his or her sentence as follows:

(1) Seventy-five days for each 30 days actually served while the prisoner is classified as a Class I prisoner.

(2) Forty days for each 30 days actually served while the prisoner is a Class II prisoner.

(3) Twenty days for each 30 days actually served while the prisoner is a Class III prisoner.

(4) No good time shall accrue during the period the prisoner is classified as a Class IV prisoner.

(b) Within 90 days after May 19, 1980, the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections shall establish and publish in appropriate directives certain criteria not in conflict with this article for Class I, II, III, and IV prisoner classifications. Such classifications shall encompass consideration of the prisoner's behavior, discipline, and work practices and job responsibilities.

(c)(1) Class I is set aside for those prisoners who are considered to be trustworthy in every respect and who, by virtue of their work habits, conduct, and attitude of cooperation have proven their trustworthiness. An example of a Class I inmate would be one who could work without constant supervision by a security officer.

(2) Class II is that category of prisoners whose jobs will be under the supervision of a correctional employee at all times. Any inmate shall remain in this classification for a minimum period of six months before being eligible for Class I.

(3) Class III is for prisoners with special assignments. They may not receive any of the privileges of Class I and Class II inmates. Any inmate shall remain in this classification for a minimum period of three months before being eligible for Class II.

(4) Class IV is for prisoners not yet classified and for those who are able to work and refuse, or who commit disciplinary infractions of such a nature which do not warrant a higher classification, or inmates who do not abide by the rules of the institution. Inmates who are classified in this earning class receive no correctional incentive time. This class is generally referred to as "flat time" or "day-for-day." Any inmate shall remain in this classification for a minimum period of 30 days before being eligible for Class III.

(5) No inmate may reach any class without first having gone through and meeting the requirements of all lower classifications.

(d) As a prisoner gains a higher classification status he or she shall not be granted retroactive incentive credit based on the higher classification he or she has reached, but shall be granted incentive credit based solely on the classification in which he or she was serving at the time the incentive credit was earned. Nothing in this article shall be interpreted as authorizing an inmate incentive credits based on the highest classification he or she attains for any period of time in which he or she was serving in a lower classification or from the date of his sentence.

(e) Provided, however, no person may receive the benefits of correctional incentive time if he or she has been convicted of a Class A felony or has been sentenced to life, or death, or who has received a sentence for more than 15 years in the state penitentiary or in the county jail at hard labor or in any municipal jail. No person may receive the benefits of correctional incentive time if he or she has been convicted of a sex offense involving a child as defined in Section 15-20A-4(26). No person may be placed in Class I if he or she has been convicted of an assault where the victims of such assault suffered the permanent loss or use or permanent partial loss or use of any bodily organ or appendage. No person may be placed in Class I if he or she has been convicted of a crime involving the perpetration of sexual abuse upon the person of a child under the age of 17 years.

The court sentencing a person shall note upon the transcript to accompany such prisoner the fact that he or she has been sentenced as a result of a crime that forbids his or her being classified as a Class I prisoner.

(f)(1) If during the term of imprisonment a prisoner commits an offense or violates a rule of the Department of Corrections, all or any part of his or her correctional incentive time accrued pursuant to this section shall be forfeited.

(2) The Commissioner of the Department of Corrections shall have the power to restore to any prisoner who has heretofore, or who may hereafter, forfeit the deductions allowed him or her for good behavior, work habits and cooperation, or good conduct, by violating any existing law or prison rule or regulation such portion of his or her deduction for good conduct or good behavior as may be proper in his or her judgment, upon recommendation and evidence submitted to him or her by the warden in charge.

(g)(1) When a prisoner is serving two or more terms of imprisonment and the sentences run consecutively, then all such sentences shall be combined for the purpose of computing deductions for correctional incentive time and release date; however, the actual deduction from sentence for correctional incentive time provided by this section shall apply only to sentences to be served.

(2) When a prisoner is serving two or more sentences which run concurrently, the sentence which results in the longer period of incarceration yet remaining shall be considered the term to which such prisoner is sentenced for the purpose of computing his or her release date and correctional incentive time under the provisions of this article. When computing the deductions allowed in this section on indeterminate sentences the maximum sentence shall be the basis for the computation. The provisions of this section shall be administered by the chief administrative officer of the penal institution as it applies to prisoners in any state penal institution, by the sheriff of the county as it applies to prisoners in any county jail and by the chief of police as it applies to prisoners in any municipal jail.

(h) Deductions for good behavior, work habits and cooperation, or good conduct shall be interpreted to give authorized good time retroactively, to those offenders convicted of crimes committed after May 19, 1980, except those convicted of crimes of the unlawful sale or distribution of controlled substances as enumerated in Title 13A and in former Chapter 2 of Title 20, and for any sexual offenses as enumerated in Chapter 6, Title 13A, provided however that the Commissioner of the Department of Corrections shall have the prison records of all inmates, who become eligible under this article, reviewed and shall disqualify any such inmate from being awarded good time under this article at his or her discretion.