(A) The Director of the Department of Corrections may allow an inmate sentenced to the custody of the department, except an inmate convicted of a "no parole offense" as defined in § 24-13-100, who is assigned to a productive duty assignment, including an inmate who is serving time in a local facility pursuant to a designated facility agreement authorized by § 24-3-20 or § 24-3-30 or who is regularly enrolled and actively participating in an academic, technical, or vocational training program, a reduction from the term of his sentence of zero to one day for every two days he is employed or enrolled. A maximum annual credit for both work credit and education credit is limited to one hundred eighty days.

(B) The Director of the Department of Corrections may allow an inmate sentenced to the custody of the department serving a sentence for a "no parole offense" as defined in § 24-13-100, who is assigned to a productive duty assignment, including an inmate who is serving time in a local facility pursuant to a designated facility agreement authorized by § 24-3-20 or § 24-3-30 or who is regularly enrolled and actively participating in an academic, technical, or vocational training program, a reduction from the term of his sentence of six days for every month he is employed or enrolled. However, no prisoner serving a sentence for life imprisonment or a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment for thirty years pursuant to § 16-3-20 is entitled to credits under this provision. No prisoner convicted of a "no parole offense" is entitled to a reduction below the minimum term of incarceration provided in § 24-13-125 or 24-13-150. A maximum annual credit for both work credit and education credit is limited to seventy-two days.

(C) No credits earned pursuant to this section may be applied in a manner which would prevent full participation in the Department of Probation, Parole and Pardon Services’ prerelease or community supervision program as provided in § 24-21-560.

(D) The amount of credit to be earned for each duty classification or enrollment must be determined by the director and published by him in a conspicuous place available to inmates at each correctional institution. If a prisoner commits an offense or violates one of the rules of the institution during his term of imprisonment, all or part of the work credit or education credit he has earned may be forfeited in the discretion of the Director of the Department of Corrections.

(E) The official in charge of a local detention facility must allow an inmate sentenced to the custody of the facility who is assigned to a mandatory productive duty assignment a reduction from the term of his sentence of zero to one day for every two days so employed. The amount of credit to be earned for each duty classification must be determined by the official in charge of the local detention facility and published by him in a conspicuous place available to inmates.

(F)(1) An individual is eligible for the educational credits provided for in this section only upon successful participation in an academic, technical, or vocational training program.

(2) The educational credit provided for in this section, is not available to any individual convicted of a violent crime as defined in § 16-1-60.

(G) The South Carolina Department of Corrections may not pay any tuition for college courses.