Legal
Legal issues in the correctional system encompass various topics, including inmate rights, staff conduct, and compliance with state and federal laws. This directory offers articles and resources on the legal aspects of correctional facility operations, helping staff stay informed about the regulations and policies that govern their work. Understanding legal responsibilities is essential for minimizing liability and ensuring facilities operate within the law. For more information, explore our section on Corrections Policies.
Following the fatal attack at River North Correctional Center, Corrections Officer Jeremy Hall’s widow is urging oversight and better pay to address staffing and safety concerns
Tova Noel, who was on duty the night Epstein died in federal custody, is scheduled to give a transcribed interview
“I’m not taking it down,” Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank said of his post that stated his office would not hire noncitizens as corrections officers or deputies
John Menendez walked up to an officer sitting in his patrol car and confessed shortly after the shootings, telling the officer to “just arrest me, bro”
Investigations by state police into employee misconduct exposed a culture at Snake River Correctional Institution that enabled abuse and harassment
“There’s a video of these detainees running out of the jail in the middle of the night. They were not heading to court hearings,” Attorney General Liz Murrill said
Officials say the “extraordinary step” is necessary because the county has failed to comply with a court order requiring sweeping reforms.
If they know why Kohberger did it, investigators haven’t said so publicly; it is also not clear why he spared two roommates who were home at the time
People who are incarcerated in the state’s prisons currently receive three free, 15-minute phone calls a week
“These warnings came from inmates and were provided directly to multiple GDC officials, including during official investigations,” the complaint states
Jared Borgesto Murray used contraband phones and co-conspirators to defraud Lowe’s while incarcerated in a Florida prison
The settlement follows allegations that Ramsey County failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse by private inmate transport contractors
The court found that over-the-counter medication did not cause Robert McCauley’s positive methamphetamine test and upheld his termination under the state’s zero-tolerance drug policy
The incidents detailed in the lawsuit failed to possess the “similarity and specificity” required to establish a de facto policy of letting drugs into the jail
The ACLU is only challenging the ban on gender-affirming medication, not the portion of the law that outlaws department funding of gender-reassignment surgeries
Najee Jackson tried to bypass security by removing layers of clothing, but a search of his vest exposed the hidden contraband
Seth L. Davis, 20, was sentenced to a deferred judgment, community service and anger management for an assault at Centennial Correctional Facility
The lawsuit hit during an ongoing Department of Justice investigation that began in February 2023 after a spate of 18 inmate deaths in county jails in 2022
Flores argues that juror bias and improper witness testimony denied him a fair trial in the 1996 case
The We Will Act Act law lets corrections officers and police use legal means — including jamming and hacking — to neutralize drones near prisons and other protected areas
Mark Holdren, 41, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Johnathan Walters, 33, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the assault in the Southern Regional Jail
The bills would allow current COs to buy into the Michigan State Police hybrid plan with retroactive credit
Acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, Sean “Diddy” Combs remains jailed at MDC Brooklyn while awaiting sentencing for prostitution-related charges
A former Contra Costa deputy convicted in a 2018 on-duty fatal shooting may have his record cleared after serving time as part of the San Quentin Fire Department
Citing a 35.5% re-arrest rate, Attorney General Jason Miyares wants the General Assembly to repeal the earned sentence credit initiative
The Wake County sheriff fired three officers and promised to put body cameras on corrections staff rollout following the man’s suicide in jail custody
A state judge ruled that the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision must stop exceeding cell confinement limits imposed by the HALT Act
The court said expanding Bivens would undermine prison operations and duplicate established inmate complaint processes
Scott Robert Tardy, an ex-Marine who worked for the Connecticut DOC, used encrypted apps to threaten the agent and his wife, urging others to set their home on fire
The judge said Adams’ emergency orders violated the democratic process after the City Council overrode his veto of Local Law 42, which limits restrictive housing in jails
Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty under the Mann Act but not of sex trafficking or racketeering, avoiding a possible life sentence
Nicholas Vitale was one of 10 corrections officers indicted in the death of inmate Messiah Nantwi
Prisoners ranging from disgraced federal agents to ex-lawmakers are crafting appeals that highlight their connections to the president
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