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.
Corrections Officer Corey Clark says Kelvin Vickers planned the attack in advance, vowing to harm the first CO to open his cell at Coxsackie Correctional Facility
In late 2024, Aaron Gunches asked the Arizona Supreme Court to schedule his execution as soon as possible, saying his death sentence was “long overdue”
The state had not carried out an execution in 15 years due to legal challenges and difficulties obtaining lethal injection drugs
Gov. Kathy Hochul’s hiring ban extends to local governments by temporarily suspending laws that would allow agencies to hire the COs; it also strips COs of their peace officer status
Court documents claim the Northeast Ohio Correctional Center officer’s calls for backup were ignored, allowing the attack to continue
County sheriffs say hiring fired COs could help alleviate jail staffing shortages, but Gov. Kathy Hochul’s executive order blocks them from government jobs
The woman spent 85 days in DuPage County jail awaiting a mental health transfer before dying, with medical neglect cited as a contributing factor to her death
Prosecutors allege the suspects used deadly weapons to carry out the killings, which were linked to gang activity within Ely State Prison
Gov. Kathy Hochul is enforcing consequences for fired striking corrections officers, saying, “You’re not working in our state workforce, ever”
District Attorney Nathan Hochman called Lyle and Erik Menendez’s self-defense claims false and insists they do not meet the standards for rehabilitation or resentencing
The California State Sheriffs’ Association says the bill could create significant fiscal pressure on counties that are required to pay the higher wage
Brad Sigmon, who killed his ex-girlfriend’s parents with a baseball bat, was shot by three volunteer Broad River Correctional Institution employees
The charges include multiple stabbings, smuggling attempts and a scheme to bring weapons into the facility inside a Doritos bag
Antoine R. Fielder pleaded guilty in exchange for a life sentence, avoiding the death penalty for killing Wyandotte County Deputies Theresa King and Patrick Rohrer
A new committee to review HALT Act changes and 12-hour shifts until normal operations resume are key components of the state’s proposal
Video shows the moment the DeSoto County inmate seized a TASER and used it on a jailer during a struggle in the facility
More than 8,000 COs continue to hold the line, stating the tentative deal fails to address key safety concerns
In Gillman v. City of Troy, the 6th Circuit ruled on qualified immunity for failure to provide medical care to a detainee in withdrawal
The Mid-State Correctional Facility inmate died at a hospital in Utica; New York State Police are investigating the inmate’s death
The agreement includes suspending parts of the HALT Act for 90 days and safeguarding against excessive mandatory overtime
Some federal prison staff will see paychecks slashed by up to 25% as unions warn of “more turnover, burnout and instability” across BOP facilities
Gov. Kathy Hochul said that legal proceedings against nearly 400 striking COs had begun, with New York State Police serving restraining orders to 380 individuals
The court-approved agreement includes protections for transgender and non-citizen inmates, despite the Trump administration’s last-minute attempt to alter terms
New York DOCCS said mediation talks are ongoing and that the department will “continue negotiating key issues” with the “goal of resolving the strike”
Kathleen Kenney, a corrections veteran with federal and state experience, will monitor conditions at the Fulton County Jail following a Justice Department investigation
The justices ruled prosecutors withheld evidence and failed to correct false testimony in Richard Glossip’s murder trial for the 1997 killing of his former boss
One bus was set on fire, and another was spray-painted with a message that read, “Can you hear us now?” on the side, as COs protest unsafe working conditions and policies
Nicholas Kieffer pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, first-degree manslaughter and other charges in the death of inmate Robert Brooks at Marcy Correctional Facility
Only three inmates in the U.S. have been executed by firing squad since 1976 — all were in Utah, with the last one taking place in 2010
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