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.
Ashley Toney was sentenced to over six years in prison for failing to intervene in the death of Quantez Burks at Southern Regional Jail
Ralph Menzies, sentenced to death in 1988, was found to still understand his crime and punishment despite severe cognitive decline
At least 459 hearings and dozens of petitions are under review due to nearly 6,000 faulty drug tests in California prisons
‘We have confirmed, we have determined, there is no nexus’
Re-entry bills part of bipartisan push for prison overhaul
A ‘historic settlement’ will reduce frequency, duration and severity of solitary confinement, making conditions ‘more humane and more just’
The eye-scanning system has processed over 2K inmates
Two former COs to plead not guilty to voluntary manslaughter charges after off-duty fight
The state’s prison population has grown three times faster than its resident population over the past decade
Obama has commuted 248 inmates, more than past six presidents combined
The omnibus bill in the Senate also sets a standard for what’s considered too high to drive
The estimated savings for over 10 years will be from about $247M to less than $40M
For months now, the Wyoming Department of Corrections has been working with University of Wyoming
Officials see data as support for “Smart on Crime” initiative
“Prison-based gerrymandering” gave the eligible voters in the district almost twice the voting power of others in the county
At least 62,000 convicted felons could ask a judge to wipe away or “vacate” their criminal records
State has agreed to change how inmates with disabilities are treated and housed to settle part of a broader lawsuit over prison medical care
Man on death row cannot be executed because he meets the legal standard to be considered intellectually disabled
Condemned killer’s 2009 botched execution was called off after two hours
Officers often are working alone in a unit with 100-plus inmates and only have a radio and set of keys
After the mistake was identified in 2012, DOC didn’t calculate prison sentences by hand to stop new early releases
The inmate has been a consistent problem for prison staff with at least 16 write-ups for misconduct in two years
The largest percentage of mentally ill people behind bars are not in state prisons, they’re in jails
One inmate brushed up against another and ‘the fight was on’
Lawmakers are facing a $1.3B budget hole for the upcoming fiscal year
The House must approve it sometime before lawmakers adjourn
The legislation would require a major overhaul of the practice of segregating some inmates into small cells
Lawmakers approved a GOP-spending plan with $1.9B for prisons
A blanket ban on solitary for low-level and juvenile offenders, in my opinion, is not an optimal choice nor is it conducive to public safety
Young Native Americans made up as much as 8 percent of jail inmates in Indian Country in 2014
The growth comes more than 2 decades since federal dollars were prohibited for college prison programs
The lawsuit seeking class action status represents six women on behalf of an estimated 2K women in state custody
Offenders would face prison sentences of one to five years
MOST POPULAR
- Jury deadlocked in trial of white Ohio CO accused of attacking black inmate
- Judge temporarily stops 1st federal executions since 2003
- Texas death row appeal centers around comedian’s video
- Ga. sheriff denies allegations he ordered newspapers removed from jail
- Thousands of North Carolina felons can now register and vote