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.
A former FCI Dublin officer admitted to repeated sexual acts with an inmate and lying to investigators during a widening federal probe
Henderson officials say they are still weeks away from finishing a review of their ICE detention agreement as the city struggles to separate and track detainee-related costs
The man was condemned for the 2008 shooting deaths of two men outside a suburban Dallas music studio
Luigi Mangione, a suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, is being held at SCI Huntingdon
David Pearson was performing a “mirror drill” at the Correctional Training Academy’s tactical firing range when he fired a live round at Lt. Rodney Osborne, killing him
The ACLU of Colorado alleged Pueblo’s contempt of court practice was unconstitutional because defendants never received charging documents
As part of the settlement, the Bureau of Prisons “will issue a formal, public acknowledgment to victims of staff sexual abuse at FCI Dublin”
The lawsuit cited mandatory 15-minute roll call meetings and a rounding system that allegedly denied Howard County corrections officers proper pay for all hours worked
The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office employees allegedly disguised the theft by replacing stolen cash with check disbursements from the Inmate Trust Fund bank account
A review found Hennepin County Juvenile Detention Center confined juveniles for long periods due to staffing shortages rather than behavioral issues
Christopher Collings was known to Rowan Ford as “Uncle Chris” after he spent months living with her family; Collings was executed for sexually assaulting and killing the girl
The Hardee Correctional Institution inmate identified himself as a gang member in the letter and made threats to harm the judge’s family if he couldn’t reach him directly
The report highlights missed evaluations, underpaid staff and unresolved inmate complaints under private contractors
The Fully Blooded Felons leader pushed for gang members to become corrections officers so members could more easily smuggle drugs, the indictment said
Arizona last carried out three executions in 2022 following a nearly eight-year hiatus
The Telfair State Prison inmate conned his fellow inmates’ family members and friends into believing he could provide legal help, physical protection and investment opportunities
The judge found the NYC DOC failed to comply with 18 separate provisions of court orders pertaining to security, staffing, use of force and the safety of young detainees
Contraband items such as a knife, cellphones and controlled substances were put into Tupperware containers, concealed in plastic wrap in the middle of prepared food
Prosecutors were accused of hiding a deal with the detainee, who alleged the Cook County corrections officer used excessive force during a jail altercation
Lawyers for Erik and Lyle Menendez filed a habeas corpus petition in May 2023, asking a judge to consider new evidence of their father’s sexual abuse
Carey Dale Grayson, 50, was executed at the William C. Holman Correctional Facility; he was one of four convicted in the killing
Smith made international headlines in 1994 when she insisted for nine days that a carjacker drove away with her sons
The Southern Regional Jail COs admitted each face up to 30 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 after pleading guilty to a federal civil rights violation
Nicholas Umphenour is accused of killing a man while on the run after shooting officers during a plot to help an inmate escape from a Boise hospital
The Constitution already prohibits so-called involuntary servitude, but an exception allows it to be used as a punishment for crime.
The inmate used a “metal homemade knife-type weapon” to stab the CO multiple times during the June attack at Broad River Correctional Institution
The CO admitted conspiring with other officers to assault the inmate as retaliation at the Southern Regional Jail, according to court documents
Alameda County Sheriff Yesenia Sanchez acknowledged “mistakes” were made in the inmate’s death at Santa Rita Jail but condemned the decision to file criminal charges
During intake at Hennepin County jail, Lucas Bellamy said he ingested a bag of drugs; he died of a perforated bowel while in custody
The state AG has moved for a new trial, arguing that “no reasonable jury” could conclude the CO was doing anything beyond maintaining order at Garner Correctional Institution
An Old Colony Correctional Facility inmate told a fellow inmate that his wife was a great criminal defense attorney who could negotiate a reduced sentence
In November 2023, the inmate punched an Allen County Jail corrections officer in the mouth, breaking the CO’s tooth
Two IDOC officers were shot by Nicholas Umphenour in a hospital ambush that helped an inmate escape; a third CO was mistakenly injured by a Boise PD officer
MOST POPULAR
- Massive Fla. drug trafficking operation reveals drone was used to try to drop contraband into prison
- Video to be central part of case in Pa. corrections officer’s killing
- Ohio county extends unappetizing jail food vendor contract
- Nearly 600 former detainees have sued LA County over sexual abuse in juvenile halls
- Inmate sentenced for choking Neb. CO to unconsciousness