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.
The panel pointed to repeated cellphone use and alleged gang involvement as reasons for denying parole for three more years
Paul Kendrick, 30, was sentenced for the 2018 beating death of Sgt. Mark Baserman and received two additional life terms for assaults on COs
Lyle and Erik Menendez are set for separate parole hearings that could lead to their release nearly 30 years after their convictions for killing their parents
The book was flagged for containing content viewed as “dangerously inflammatory in that it advocates or encourages” unrest
Legislation looks to remove language about ‘involuntary servitude’ as a form of criminal punishment from state constitutions
The bill would require youths charged with a serious offense to be evaluated for eligibility in cognitive behavioral therapy or substance abuse treatment
Majority of justices found no evidence that the drafters of the Constitution intended to restore voting rights upon a felon’s release from prison
The bill’s language set off a slew of criticism from prisoner’s rights groups and advocates for organ donations
The legislation would create oversight of the board without taking away its independent decision making process
In November, the city settled a class-action lawsuit over delayed releases dating back to 2014
The suit alleges the inmate contracted COVID-19 because of poor practices or indifference at the jail
The attorney is calling for an investigation, accusing officials of moving ahead with the lethal injection while federal appeals were still outstanding
The ex-prison worker was the fifth employee at the facility to be charged with sexual abuse of inmates since June 2021
California would join Maine and Vermont, as well as the District of Columbia, as the only states where felons never lose their right to vote
The bill would allow inmates to receive a reduction between 60 days and a year on the condition that they have donated bone marrow or organs
Court rules that seven months of solitary confinement for an inmate with known mental health issues violated the Eighth Amendment and clearly established law
Kenneth Eugene Smith was scheduled to be put to death by lethal injection last year for a 1988 murder-for-hire slaying
If the bill passes as is, Florida would have “the most extreme death penalty statute in the country”
The department has expanded the use of surveillance and body-worn cameras “across prisons in the state” and has increased staff training
Inmates were released in waves this week due to issues notifying the victims and their families about the planned mass release
The lawsuit “seeks to prevent the early release of inmates until such time as the statutorily-required notice to the inmates’ victims is provided”
The suit says counties are unfairly stuck with the costs of housing, feeding and providing medical and psychiatric care for inmates
The bill would limit confinement to no more than 15 consecutive days and prohibit placing anyone in solitary who is pregnant or has a physical or mental disability
The ex-officer also posted a photo of protestors lying on a street and wrote, “I would run them over no problem lol (laughing tears of joy emoji) didn’t see it”
The order means that it could be four more months until justices decide whether a newly organized firing squad or the electric chair are legal methods of execution
Inmates will be allowed access to limited services, including substance use treatment and mental health diagnoses
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of 182 inmates over “some of the most brutal death row conditions in the country”
The lawsuits were dismissed after the inmates’ attorneys and the DOC said improvements to inmate living conditions had been made
Javarick Gantt, a deaf man who relied on sign language to communicate, was found dead inside his cell last October
DCFS and Family Services allegedly wrongfully incarcerated children in juvenile detention after a court ordered them to be released to their guardian
The woman sued over alleged mistreatment while in custody, but decided not to proceed the day before the trial was set to begin
The state’s latest attempt to end nearly 12 years without an execution is to pass a new shield law to protect the identities of drug providers
Tragedy might have been avoided if correctional officers had pressed medical staff for a more thorough check of an inmate’s condition
