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.
Gregory Rodriguez, 47, was sentenced to 224 years for sexually assaulting nine inmates over an 11-year period at the women’s prison in Chowchilla
In court filings, detainees said they were fed inedible “slop” and endured the “horrific stench” of sweat, urine and feces, in part because the rooms have open toilets
Todd Kohlhepp, who killed seven people, claimed the merchandise could help fund his prison transfer and shared ideas with outside contacts
The in-custody inmate was at the courthouse for official business when the incident occurred
Randy Halprin was part of a gang of prisoners who fatally shot a police officer in 2000 after they escaped from prison
The high-ranking official, who has admitted to beating Black inmates in the 1990s, has “openly shared some of his past and has shared ... that he’s a changed man”
With less than a month left in office, Gov. Kate Brown used executive clemency powers to change the death sentence to life in prison without the possibility of parole
The “extraordinary expense” is meant to bring the site into compliance with a court order regarding inmate care
Scott Eizember is scheduled for lethal injection for the 2003 shotgun killings of an elderly couple
The CO was terminated in 2020 after complaining about harassment, humiliation and sexual misconduct toward women staff
Ray J. Garcia took the stand in his own defense to explain how he happened to take the photo that allegedly shows a reflection of his face
Lawsuit contends the former warden was “grossly negligent” for not providing a safe work environment, sufficient staffing, or adequate safety protocols
At the time of her arrest Sarah Torsiello had worked 18 years for the Nebraska Department of Correctional Services
This is the fourth time in 36 years that the death warrant for double murderer Gerald Pizzuto will expire
Alabama agreed to never again use lethal injection as an execution method to put Alan Eugene Miller to death
537 officers will receive between $9.56 for a single missed lunch up to $1,223 for 128 missed lunches
After getting 155,730 applications from eligible essential workers, including LEOs, FFs, EMS providers and COs, lawmakers realized they would have to put more money in or slash benefits
A Buffalo News lawsuit seeks to force release of video showing an officer kicking an inmate’s head
The state legislature convened the study to discuss the possibility of combining administration of the state’s 25 jails and 11 prisons
The state supreme court has denied two stays and the governor announced he would not grant clemency to Kevin Johnson
Ray J. Garcia is among five workers charged with abusing inmates at the Federal Correctional Institution
Austin Harrouff, 25, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to two counts of first-degree murder and other charges for his August 2016 slayings
The decision likely ends 15-year battle between the California Correctional Peace Officers Association and the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation
Sgt. Mark Baserman, 60, died of blunt force trauma less than two weeks after he was assaulted by an inmate
The attacks, which left multiple inmates injured, took place in the kitchen, where there were no surveillance cameras
The justices declared Tennessee a “clear outlier” as the only U.S. state to require that juvenile homicide offenders serve more than 50 years in prison before they can be considered for parole
A judge sentenced Darrell Brooks Jr. on 76 charges, including six counts of first-degree intentional homicide and 61 counts of reckless endangerment
COs successfully argued that the state DOC failed to pay them for work done once they arrived at their prison for the beginning of their shifts
Richard Glossip’s request for a new evidentiary hearing that his attorneys suggested would prove his innocence was denied
The order did not attempt to address crowding going forward, as the city and state continue to scramble for alternatives
Prosecutors claim ex-Cuyahoga County Jail director Ken Mills mismanaged the facility and created inhumane conditions
Between Sept. 13 and Nov. 2, 2021, 155 officers were caught absent without leave and suspended
Future inspection topics could include the jails’ procedures for preventing suicides among those detained
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