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 Justice Department is reviewing Colorado’s handling of medical care, youth detainee nutrition and gender housing policies
The former Pendleton inmate struck a corrections officer multiple times and placed him in a chokehold before being restrained
The correctional officer was injured while attempting to photograph the inmate for documentation
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
The state has sought to prevent the video from being released to the public, claiming the footage poses a security risk at the prison
Several other states, including California and Georgia, allow for a multi-day execution process
Prior to the ruling, execution warrants in the state were only valid for the day noted on the court order
“Failure to obey a direct order of an ADOC employee” is now a high-level violation that will lead to losing three years of accrued good time
The draft terms for the court-ordered overhaul of state prison healthcare include setting a ratio of care providers to prisoners and appointing officials to monitor department compliance
Riverside County Sheriff Deputy Isaiah Cordero was killed by a violent felon, on bail twice over, during a Dec. 29 traffic stop
Robert Fratta, 65, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection for hiring two people to kill his estranged wife in 1994
New law will help ensure that phone rates are “reasonable” for families trying to stay in touch with an incarcerated loved one
The Fresno County, California rule allowed suspects arrested for certain lower-level felonies and misdemeanors to be released soon after, without having to put up bail money
Kelly Ann McCann, convicted of fourth-degree assault, also sentenced to community service and probation for concussing a police officer
Bryan Kohberger’s housing classification, after extradition from Pennsylvania, is being determined by Latah County Jail staff
Union presses prison officials to make necessary repairs to ensure the N.C. federal prison is a safe working environment
Larimer County’s pioneering program connects defendants facing mid-level felony charges with support from mental health professionals to speed up court proceedings
Amber McLaughlin’s scheduled execution for murdering a former girlfriend will be the first of an openly transgender woman
The order came after a Kankakee County judge said the provisions were unconstitutional
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