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.
Tova Noel, a rookie corrections officer at the time, said she saw no warning signs and described limited awareness of events during her overnight shift at the Metropolitan Correctional Center
A bipartisan bill would mandate audits of prison nutrition and require medical histories in pre-sentencing reports as officials cite systemic healthcare failures
Commissioner Stanley Richards calls for hiring support and responsible population reduction to maintain safety inside facilities
Todd Sheffler said he accepted responsibility “for what I did or didn’t do” that caused the inmate’s death
House Bill 186 passed the Senate by a 24-11 vote; it overwhelmingly passed the House earlier this month
A lawsuit accuses the county and the sheriff’s department of failing to provide adequate medical and mental healthcare in the jail
The juvenile justice bills ended up with bipartisan support, praised by outside observers
The lawsuit contends detainees at the Washington County Jail were given ivermectin as early as November 2020 but were unaware until July 2021
A resolution passed allows the state to spend up to $975 million on the 4,000-bed prison
Hossein Nayeri was found guilty of the escape but acquitted of kidnapping a taxi driver while on the run
A judge said Alex Banta was “caught up in the culture” of silence surrounding violence against inmates
The state’s governor said he would consider signing the newly proposed bill into law if passed by legislature
Rebecca Hillman faces up to four years in prison after a jury convicted her of denying help to an inmate who hanged himself in a cell
The use of restraint chairs and lawful authority were at the center of deliberations that deadlocked the jury more than once
The DOC would be required to pick up inmates awaiting transport within three business days of sentencing
Charlie Bracey saved an inmate’s life and a year later was disciplined for allegedly failing to respond to the attack
“It only makes sense to allow them to make some money to take care of themselves on the back end, because we’re paying for them on the front end.”
After an officer removes the suspect’s hand and leg cuffs in line with legal requirements for the court session, the defendant runs out of the courtroom door
Only two other states – Maine and Vermont – and Washington, D.C., allow convicted people to vote while still incarcerated
Attorney for nurses said allegations “have spawned numerous social media and other very adversarial threats”
State asks for audio tapes back from the Library of Virginia after a NPR story on the existence of execution recordings
State District Judge Jim Fallon withdrew the date after lawyers requested more time to review competency
Bryant Holmes won compensatory damages for his claim of a hostile work environment at the Kansas City Reentry Center
Idaho would become the fifth state to approve a firing squad as a backup to the lethal injection drug shortage
Official: “Detention is ineffective. It’s expensive. And it produces even worse conduct. But that’s the first instinct: ‘Lock ‘em up!’”
Prosecutors described Hossein Nayeri as a “psychopath” and a “truly diabolical criminal”
Paula Henry alleges in her suit that her fellow COs mocked and harassed her since she joined the department in 2016
The man claims officers allowed him to be assaulted by other inmates while being held in the Woodbury County Jail
The final version didn’t place any restrictions on how long a prisoner can remain in solitary
Capt. Rebecca Hillman has pleaded not guilty to criminally negligent homicide and offering a false instrument for lying on an incident report
Another bill is calling for a $500K audit of eight juvenile detention centers
Maurice Hastings was released from prison last year after long-untested DNA evidence pointed to a different suspect
Court declares surgeon to be a “state actor” subject to federal civil rights law and rejects qualified immunity for her and two prison officials
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