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.
Federal charges allege Walker County Jail officers deprived Tony Mitchell and others of basic rights and used an inmate enforcer to assault detainees
Albert Booze pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after using Deputy Christopher Knight’s TASER and a knife in a 2021 fatal confrontation at Bibb County Jail
Investigators say the La Plata County commander accessed sensitive jail videos more than 3,000 times and looked up inmates and colleagues on social media
The judge, who said she wanted the sentence to send an “unmistakable message,” noted that Maxwell never expressed remorse
The court highlights the differences in a policy violation vs. a constitutional violation in a case involving a jail suicide
New York State Correctional Officers and Police Benevolent Association has argued that HALT will lead to increased violence in state prisons
The moratorium also bars expansions, conversions or renovations to an existing facility
Casey White’s attorneys filed a motion asking for the county to state if they intend to pursue the death penalty
The defense portrayed CO Vicky White as being in control of events from the start
“We do have a story to tell,” Casey White’s lawyer said, but added “this story is going to be told in the courtroom”
The legislation is the latest step by members of Congress to further oversight of the federal prison system
The court sided with CDCR over a federal healthcare receiver who had initiated the vaccine directive
It’s a key position in a prison system that has struggled to rein in criminal behavior, particularly at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women
Proponents hope the bill will crackdown on repeat offenders and reduce rising car thefts by juveniles
No criminal charges have been filed against the officer
“It doesn’t eliminate the use of solitary confinement, but it puts significant restrictions on its use,” said Rep. Steven Stafstrom
A federal monitor found inmates were “weaponizing” PREA and using it as a way to threaten officers and retaliate against them
The officer injured his knee during a “vertical jump test” while training with the agency
A fourth officer is also expected to be charged in the death
“Teenagers, even those who have committed terrible crimes, have a unique capacity for growth and change,” Gov. Kate Brown said
Commissioner Louis Molina promised a federal judge on Tuesday that meaningful changes would be made within days
How long has it been since someone has taken a good look at the way you are utilizing your staff?
Though an officer ostensibly made his rounds, he did not physically enter the video arraignment room as required by policy – during which time an inmate overdosed
A change in intake procedures meant to cut down on CO overtime meant hundreds of inmates went without full medical screenings
Alex Banta now faces up to life in prison for actions the jury said led to the death of inmate Larry Earvin
The bill would prohibit inmates convicted in eight violent crime categories from using good behavior credits to reduce their sentences
The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved spending $49.5 million to end a lawsuit brought by COs for unpaid overtime
“Gross understaffing,” “uncontrolled gang activity,” and inmates having “unfettered access to contraband” were among the DOJ’s findings
The changes would put the Orange County jail system ahead of other facilities statewide, a disability rights attorney said
In a lawsuit, the nurse blames jail staff for creating an unsafe environment by not supervising inmates while in the infirmary
The jury found that the DOC failed to properly accommodate the officer’s disability and then subsequently retaliated against him
Attorneys for the inmates are seeking to get the state’s new firing squad and century-old electric chair declared unconstitutional
The bill prohibits anyone convicted of a crime that involved killing another person with a deadly weapon from shortening their prison sentence
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