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 incidents detailed in the lawsuit failed to possess the “similarity and specificity” required to establish a de facto policy of letting drugs into the jail
The ACLU is only challenging the ban on gender-affirming medication, not the portion of the law that outlaws department funding of gender-reassignment surgeries
Najee Jackson tried to bypass security by removing layers of clothing, but a search of his vest exposed the hidden contraband
Deshunta Miller cites chronic staffing shortages and broken cell doors that left her vulnerable to attack
Some are calling it the first significant sentence reform in Colorado in almost 40 years
The bill “puts the safety of incarcerated persons and correction employees at substantial risk,” said Gov. Lamont
The court ruled that the prosecutor who brought the case was bound by his predecessor’s agreement not to charge Cosby
The 2018 riot raged for more than seven hours at Lee Correctional Institution, leaving 7 inmates dead and more than a dozen injured
The move makes New Jersey one of just a handful of states with detailed policies on housing and providing medical care to trans prisoners
The case raised the question of whether the officers could be sued and held liable for using force
Daniele Tavenner is accusing her former supervisor of attempting to coerce her into a sexual relationship
The suit alleges that staff were put at risk when inmates without mental health conditions were illegally transferred to the prison’s mental health unit
“Responsible juvenile justice reform also takes into account the needs of public safety,” wrote Gov. Janet Mills
The settlement also requires prisons to expand inmates’ time out of cell to at least 3.5 hours a day by July 12
Bridget Cadena is suing MDOC, alleging she was forced to quit her job after a co-worker harassed her for her sexuality
An ongoing COVID-19 outbreak at the facility has infected more than 200 inmates and 19 COs, two of whom remain hospitalized
Brian Dunn, attorney for Jacorey Shaw’s parents, says there was both negligence and a cover-up conspiracy involved in Shaw’s death investigation
After stabbing a CO in 1990, Aaron Isby was ordered to pay over $8,000 for medical expenses
Two now former Doña Ana County detention officers filed suit in February after the county required COVID-19 vaccination as a condition of employment
One of the 10 COs charged in the incident filed an emergency request last week
The order had been sought as part of a lawsuit filed by the state’s attorney general last week
“For sale” signs have popped up. Restaurants and hotels — which rely on inmates’ visitors — brace for plummeting business
Both men have pleaded not guilty to charges stemming from a March incident that left a corrections officer and a nurse dead
A trial over whether immigration detainees must get minimum wage — instead of $1 a day — has ended with a hung jury
Nearly 140 employees work at the minimum-security prison. About 1,000 inmates will be moved to other facilities
Lawyers say too many mentally ill patients spend months in jail, where they suffer while awaiting medical attention
Jury selection is underway in a trial to determine whether GEO Group must pay minimum wage to detainees at its Wash. state immigration detention center
Attorneys have argued that the state hasn’t tried hard enough to get lethal injection drugs or compound them itself — as some other states have done
Employment lawyer Scott Moore Esq., addresses frequently asked questions
The lawsuit challenges a new directive “that not only disregards the rights of crime victims, but it fails to follow the law,” AG Daniel Cameron said
The settlement is one of 73 payouts involving the sheriff’s department in the past 13 months, totaling more than $14 million
The settlement also requires COs to be trained in the state’s zero-tolerance policy regarding sexual misconduct in correctional facilities
California Correctional Center, which employs over 1,000 people, is slated to close next summer
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