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.
Dr. Beth Fischgrund alleged she was fired and defamed after reporting safety threats and staff misconduct at Salinas Valley State Prison
A body scanner revealed a concealed firearm in Arquishia Brown’s bra after she was booked at Bay County Jail
How to empower your corrections staff with clarity, confidence and control
“This is a very significant piece of legislation that restores equity to the system,” said an advocate
While Act 1002 allows DOC facilities to mandate masks, jails operated by local governments cannot
These laws will cause every law enforcement and corrections agency and all its officers to reconsider the way they go about their jobs
The ruling allows the jail’s medical contractor to continue altering inmate prescriptions as it deems fit
The city’s newly appointed prisons commissioner says he is taking the allegations seriously and is ready to act
The suit alleges a “long-standing culture of disregard for the rights” of corrections officers
The state has been hit with $2.5 million in contempt fines over the past 6 years; now the case goes back to court
Supervisors will now “visually account” for each prisoner at 15-minute intervals and keep crews closer together
Accounts from staff, inmates detailing major deficiencies in safety protocols were deemed credible
A swastika was left at a table where the former mental health worker was known to eat in the jail’s break room
A flaw in the new good-conduct credit program caused some inmates’ sentences to be lengthened rather than cut short
She said that the move would be too ‘disruptive,’ but acknowledged the likelihood of an eventual reversal
After assaulting officers, four inmates tried to argue that their administrative punishments could not be combined with criminal prosecution
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
MOST POPULAR
- Council suggests turning San Quentin into facility modeled after Norwegian prisons
- ‘Long way to go': Lawyers, families discuss San Diego County jail conditions
- Colo. governor orders clemency for 33 offenders, including 7 convicted of murder
- Whistleblower alleges excessive force at N.M. jail
- Cell phone search by probation officer ruled invalid