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.
Nicholas Vitale was one of 10 corrections officers indicted in the death of inmate Messiah Nantwi
Prisoners ranging from disgraced federal agents to ex-lawmakers are crafting appeals that highlight their connections to the president
Correctional officers said that Patrick Odale acted erratically and growled before they used pepper spray and restraint; Odale’s death was ruled a homicide
Inmates claim the facility offers inadequate treatment and medication, and often punishes them with extended solitary confinement or excessive force
The new law will let certain former inmates apply to have their criminal records cleared in order to get hired as firefighters at government agencies
The order from the U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals was a disappointment to voting rights activists
Daniel Ruiz is one of 27 inmates and employees who died from COVID-19 after San Quentin took in 121 transfers from the California Institution for Men
A judge faulted the detention complex in Farmville for an outbreak that affected more than 90% of the center’s nearly 300 detainees
The financial terms will be disclosed when the deals are final, which the Ivey administration expects to be late this year
The ruling, which may face appeals, could pave the way for an influx of thousands of felons to have their voting rights restored
About 190 current and former COs, who said they were subjected to the exams, filed a lawsuit against the CDCR
The judge is requiring the sheriff to create a policy for masks, including providing masks to inmates and requirements for them to wear the masks
Prisoners allege they’re frequently locked in cells for 24 hours a day without sufficient access to masks, soap or cleaning supplies
When you see another CO using force you know is unreasonable, you are required to intercede
AB2147 would allow inmates, who have trained at state fire camps in prison, to have their criminal records expunged
“That portion was simply not supported. We said all along it wasn’t the end-all, but it’s a great place to start,” a rep said
A report didn’t find evidence that COs contributed to Layleen Polanco’s death, but did say that she had not been checked on for the better part of an hour
More states have moved transgender women to women’s prisons on a case-by-case basis
About 10,000 state prison inmates fraudulently applied for unemployment benefits during the pandemic
The decision found officials didn’t act with deliberate indifference to inmates’ medical needs and prioritizing the sickest patients for treatment was reasonable
The jail failed to inform the center of its decision not to deliver the mail, thus denying it a chance to appeal what the lawsuit describes as “censorship”
An official said no decisions have been made yet on which and how many prisons will face closure
Superior Court Judge Lisa Bell said she didn’t anticipate an immediate ruling, but expected one by early September
The judge agreed to a request from lawyers of inmates who filed a lawsuit over conditions to allow a medical expert to conduct an inspection of the facility
The bill was introduced after prison officials closed the witness viewing curtain for 14 minutes during a 2018 execution
The court cited the “heft of the security interest at stake” in holding the proper standard for a body cavity search in a jail is reasonable suspicion
During the executions last month, the obstructed roads forced demonstrators to gather nearly 2 miles from the prison
Zachary T. Latham’s troubling behavior has resumed since his pre-trial release from jail
The lawsuit alleges the state and prison officials left Debra Johnson’s home unsafe by failing to monitor her front door with cameras or use other security measures
The order will restore the rights to an estimated 40,000 people who have completed prison sentences, probation and parole
The federal lawsuit filed by ACLU of Indiana lawyers on behalf of the activists seeks an injunction permitting protesters to gather just outside prison gates
Attorneys want all inmates and staff tested, medically vulnerable inmates released, staff to wear PPE and people exposed to COVID-19 quarantined
A female CO claims policies were ignored that resulted in her being injured and traumatized when she was assaulted and overpowered by four male inmates
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