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.
One officer allegedly worked two state jobs while another forged 22 medical notes, prosecutors say
Brandon Grimes, serving life for killing Baltimore Detective Troy Lamont Chesley Sr., is accused of falsifying a ballistics report and planning the scheme with a woman outside prison
Leon Wilson, who took the stand in his own defense, told the jury that he thought he had interrupted a jailbreak in process but couldn’t reach his radio to call for help
Maurice Dewayne Pendleton was beaten to death when he was left unsupervised with other inmates
Nearly 70% of voters in Tuesday’s election supported the measure
The six bills, including one requiring all COs to wear body cams, passed in less than an hour without a single “no” vote
Death row inmates will be asked to choose whether they want to die by electric chair, firing squad or lethal injection
The law allows older offenders to be housed in juvenile facilities in the capacity of mentors
“The predators that lurk in our prison system basically now have a free pass to prey on whoever they want,” said Union President Michael Powers
As of April 30, 24 inmates and eight staff members at the Baltimore City Booking and Intake Center have confirmed cases
Six of the eight accused COs admitted to having sexual contact with inmates, but none were prosecuted
The Protecting America’s First Responders Act of 2021 would expand eligibility for benefits and address delays in processing claims
The suit seeks the entirety of an internal police investigation and the SBI report into John Neville’s 2019 death
The lawsuit was one of several brought against the county over problems at the jail
The state will likely spend almost $2.8 million on outside lawyers, in addition to potential settlements
Kenny Williams died of metastasized breast cancer in June 2019 after DOC failed to provide treatment
The city’s DOC must report all complaints from detainees at the city’s two jails since 2017
The state legislature is scheduled to make a final vote on the budget on Friday
Jim Zeigler has criticized the plan to lease two new privately run men’s prisons as a poor use of taxpayer dollars
The bill has a retroactive application date of Jan. 1, 2010
Firing squads have not been used in the U.S. for more than a decade
A new directive “essentially takes the imposition of mandatory minimum terms ‘off the table’ for all current and future non-violent drug defendants”
“Lives are at stake every single day at the Oklahoma County jail,” Rep. Jason Lowe said
“This needs to be addressed and no one else is addressing it. These detainees are crying for your help,” an organizer said
The order lifts the prohibition on judges imposing bail on defendants accused of certain low-level offenses during the pandemic
The ruling left the possession of small amounts of controlled substances, from LSD to heroin and cocaine, legal under state law
The study concluded that the prisons should remain open for now, largely due to the negative economic impact closure could have on the areas
Twenty lawsuits were filed by current and former inmates who say they were direct victims of sexual misconduct
The county sheriffs oppose the bill, saying it doesn’t address their need to separate dangerous inmates from others
More than 20,000 people stand to regain their voting rights when the law takes effect next year
An 87-year-old law is blocking the way for states to start jamming contraband cellphones being used inside prisons
Gov. Andrew Cuomo must give legislative leaders at least 90 days’ notice of the closures instead of the usual one-year notification requirement
Officials were accused of negligence and constitutional rights violations in a 2018 riot in which seven inmates were killed and more than a dozen others injured
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