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 jury awarded $8.3 million after attorneys questioned the need for five Sedgwick County officers to restrain a 135-pound juvenile in a prone position for approximately 39 minutes
A former training officer was ordered to serve up to four years in prison for molesting two corrections officer trainees at SCI Dallas
The case stemmed from a 2016 intake incident in which a Muslim inmate said he was threatened with discipline for refusing to shave
Recommendations include that officials screen inmates daily, increase medical staffing and investigate instances of retaliation and threats over inmate concerns
The U.S. Supreme Court sided with Bobby James Moore last year, saying that it would be unconstitutional to execute him because of his mental disability
The ruling comes after weeks of testimony by inmates, officials and experts about the lack of access to soap, hand sanitizer and routine testing
The ACLU began the effort after learning an Omaha man had been incorrectly notified that he was ineligible to vote
In addition to allegations of nonconsensual gynecological procedures, lawmakers recounted stories of extreme unsanitary conditions
Officials are reviewing allegations that Bloomberg and the Florida Rights Restoration Coalition had violated the law by offering incentives for voting
Alexandra Matalavage, who pleaded guilty to falsifying work records, says charges were trumped up so she would drop her gender discrimination complaint
Bloomberg has helped raise more than $20 million so that felons who completed their prison sentences can vote in the presidential election
Holly Barlow-Austin’s family claims jail staff neglected her care and ignored her pleas for help as her health deteriorated and she went blind
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
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