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 proposed ordinance would allow the review board to investigate care providers involved in in-custody deaths in San Diego County
The legislation is part of a broader effort to address chemical exposures in correctional facilities
The Department of Homeland Security called the ruling “a win for the American people, the rule of law and common sense”
Those convicted of the conduct would have their sentences added to the end of the punishment they face for other crimes
Gov. Jerry Brown is offering a 5 percent raise to COs, but an analyst says the wage increase might be unnecessary
Demetrius Blackwell, who was slashed in the face during a brawl, is suing the department for not protecting him
The law is being lauded by civil rights advocates as groundbreaking
Dana Gallop’s lawyer called the ruling “disappointing” and dismissed the state’s civil-death statute as “moronic”
The inmates argue that officials are providing them with inadequate nourishment during Ramadan
President Trump is trying to jump-start efforts in Congress to overhaul the U.S. prison system and help more former inmates successfully re-enter society
An inmate, who said he was stabbed eight times during the deadly riot, said the state DOC was negligent by not providing enough COs to protect prisoners
Deon Glenn, who had to cut his dreadlocks due to policy, said the policy violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act
A judge heard testimony on whether prosecutors improperly used secret recordings of conversations between inmates and their attorneys
The slaying galvanized a movement to ask state voters to reverse some of the recent changes to sentencing laws and the prison system
Earlier this week, Sen. John Cornyn introduced the First Step Act, which aims to lower recidivism rates
The bill would have permitted the state to continue sending juvenile offenders to prison with no chance for parole
The bill seeks to offer more funding for prison programs and incentivizes inmates to complete programs to reduce recidivism
Inmates will have a chance to air concerns by phone in Houston federal court about a proposed settlement of their 2014 class action lawsuit
The inmate sustained a head injury as well as a possible leg injury
In the five-page lawsuit, Jamal Washington says the boots are needed for warmth in cold months
Gov. Henry McMaster issued an executive order waiving state procurement regulations for hiring by the DOC
The EEOC has proposed the DOC create a new “victim advocate” position and step up its sexual harassment training
The legislators also requested information on how inmates have been treated since the riots
The CO says she fell while responding to a fight between inmates, causing her to subsequently lose her child
Trump’s Justice Department is refusing to handle the case
Failed efforts to reform the federal criminal justice system are getting a second look in Washington
The lawsuit said the new rules would bar journalists from fully reporting on the lethal injection procedure
Inmate Andrew Coe alleges he was injured after falling twice in 2014 after his high-top shoes were confiscated
A Michigan prisoner who got shortchanged on his lunch serving can proceed with his lawsuit against a CO
A federal appeals panel ordered a district judge to determine whether the South Dakota prison system policy barring pornography is constitutional
Correctional facilities do not have the proper staffing, training, healthcare programs, funding, or general resources to adequately deal with mentally ill inmates
Rapper DMX’s attorney pulled an unusual move in court in hopes of convincing a judge to be lenient on the rapper
A judge lifted his own court’s previous order blocking California from carrying out death sentences by lethal injection
