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.
Federal prosecutors allege the Augusta State Medical Prison officers left a mentally ill inmate in a smoke-filled cell for hours, leading to his death in 2020
The former SCI-Forest CO is accused of performing sex acts on three inmates and accessing life-sentenced prisoners’ personal data for a fraud scheme
The Salinas Valley State Prison lieutenant alleges his treatment reflects a broader ‘code of silence’ that punishes staff who report abuse within CDCR
Henry Montgomery was 17 when he fatally shot Deputy Charles Hurt in a park in 1963
Attorney Todd Lancaster said the state’s death penalty is racially and geographically discriminatory
Ten percent of Alaska inmates were in restricted housing in 2012 while the national average was 4 percent
Delaware’s correctional officers will see their pay increase by about $5,000 next year
Kharon Davis has been held without bail since his arrest a decade ago
The current version of the budget expands a program allowing low-level felony offenders to remain in their communities under supervision without going to prison
The court ruled that James McWilliams was deprived of an independent mental health expert to help him try to stave off a death sentence at his trial
The state allows inmates to be placed in segregated disciplinary units for as long as 10 years
Judge Anna Brown did not make immediate ruling after a hearing in which she expressed skepticism that Jason Patrick would comply with requirements
The measure prevents local governments from signing or expanding contracts with federal authorities for immigration detention facilities
Since 1919, North Carolina has treated teens over the age of 15 as adults in its courts system
After the laws take effect, Gov. John Bel Edwards predicts Louisiana’s prison population will fall about 10 percent over the next decade
The DOC has estimated that it could run a new prison with 43 percent fewer workers, generating savings to pay for the new facility over time
Gregory Bush sued Lackawanna County in 2014, alleging his religious expression was hampered when he was an inmate in 2012
The court said that the FCC lacked authority to set rates for the in-state prison calls
Legislation would restrict confinement to no more than 15 consecutive days unless an inmate is sent to a special residential rehabilitation unit
The agreement contains provisions to address arguments that the state’s execution procedures violate inmate rights to be free from cruel and unusual punishment
Officials are asking a federal judge to block an effort to subpoena records related to the autopsy of Kenneth Williams, who lurched and convulsed 20 times during his execution
Proposed bills would require judges to offer alternatives such as community service, payment plans or waivers
According to DOC spokesman Solomon Graves, the state hasn’t had a full set of execution drugs since its supply of midazolam expired April 30
The law will allow people accused of low-level crimes to have bail reviewed quickly and perhaps lowered if they’re indigent
Some Louisiana inmates who committed murder as teenagers will get a chance for parole after 25 years
Attorneys for Ohio’s only condemned female killer are asking the state Supreme Court to reconsider a ruling upholding her death sentence for the third time
A lower court judge last year vacated Adnan Syed’s conviction and ruled that he deserved a new trial because his original attorney failed to cross-examine a key witness
Similar legal challenges have been brought in at least 10 states, and other courts have struck down such bail policies
The legislation prohibits the DOC from holding any individual under age 18 on administrative segregation
Questions were raised in a court case about whether Arkansas improperly used a doctor’s name and license to purchase one of the drugs
Attorney Kathleen Zellner filed a document claiming Steven Avery’s conviction was based on planted evidence and false testimony
A House-Senate conference committee voted for a $2 billion budget, which includes a $10 million operations cut across 29 state facilities to reflect a declining inmate population
Robert Melson is scheduled to be executed Thursday for the killing of three restaurant employees during a 1994 robbery
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