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.
Corey Proulx died after being punched by a then-16-year-old inmate and striking his head on the pavement
Byron Black was convicted of killing his girlfriend and her two daughters in 1988 while on work-release for another shooting
A state watchdog found serious investigative lapses in 12 of 13 California prison staff use-of-force cases it reviewed
The ballot initiative was designed to “mend not end” capital punishment in California, where nearly 750 inmates are on Death Row and only 13 have been executed since 1978
The company has settled allegations that it obtained inside information to gain an advantage in bidding for federal prison contracts
The legislation would make prisoners eligible for parole after 15 years if they’re incarcerated for a crime committed before they turned 18 years old
The state attorney general asked SCOTUS to let an execution proceed this week, arguing that questions about a lethal injection drug have been settled by the courts
Death penalty opponents are challenging a ballot measure that aimed to reform a dysfunctional system that hasn’t executed a condemned killer in more than a decade
If Gov. John Bel Edwards’ 10 criminal justice measures all pass this week, the governor expects Louisiana’s prison population to be reduced by 10 percent over the next decade
The state has been unable to carry out executions on more than two dozen condemned killers because of court challenges to its proposed three-drug method
The bill would keep criminal convictions of people who die before their appeals are heard intact
In the wake of this year’s budget crisis, some lawmakers fear cuts to probation services could undermine the work they’ve done to reduce the number of low-level felons behind bars
Robert Melson is one of several inmates who filed lawsuits arguing that the state’s execution method is unconstitutional
In 2014, the Ind. DOC chose a three-drug process of methohexital, potassium chloride and pancuronium bromide for lethal injections. The combination has not been used for a U.S. execution
The offender’s child support obligations can be extended by the same amount of time that the responsibility was suspended while the parent was incarcerated
The measure follows a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down automatic no-parole life sentences for crimes committed by those under the age of 18
Courts cannot routinely shackle defendants “like a bear on a chain” and must decide on a case-by-case basis whether the restraints are necessary to prevent violence or escape
An Alabama inmate is asking an appellate court to halt his upcoming lethal injection using a sedative that his lawyers say has “failed to work properly in four states”
The appeal argued that the state’s source of execution drugs should be disclosed under Missouri’s open-records laws
The bill would require officials to evaluate an inmate’s entire criminal history when considering their release from prison
Currently judges can sentence juveniles 14 and older to the prison for up to three years for certain serious crimes
The lawsuit alleges the jail and its employees deprived Michael Sabbie of his medications, denied him adequate medical care and ignored his serious medical needs
Justice Bob Pemberton said prison officials could point to no more than isolated, vague threats against suppliers of execution drugs
On suicide watch at the jail, Tywon Salters’ previous behavior showed he’d seek opportunities to escape custody, according to the lawsuit
The bill is aimed in part at Bristol County Sheriff Thomas Hodgson, who has offered to send inmates to the U.S.-Mexico border to help Trump build a wall
Tommy Arthur is scheduled to be put to death Thursday evening for the 1982 murder-for-hire slaying of Troy Wicker
Shaurn Thomas claimed he was at a hearing on the day a businessman was fatally shot
The fee hike would only apply to people with jobs — about 50 percent of the population
Tommy Arthur has had his execution postponed seven times since 2001, so many delays that victims’ rights advocates derisively call him the “Houdini” of death row
The measure makes flying a drone intentionally over a stadium or correctional facility punishable by up to six months in jail
The ban begins in January
Prisons across the country routinely inspect mail for contraband, but legal mail is considered to be sacrosanct because of its constitutional implications
The state stopped Romell Broom’s execution after two hours in September 2009, when executioners failed to find a usable vein following 18 attempts to insert needles
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