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.
“These warnings came from inmates and were provided directly to multiple GDC officials, including during official investigations,” the complaint states
Jared Borgesto Murray used contraband phones and co-conspirators to defraud Lowe’s while incarcerated in a Florida prison
The settlement follows allegations that Ramsey County failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse by private inmate transport contractors
Under the new bill, Florida will now require a unanimous jury recommendation before the death penalty can be imposed
Over the past two years, 91 percent of the young men enrolled in the program have not been re-arrested and 85 percent have held a job at least six months
Patti Wachtendorf said one goal is to prepare the inmates to succeed outside the fence with treatment and job training
The law gives local judges the authority to order severely mentally ill individuals to undergo outpatient treatment
Acting upon a request from prosecutors, the judge said Noor Salman hadn’t overcome a legal presumption that she was a flight risk or a danger to the community
Judiciary Chairman Cam Ward said the revamped plan would add about 2,000 beds to the state’s crowded prison system
The DOC says it is working with lawmakers on proposed changes to how some inmates are classified and disciplined by being placed in restrictive cells
Raymond Tibbetts told the parole board that he doesn’t deserve clemency and believes he had a fair trial
A bill would require a unanimous jury recommendation before the death penalty can be imposed
The proposed amendment would require that victims be notified of all court proceedings and be heard at each step along the way
Thaddeus Jimenez was sentenced to nine years on federal weapons charges
Sessions told attorneys to use “the substantial tools at their disposal” to pursue more prosecutions and seek harsh sentences for those who commit robberies and gun crimes
The 21-bill package would limit the length of incarceration for offenders who violate their probation and create a more intensive parole program
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s proposal would cut visitation days from seven to three days per week
The 166 people falsely convicted and exonerated last year is six more than in 2015, the year with the previous highest total since the group began keeping records in 1989
The bill would make it a low-grade felony with a fine if the drone is used to deliver weapons or contraband
The bill would make juvenile COs mandatory child abuse reporters, a move that would protect them from being fired for reporting incidents
Correctional officials have said they put the inmates in solitary confinement to protect them from themselves and others
When correctional officers are unsure about the protection of speech, existing case law should be examined
SCOTUS declined to give some inmates convicted of repeated violent crimes a chance to reduce their sentences
The proposal would exclude juveniles accused of murder, rape, sexual offenses, and other serious crimes
The bill would require regular reporting by all correctional facilities on the inmates who are held in isolation
Alabama prisons house 23,074 inmates in facilities built for 13,318, a figure that puts the department at 173 percent capacity
A former attorney said the DOJ can’t “tackle all criminal justice challenges” and must use its resources in a smart and targeted way
State officials, lawmakers and reform groups said many inmates are being held unnecessarily in prison and although releasing them is a priority hurdles remain
The measure would prohibit the use of solitary confinement for inmates younger than 18, pregnant female inmates and those who have a serious mental illness
The court lifted the stay on its ruling upholding Arkansas’ lethal injection law
The inmates currently make desks used in schools and furniture for state agency offices
The bill would restore voting rights to felons as soon as they complete their sentences, including any parole or probation
Inmates’ attorneys say a stay blocking the executions is still in place while an amended complaint challenging the state’s lethal injection law is pending
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