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.
Sean “Diddy” Combs was found guilty under the Mann Act but not of sex trafficking or racketeering, avoiding a possible life sentence
Nicholas Vitale was one of 10 corrections officers indicted in the death of inmate Messiah Nantwi
Prisoners ranging from disgraced federal agents to ex-lawmakers are crafting appeals that highlight their connections to the president
With the ability to rehabilitate and encourage change, juvenile systems can prevent children from becoming criminals
The family of Calvin Thomas, who died last year, filed a wrongful death suit claiming officials failed to provide vital medication for his sickle-cell disease
Clarence Moses-EL was freed after a judge found he would likely be acquitted if he went to trial again
Officials are concerned the passage of a law that provides early parole consideration will place more felons “back on the streets” without addressing program gaps
A former inmate who practices Satanism has filed a lawsuit alleging that prison employees violated her constitutional rights by confiscating her religious materials
The assistant DA is arguing the recording from jail visitations falls under a separate wire tap exception: mutual consent
Palmer Correctional Center, a prison built to house nearly 500 inmates, sits silent and largely abandoned
An attorney assigned to represent a CO charged in a drug smuggling scheme was removed after posting about it on Facebook
This past Election Day there were several California propositions on the ballot that were criminal justice related
Juan Vallejo Corona, 82, was denied parole for another five years and will keep serving his life sentence
The justices upheld the convictions and sentences imposed on Leon Davis Jr.
A day after Calif. voters narrowly approved an initiative aimed at speeding up executions, opponents asked the state Supreme Court to block it from taking effect
Now that state voters have restored the death penalty, Gov. Pete Ricketts says he plans to meet with the attorney general to discuss how to resume executions
While the sheriff never changed, the landscape around him slowly did
Voters approved speeding up the court appeals offered to condemned inmates, instead of repealing the death penalty
An estimated quarter of California’s nearly 130,000 prison inmates could seek earlier parole under the measure
Kristin A. King said in her suit that she was disciplined differently than her male counterparts and then fired, all based on her status as a gay woman
Gov. Jerry Brown is asking voters to change California’s sentencing laws in Tuesday’s election by giving corrections officials more say in when criminals are released
Pope Francis held a special Jubilee Mass for prisoners in St. Peter’s Basilica, urging world leaders to respect the dignity of inmates and offer them amnesty whenever possible
The altercation with a mentally ill inmate involved a deputy warden, captain and six COs
A report released Monday identified 105 instances when defendants were jailed for so-called “fine time” in 2015 in three Massachusetts counties
Regulations submitted Friday would let COs choose between four execution drugs, depending on which one is available
Voters will have an opportunity Tuesday to reverse an action taken by the Legislature and reinstate Nebraska’s death penalty
Republican Sen. Trip Pittman said the firing squad should be an “option” for the state
Anthony Gangi sits down with UOF expert Michael Wohlfert and discusses how and why UOF is employed, recent changes to UOF, and recent events in which UOF was applied
Obama has been commuting sentences at rapid-fire pace in his final months, including a batch of 98 last week
Sheriff Ron Hickman is asking the state jail commission to let 200 inmates sleep on plastic cots on the floor of the already overcrowded county jail system
The state’s death penalty system remains on pause, as officials develop a new methods for executions amid legal challenges and botched executions
“His view is: He’s been in long enough” and wants to be released without probation or parole