Posts Tagged ‘Disabled Prisoners’
Prisoners and Disabilities: The Legal Landscape
Incarceration in a state or federal prison is bad. Incarceration in a state or federal prison while disabled is much worse. Consider the numbers. According to a recent Vice.com article, 31 percent of prisoners in state facilities reported having a physical or mental disability. And as the U.S. prison population ages, the number of disabled…
Read MoreNew Supreme Court Term Includes Major Cases Affecting Inmates
By Christopher Zoukis What will happen with the one U.S. Supreme Court vacancy after the death last February of Justice Antonin Scalia will undoubtedly be decided after the results of November’s election. But the high court new term, which began October 3rd, already includes several major cases that could redefine the validity of sentences handed…
Read MoreHealthcare settlement for California’s dangerously overcrowded county jails
By Christopher Zoukis Litigation over healthcare concerns in Riverside County (California) jails was settled in the last week of October, with a view of dramatically improving an ailing system. A lengthy list of complainants on the suit, brought to the courts by Prison Law Office, The settlement has yet to be approved by the courts, but…
Read MoreFifth Circuit: Sleep Deprivation May Violate Eighth Amendment
By Matt Clarke In an unpublished ruling, the Fifth Circuit held on April 1, 2014 that a Texas prisoner’s sleep deprivation-based challenge to the security schedule used by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) may state a valid claim for violation of the Eighth Amendment’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment. Michael Garrett, incarcerated…
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