Chapter 13

Inmate Rights Inmates filed more and more lawsuits

Prisoner Litigation Reform Act: 1995

-limit recreational litigation

Inmate RightsRetained:-full rights like citizen

Lost:-wholly w/o rights -except those expressly outlined

Inmate RightsUS Constitution: Bill of rights-rights protected

Writ of Habeas Corpus: -judicial mandate -inmate brought before court-determine legality of confinement

Ex post facto laws: unconstitutional-retroactively change laws

Inmate Rights8th Amendment:-cruel and unusual punishment

-define?

-flexible

-broadens as society changes

Inmate Rights14th Amendment: individual rights (1868)-theory of incorporation

-due process clause

-”no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty or property without due process of law”

-”equal protection under the law”

Inmate RightsWolff v. McDonnell: 1974

-discipline

-24 hour notice of hearings-written notice of evidence/facts-call witnesses/documentary evidence in defense-impartial/fair hearing*-no right to cross examine/have counsel

Inmate RightsEqual Protection Clause:-used by inmates

-government not required to treat everyone alike

-forbids unjustified/malicious discrimination/classification

-gender/race based decisions

-religion freedom

Inmate RightsCivil Rights Act of 1871:-personal/natural rights

-protect vs

-arbitrary/discriminatory treatment

-some not mentioned in Constitution recognized by Supreme Court

Inmate RightsHands off Doctrine: 1960’s-rights-policy/statute

-no outside scrutiny

-1871 Virginia law-inmates “slaves of the state”

-leave to experts-separation of powers-society apathetic

Inmate RightsIntervention Doctrine: Mid 1960’s-Federal Courts looking at claims

-rights-religion/privacy/communication/safety/due process

-Cooper v. Pate (1964)Muslim inmate Denied access to Qur’an/readingsPrison officials has to explain actionsChristian inmates allowed access to bibleCourt: half for inmates/prison

End of hands off doctrine!!

Inmate RightsNominal Doctrine:-middle ground between hands off and full intervention of

1980’s

-Bell v. Wolfish -Rehnquist: refers to “time not so long ago…hands off

approach”-limit to:Violation of US Constitution or statute

Inmate RightsAccess to courts: basic right

1. how approach

2. Knowledge to make access effective

Inmate RightsPrison Litigation Reform Act:->40,000 per year/taxpayer expense

1. Limit ability to complain-conditions of confinement2. Give states more authority to run prisons

Provisions:1. Frequent flyer-Inmates pay full $150 fee2. 3 strikes-frivolous 3 times3. Exhausted remedies-exhaust all administrative remedies

Inmate RightsLegal assistance:-law libraries

-jailhouse lawyers

-train inmates as writ writers/under lawyer supervision

-computer programs

Inmate RightsReligion: Fundamental right of Constitution:-”respecting establishment of religion”-”prohibiting the free exercise thereof”

Federal Courts:-facilities/allow clergy -does state supply clergy? Violates establishment clause

Reluctant to restrict religious freedom:-security of prison

-prison authority/discretion-economic reasons