Prison Law

A person's rights while imprisoned vary slightly depending on where they are incarcerated and at what stage of the criminal process their case may be.

Even though many may feel it an inappropriate argument to equate a human life to the expense incurred by the taxpayer to keep that person alive, we have probably all heard someone proclaim in favor of executions that they “do not know why we should have to pay to keep a killer alive!”

A corrections officer, correctional officer, detention officer, prison warden, or a prison officer is a person charged with the responsibility of the supervision, safety and security of prisoners in a prison, jail, or similar form of secure custody. Historically, terms such as jailer[1] (also spelled jailor or gaoler), jail guard, prison guard, and turnkey have also been used. These officers are responsible for the care, custody, and control of individuals who have been arrested and are awaiting trial while on remand or who have been convicted of a crime and sentenced to serve time in a prison or jail. They are also responsible for the safety and security of the facility itself.

The Office of Government Ethics (OGE), a small agency within the executive branch, was established by the Ethics in Government Act of 1978. Originally part of the Office of Personnel Management, OGE became a separate agency on October 1, 1989 as part of the Office of Government Ethics Reauthorization Act of 1988. The Office of Government Ethics exercises leadership in the executive branch to prevent conflicts of interest on the part of Government employees, and to resolve those conflicts of interest that do occur. In partnership with executive branch agencies and departments, OGE fosters high ethical standards for employees and strengthens the public's confidence that the Government's business is conducted with impartiality and integrity.

This paper examines the history and current framework of prison food law. Whereas food law generally is the result of a complex maze of national, state, and local statutory and regulatory law, prison food is primarily regulated by the courts through adjudication of the Eighth Amendment prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. This discrepancy is explained by the very different political realities faced by prison reform. At the same time, the result is both ineffective and counterproductive. The lack of serious legislation on the issue means that the law is written anyway, only it is done by courts that lack the requisite expertise and resources to do so competently.

The responsibility for the detention of prisoners is challenging in its diversity and complexity. Deputy marshals must resolve issues such as: arranging for the hospitalization and care of prisoners with terminal illnesses or contagious diseases; finding lodging for dependent children of prisoner and alien material witnesses; and deciding whether the Marshals Service will grant the transfer of prisoners to state authorities pursuant to state writs.

Examples of topics in the 1000 series include policy development, forms and records management, public information, external organization and community relations, legal activities including the Freedom of Information and Privacy Acts, and safety and occupational health/environment.

The American Correctional Association shapes the future of corrections through strong, progressive leadership that brings together various voices and forges coalitions and partnerships to promote the concepts embodied in its Declaration of Principles.

Since 1981, the American Jail Association has been the only national, nonprofit association dedicated exclusively to supporting those who work in and operate our Nation's 3,200-plus jail facilities by offering high quality training, education, and networking. AJA also serves as an advocate and voice. We monitor and address current and proposed legislation affecting the safety, effectiveness, and bottom line of jail operations, programs, and services.

The American Probation and Parole Association is an international association composed of members from the United States, Canada and other countries actively involved with probation, parole and community-based corrections, in both adult and juvenile sectors. All levels of government including local, state/provincial, legislative, executive, judicial, and federal agencies are counted among its constituents.

The Association of State Correctional Administrators began originally in 1970 as a group of prison directors who shared issues with one another during the annual American Correctional Association meetings. The Association (ASCA) was formally organized, staffed, and incorporated as a New York State not-for-profit corporation in 1985. It has been designated a tax-exempt entity by the IRS.

The BJA Center for Program Evaluation and Performance Measurement is funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to maintain a user-friendly online evaluation and performance measurement tool designed to assist state and local criminal justice planners, practitioners, State Administrative Agencies, researchers, and evaluators in: 1) conducting evaluations and performance measurement that will address the effectiveness and efficiency of their projects and 2) using evaluation information to improve program planning and implementation.

The Correctional Education Association (CEA), founded in 1945, is a non-profit, professional association serving educators and administrators who provide services to students in correctional settings. The CEA is the largest affiliate of the American Correctional Association.

CCA founded the private corrections management industry more than 25 years ago, establishing industry standards for future-focused, forward-thinking correctional solutions. A commitment to innovation, efficiency, cost effectiveness and achievement has made the company the private corrections management provider of choice for federal, state and local agencies since 1983.

The Federal Bureau of Prisons protects society by confining offenders in the controlled environments of prisons and community-based facilities that are safe, humane, cost-efficient, and appropriately secure, and that provide work and other self-improvement opportunities to assist offenders in becoming law-abiding citizens.

The National Institute of Corrections (NIC) is an agency within the U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Prisons. The Institute is headed by a Director appointed by the U.S. Attorney General. A 16-member Advisory Board, also appointed by the Attorney General, was established by the enabling legislation (Public Law 93-415) to provide policy direction to the Institute.

The non-profit, non-partisan Prison Policy Initiative documents the impact of mass incarceration on individuals, communities, and the national welfare. We produce accessible and innovative research to empower the public to participate in improving criminal justice policy.

Produces annual and semiannual national and state-level data on the numbers of prisoners in state and federal prison facilities. Aggregate data on gender, race, inmates held in private facilities and local jails, system capacity, and persons under age 18 are collected. Findings are released in the Prisoners and Prison Inmates at Midyear series. Data are from the fifty state departments of correction and from the District of Columbia (until 2001, when the District ceased operating a prison system).

Prison Legal News is an independent 56-page monthly magazine that provides a cutting edge review and analysis of prisoner rights, court rulings and news about prison issues. PLN has a national (U.S.) focus on both state and federal prison issues, with international coverage as well. PLN provides information that enables prisoners and other concerned individuals and organizations to seek the protection and enforcement of prisoner's rights at the grass roots level.

The PrisonTalk Online web community was conceived in a prison cell, designed in a halfway house, and funded by donations from families of ex-offenders, to bring those with an interest in the prisoner support community a forum in which their issues and concerns may be addressed by others in similar circumstances and beliefs.

Welcome to the Stanford Prison Experiment web site, which features an extensive slide show and information about this classic psychology experiment, including parallels with the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib. What happens when you put good people in an evil place? Does humanity win over evil, or does evil triumph?