4. Inmate Rights
US 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
5. Inmate Rights
8th Amendment:
-cruel and unusual punishment
-define?
-flexible
-broadens as society changes
6. Inmate Rights
14th 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”
7. Inmate Rights
Wolff 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
8. Inmate Rights
Equal Protection Clause:
-used by inmates
-government not required to treat everyone alike
-forbids unjustified/malicious discrimination/classification
-gender/race based decisions
-religion freedom
9. Inmate Rights
Civil Rights Act of 1871:
-personal/natural rights
-protect vs
-arbitrary/discriminatory treatment
-some not mentioned in Constitution recognized by Supreme Court
10. Inmate Rights
Hands 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
11. Inmate Rights
Intervention 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/readings
Prison officials has to explain actions
Christian inmates allowed access to bible
Court: half for inmates/prison
End of hands off doctrine!!
12. Inmate Rights
Nominal 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
13. Inmate Rights
Access to courts: basic right
5. how approach
7. Knowledge to make access effective
14. Inmate Rights
Prison Litigation Reform Act:
->40,000 per year/taxpayer expense
4. Limit ability to complain-conditions of confinement
5. Give states more authority to run prisons
Provisions:
8. Frequent flyer-Inmates pay full $150 fee
9. 3 strikes-frivolous 3 times
10.Exhausted remedies-exhaust all administrative remedies
15. Inmate Rights
Legal assistance:
-law libraries
-jailhouse lawyers
-train inmates as writ writers/under lawyer supervision
-computer programs
16. Inmate Rights
Religion: 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
