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Civil Commitment Roasted on ABC's Nightline
By Dan Pens
I had gotten word through the grape vine that Nightline was going to do a show on the Washington civil commitment law. So I stayed up several nights in a row to check it out. The plight of the Kurdish refugees seemed to be the dominant story …
I had gotten word through the grape vine that Nightline was going to do a show on the Washington civil commitment law. So I stayed up several nights in a row to check it out. The plight of the Kurdish refugees seemed to be the dominant story …
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More from this issue:
- Civil Commitment Roasted on ABC's Nightline, by Dan Pens
- Which Shell is the Pea Under? Government Crime Statistics Invoke Slight of Hand
- Mail to Public Officials and Media Protected
- Court Upholds Collection of Blood Samples for DNA Data Bank
- Female Guards Can Pat Search Male Prisoners
- Medical Care
- From The Editor, by Paul Wright
- Prisoner Victims of Guard Assault Win Damages
- Prisoner With AIDS Care Found Lacking
- Mere "Institutional Security" Claim Not Enough
- Crime and Revolution, Prisons Don't Work
- Life Without Parole Okayed for 13-Year Old Killer
- Still Not the Hilton
- Reviews
- Biden: Violence Is At a New High
- Human Rights in the U.S. Criminal Justice System
- New Report Cites Higher Rates of HIV Infection Among Inmates
- Puppets on Strings of Oppression, by Christofer Kneech
- Aftermath MANCI Control Unit & Perotti Update
- Inhumane Living at CCI, by Angelo Crimi
- Pro-War Hypocrisy, by Paul Wright
More from Dan Pens:
- Federal Religious Freedom Law Passed, April 15, 2001
- South Carolina Prison Chief Fired as Scandal Widens, April 15, 2001
- Bag'm, Tag'm and Bury'm; Wisconsin Prisoners Dying for Health Care, Feb. 15, 2001
- Food Strike Puts Washington DOC on Spin Control, Feb. 15, 2001
- Fraud Charged by Washington DOC Whistleblower, Feb. 15, 2001
- CMS Fined Nearly $1 Million in Virginia, Dec. 15, 2000
- Death as a Salesman: Benneton Ad Campaign Comes to Death Row, Dec. 15, 2000
- Illinois Supermax Hunger Strike, Dec. 15, 2000
- Whistle-blowing Doctor Shakes Up Nebraska DOC, Nov. 15, 2000
- Corcoran Show Trial Ends with Acquittals, Nov. 15, 2000
More from these topics:
- South Carolina Supreme Court Announces Penile Plethysmograph Results Are Inadmissible Until Underlying Science Becomes Standardized, Affirming Reversal of Sexually Violent Predator Commitment, June 1, 2026. Civil Commitment, Sexually Dangerous Persons/Sexual Violent Predators, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Prejudice - Potential for Undue, Scientific Testimony or Evidence.
- Colorado DOC Allows Some Prisoners Convicted of Sex Crimes to be Released While Delaying Parole Consideration for Others, June 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Overcrowding, Rehabilitation/Recidivism, Sex Offender Treatment, De Facto Life Sentence.
- Minnesota Study Shows Disproportionate Rate of Health and Mental Problems for Recently Incarcerated, March 1, 2026. Racial Discrimination, Medical, Statistics/Trends, Mental Health, Health care.
- Shadow Prisons: How Civil Commitment Leads to Longer Confinement, Jan. 1, 2026. Sex Offender Treatment, Involuntary Treatment/Drugging, Civil Commitment, Sexually Dangerous Persons/Sexual Violent Predators, Sex Offense Registration Act (SORNA).
- 2025 Was a Deadly Year for Veterans Behind Bars, Jan. 1, 2026. Brain Injury, Death Penalty, Mental Health, Veterans, Mental Health Experts.
- Wisconsin DOC Releases 1,700 Private Health Records by Mistake, Dec. 1, 2025. DOC/BOP misconduct, Medical Records, Mental Health, Visiting, Public Records Act.
- Fifth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Suit by Civilly Committed Texan, Dec. 1, 2025. Sex Offenders (Discrimination), Conditions of Confinement, Complaints, Grievances, Civil Commitment.
- Idaho Supreme Court Announces Warrantless Search of Civilly Committed Individual Violates Fourth Amendment, Oct. 15, 2025. Civil Commitment, Exclusionary Rule, Pat Down Searches, Scope of Permissible Searches, Suspicionless Searches.
- California Court of Appeal Reverses Superior Court’s Denial of Motion to Vacate Conviction Where Defendant Established His Failure to Understand the Immigration Consequences of Plea, Oct. 15, 2025. Mental Health, Failure to Address/Advise Defendant, Aggravated Felony, Asylum, Knowingly and Voluntarily Made.
- Date of Firing Squad Execution Vacated for Utah Prisoner with Dementia, Oct. 1, 2025. Death Penalty/Death Row, Mental Health, Federal Death Penalty Act, Cruel and Unusual Punishment.