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Washington State Corrections Secretary Resigns Due to Affair with Subordinate
by Matt Clarke
Eldon Vail, the Secretary for the Washington Department of Corrections, submitted a letter of resignation on July 1, 2011 when it was publicly revealed that he had been having an affair with a subordinate.
Shortly before Vail resigned, several Seattle-area television stations received copies of a video …
Eldon Vail, the Secretary for the Washington Department of Corrections, submitted a letter of resignation on July 1, 2011 when it was publicly revealed that he had been having an affair with a subordinate.
Shortly before Vail resigned, several Seattle-area television stations received copies of a video …
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More from this issue:
- Prison Slave Labor Replaces Freeworld Workers in Down Economy, by David Reutter
- Report Deconstructs Urban Legend of 100,000 Missing Sex Offenders, by David Reutter
- Work Crews Salvage Georgia Prison Contract, by David Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Eighth Circuit Affirms No First Amendment Right to Lower Prison Phone Rates, by Matthew Clarke
- PLN Public Records Suit Reveals Litigation Payouts for District of Columbia DOC, by Alex Friedmann
- Prisons: An Unsustainable Jobs Program
- Ninth Circuit Holds Phoenix New Times Executives May Sue Special Prosecutor over Improper Arrests; Prosecutor Disbarred, by Matthew Clarke
- Research Finds Capital Punishment System in California is Costly, Ineffectual
- New York Not Liable for DOCS’ Unauthorized Addition of Post-Release Supervision
- California Pilot Program Reduces Recidivism
- Georgia Court Rules Prisoners Held in County Facilities Barred from Suing State for Negligence
- Private Prison Health-care Industry Grows as States Cut Costs, Bringing in Millions of Dollars, by Yana Kunichoff
- Ninth Circuit Holds Hawaii Prison Officials Entitled to Qualified Immunity when Calculating Release Dates in Accordance with State Law
- Seventh Circuit Upholds Indiana DOC’s Ban on Pen-Pal Ads, by David Reutter
- Dramatic Increase in Number of Hispanics Sentenced to Federal Prison, by Matthew Clarke
- $3,750 Posthumous Settlement in California Prisoner’s Medical Suit
- Louisiana Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Corruption Charges
- Pennsylvania Businessman Sentenced to 18 Months in “Kids for Cash” Kickback Scandal
- Ninth Circuit Holds New Claims Need Only be Exhausted Prior to Filing Amended Complaint
- Florida Lawmakers Disband Correctional Medical Authority
- Pennsylvania Prisoner’s $185,000 Jury Award Reduced to $75,005, by Matthew Clarke
- New Director of Tennessee Corrections Institute Faces Conflict of Interest
- Florida Citizen Fights CCA over Public Records Request
- California: Federal Court Grants Increased Attorney Fee Rates in Armstrong Disability Case
- Ohio Prison Industry Cuts Over 35% of Workforce
- Washington State Corrections Secretary Resigns Due to Affair with Subordinate, by Matthew Clarke
- Ninth Circuit Rules Sheriff May be Held Liable for Violence in Los Angeles County Jails
- Tennessee Discontinues Polygraph Tests as Sex Offender Supervision Tool
- Juvenile Facility Guard’s Bigamous Marriage Complicates Death Benefits
- Arizona Privatizes Health Care in State Prison System
- California Appeals Court Holds Release from Prison Moots Challenge to Parole Denial
- New York Prison System Allows Same-Sex Partners to Participate in Family Reunion Program
- Seattle Federal Halfway House Case Manager’s Reentry Plan for Prisoner Allegedly Included Sex, Heroin, by Derek Gilna
- Arizona DOC Makes Visitors Pay for Prison Maintenance, Repairs, by Joe Watson
- Federal Bureau of Prisons Says DNA Backlog No Longer Exists, by Derek Gilna
- UNICOR Fraudsters Plead Guilty, Sentenced
- New Washington State Law Eliminates Tolling of Community Custody upon Violation
- Reports on Privatizing Ohio Prisons Indicate Savings are Illusory, by David Reutter
- Failure to Refute Expert Testimony Warrants Summary Judgment Against California Prisoner Suing for Medical Malpractice
- The Criminalization of Mental Illness in Missouri, by Christopher Cross
- Alabama Uses Federal Stimulus Money to Prop up Prison System
- Class Certified in Lawsuit Challenging Conditions at CCA-operated Indiana Jail, but Case Dismissed on Summary Judgment, by David Reutter
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- News in Brief
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Federal Court Grants HRDC Preliminary Injunction Against Mail Censorship at New Mexico Jail, May 1, 2026
- Faced with Record-Breaking Jail Deaths, L.A. County Supervisors Tell Sheriff’s Department to Improve Access to Naloxone, Camera Monitoring, and Security Checks at California Jail, May 1, 2026
- Federal Court Places Medical Care in Arizona Prisons Under Receivership, May 1, 2026
- In Texas, Harris County Commissioners Approve $1.2 Million for Fourth Study of Jail Since 2020 After Dozens of Abuse Allegations, April 1, 2026
- Texas Attorney General Clarifies Scope of Statute Requiring Outside Agency Investigation of Jail Deaths, April 1, 2026
- D.C. Judge Blocks Transfer of Biden-Commuted Federal Death Row Prisoners to “Supermax,” Citing Lack of Meaningful Due Process, April 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Revives Lawsuit Over Iowa Jail Detainee’s Suicide, April 1, 2026
- Groundbreaking Statistical Study of Pregnant Texas Jail Detainees Finds Over 400 Monthly, April 1, 2026
- Unsafe Drinking Water at Multiple Texas Prisons Highlights Lack of Transparency, April 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Holds Federal Prisoner Does Not Earn First Step Act Time Credits While in Transit Between Prisons, March 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Washington Governor Fires Independent Prison Watchdog, May 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Government Misconduct, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Restraints, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- Idaho DOC Director Denies Verified Report of Rampant Sexual Abuse of Women Prisoners by Staff, May 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Retaliatory Segregation, Prison Rape Elimination Act.
- Oklahoma DOC Paid Prison Guards $35.5 Million in Overtime in 2025, May 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Cost of Prison Systems, Totality of Conditions, Staffing, Staff Training.
- Missouri Prisons Called Out for Incomplete Death Records, Hellish Solitary Heat, April 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Systemic Medical Neglect, Exposure to Heat, Confinement in Segregated Housing, Deliberate Indifference.
- Unsafe Drinking Water at Multiple Texas Prisons Highlights Lack of Transparency, April 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Infections, Environmental Law, Water, Public Records Act.
- Internal Assessment Contradicts Public Claims About Women’s Prisons, April 1, 2026. DOC/BOP misconduct, Failure to Treat, Totality of Conditions, Toxic Fumes/Chemicals, Deliberate Indifference.
- Former Maine Prison Official Stole $2.4 Million Through Fraudulent Supply Orders, April 1, 2026. Contractor Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Bribery/Extortion/Theft, Fraud and Deceit.
- “Devil in the Ozarks” Gets 13 More Years for Escape, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, DOC/BOP misconduct, Escapes, Security Systems, Authentication/Identification.
- FCC Releases Final Version of Order Gutting 2024 Phone Cap Regulations, Feb. 1, 2026. Misconduct/Corruption, Telephone Access, Telephone Rates.
- D.C. Federal Court Holds Blocking Prison Reform Advocate’s Access to Federal Prisoners May Violate First Amendment and Due Process, Feb. 1, 2026. Threats by Staff, DOC/BOP misconduct, First Amendment, rights, Fifth Amendment, Access to Computers.

