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Notorious Psych Ward at Miami-Dade Jail Finally Shuttered
Notorious Psych Ward at Miami-Dade Jail Finally Shuttered
by David Reutter
In a historic culmination to decades of “horrific” living conditions and a pattern of constitutional violations, the Miami-Dade County Jail in Florida has finally closed the “Forgotten Floor” – the notorious ninth floor at the facility …
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More from this issue:
- Greenwashing Washington State’s Prison System in a River of Sewage, by Rick Anderson
- Inside the Shadowy Business of Prison Phone Calls, by Eric Markowitz
- Tennessee Prisoners Suing Private Prisons Not Required to File in Local Venue, by David Reutter
- News in Brief
- CA: Persons on Community Supervision Eligible to Seek Transfer to Another State, by Lonnie Burton
- Final Class-Action Settlement Pending in “Kids for Cash” Scandal
- Prisoners Released When Jails Can’t Feed Them, by Mark Wilson
- Investigation Forces Arizona Clemency Board Chairman to Resign, by Joe Watson
- Kentucky Jail Prisoners Make Mattresses, by David Reutter
- Notorious Psych Ward at Miami-Dade Jail Finally Shuttered, by David Reutter
- Ninth Circuit Finds Graham v. Florida Retroactive; 254-Year Sentence Unconstitutional, by Mark Wilson
- Does Political Spending by Private Prison Firms in Oklahoma Influence Prison Reform?, by Joe Watson
- Nebraska Law Unconstitutionally Forfeits Good Time for Refusal to Submit DNA Sample, by David Reutter
- Three Strikes Litigant Required to Show Ongoing “Imminent Danger” to Proceed on Appeal, by Lonnie Burton
- Failure to State Rationale in Denying Appointment of Counsel was Abuse of Discretion
- Vermont: Retaliatory Furlough Denial Reviewable on Rule 75 Motion, by Mark Wilson
- Ninth Circuit Finds that ICE Detention After Indictment Counts Against Sentence, by Derek Gilna
- Supreme Court Strikes Down Ban on Short Beard for Muslim Prisoner, by Derek Gilna
- Alaska High Court Reaffirms Negligence Standard to Protect Prisoners from Harm, by David Reutter
- Controversy Surrounds Shackling of Dying and Comatose Prisoners in UK, by Matthew Clarke
- Who Owns Private Prison Stock?, by Alex Friedmann
- Tenth Circuit: Ignoring Prisoner’s Severe Pain Precludes Qualified Immunity, by Mark Wilson
- Supreme Court Rules Qualified Immunity Shields Prison Officials from Suicide Claim, by Derek Gilna
- Report Finds Two-Thirds of Private Prison Contracts Include “Lockup Quotas”, by Joe Watson
- $1.15 Million for Florida Pretrial Detainee’s Death, by David Reutter
- Virginia Must Improve Prison Medical Care Under Proposed Class-action Settlement, by David Reutter
- Jury Awards $12,000 to Connecticut Prisoner for Unsanitary Mattress, by David Reutter
- UN Commission Approves Mandela Rules on Treatment of Prisoners, by David Fathi
- North Carolina Prisoner, Victim of Sexual Assault, Awarded One Dollar in Damages
- Two Names Added to Monument Memorializing Slain Prosecutors, by Matthew Clarke
- Pell Grants for Prisoners: New Bill Restores Hope of Reinstating College Programs, by Christopher Zoukis
- Peer-Review Reports Must be Disclosed in Philadelphia Jail Conditions Suit, by David Reutter
- Supreme Court Voids ACCA’s Residual Clause in Landmark Decision, by Derek Gilna
- San Diego Deputies Faulted for Jail Death, by Christopher Zoukis
- Nebraska Returns Ex-Offenders to Prison after Sentence Miscalculation Scandal, by Matthew Clarke
- $3,000 Jury Award to Arizona Prisoner Denied Prostate Care, by David Reutter
- Second Circuit Unseals Jail Conditions Settlement Compliance Reports; Public Has First Amendment Right of Access, by Mark Wilson
- Alabama Courts Must Review Substance of Claim Despite Pleading’s Title, by David Reutter
- $750,000 Settlement in New Mexico “Controlled Seating” Lawsuit, by Matthew Clarke
- West Virginia City Settles Suit over Jail Prisoner’s Death for $460,000, by Matthew Clarke
- Minnesota DOC Sued Over Failure to Provide New Hepatitis C Treatment Protocol, by Greg Dober
- UK Prison Cook Awarded $160,000 for Back Injury, by Derek Gilna
- Michigan: $8 Million Settlement after Prisoner’s Baby Born with Brain Damage, by Shepherd Litsey
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Persistent, Ongoing Environmental Violations at Washington’s Walla Walla Prison, by Panagioti Tsolkas
More from David Reutter:
- Eight Circuit Reverses Denial of Partial Qualified Immunity in Detainee’s Pepper Ball Claim, Remands Excessive Force Claims, Sept. 1, 2026
- Nevada Prisoners, Families Call Out Predatory Tablet Program, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit: Error in Granting Judgment Prior to Adjudging Spoliation Motion, Sept. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Affirms Qualified Immunity in Strip Searches Resulting from Anonymous Tips, Sept. 1, 2026
- Tenth Circuit: Colorado Governor Unentitled to Eleventh Amendment Immunity on Claim Related to DOC Religious Policies, Aug. 1, 2026
- Michigan Appeals Court: Witnesses Cannot be Forced to Wear Jail Clothes at Trial, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Affirms Denial of State-Law Qualified Immunity in Scabies Case, Aug. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Revives Disabled Prisoner’s Claim for Denial of Out-of-Cell Exercise Time, Aug. 1, 2026
- Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
- Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Mississippi DOC Held Mentally Unwell Prisoners in Solitary, Many Died Because of It, Sept. 1, 2026. Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, Staff Training, Deliberate Indifference.
- $800,000 Settlement Reached in Hawai‘i Jail Suicide Case, Sept. 1, 2026. Staffing, Failure to Train/Supervise, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- Isolation and Medical Neglect at Illinois’ Joliet Treatment Center Drive Prisoners to Set Fatal Fires, Sept. 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Security Systems, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- Court Shuts Down Arizona Attempt to Fill Medical Staff Vacancies with Under-Qualified Providers, Sept. 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Staffing, Injunctions, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).
- Federal Court Upholds Consultants’ Finding that Oklahoma Is Not Honoring Its Consent Decree to Provide Mental Health Treatment, Sept. 1, 2026. Consent Decrees, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Pretrial Detention and Detainees, Competency Hearing, Inadequate Health Care Facilities.
- $4.5 Million Paid by Cook County for Detainee Suicide in Chicago Jail, Aug. 1, 2026. Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, Administrative Detention/Segregation, Deliberate Indifference.
- Death of Seattle Detainee—Jailed Despite Not Being “Grounded in Reality”—Costs King County $3.5 Million Settlement, Aug. 1, 2026. Restraints, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Excessive Force (Wrongful Death), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Monell Liability.
- Oregon Agrees to $2.3 Million Settlement After Guards Toss Mentally Ill Prisoner in Solitary, Taunt Him Until He Kills Himself, Aug. 1, 2026. Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Deliberate Indifference.
- $1.2 Million for Elderly Detainee Shoved Out the Door of Sacramento Jail by Guard, Aug. 1, 2026. Guard Brutality/Beatings, Americans with Disabilities Act, Rehabilitation Act, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights.
- New York Closes Rikers Infirmary as Broader Jail Shutdown Plan Stalls, Aug. 1, 2026. Prison Reform, Overcrowding, Jail Specific, Inadequate Health Care Facilities, Reduction of Prison Population.

