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Criminal Defendants Shortchanged by Justice System that Favors Prosecutors
Since the landmark Supreme Court case of Gideon v. Wainwright in 1963, criminal defendants who face incarceration have been guaranteed representation by an attorney if they cannot afford one. Gideon spurred most states and the federal government to form public defenders’ offices, which have since been overwhelmed due to …
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More from this issue:
- Not So Securus
- Securus Faces Lawsuit Over Recorded Attorney Calls, by Alex Friedmann
- United Kingdom: Queen Elizabeth Unveils Judicial and Prison Reform Shakeup
- Popular New Snack Born Behind Bars
- HRDC Represents Former Illinois Prisoner in Wrongful Conviction Suit, by Derek Gilna
- Number of State Prisoners Age 55 and Over Increased 400% in 20 Years, by Derek Gilna
- CCA Annual Shareholder Meeting Met by Protestors
- Report Reveals “Guaranteed Minimums” Drive ICE Detention
- Illinois DOC Settles Lawsuit Over Mental Health Treatment , by Derek Gilna
- Tenth Circuit Finds Compelled, Incriminating Sex Offender Polygraphs Unconstitutional, by Christopher Zoukis
- A Deadly Dust is Plaguing Hawaii Prisoners in Arizona
- Prison Policy Initiative Shines Spotlight on Probation and Parole Data, by Derek Gilna
- Mother Jones Reporter Goes Undercover at CCA Prison in Louisiana, by Derek Gilna
- Sixth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Federal Prisoner’s Bivens Claim, Discusses Inmate Accident Compensation Act, by Derek Gilna
- $7,000 Settlement after Second Circuit Reverses Dismissal of New York Prisoner’s Suit , by Derek Gilna
- Virginia: Unproven Facts Used to Deny Parole Subject of Lawsuit, Settlement
- Iowa State Court Finds Prisoner Entitled to Counsel at Prison Classification Hearing, by Derek Gilna
- Ninth Circuit Reverses Habeas Relief in California Death Penalty Case, by Derek Gilna
- In-house Parole Costs New Mexico Over $10 Million Annually, by Matthew Clarke
- Report: How Private Prison Companies Cut Corners to Generate Profit, by Derek Gilna
- German Prisoners Form Union, Seek Minimum Wage and Pension, by Joe Watson
- Criminal Defendants Shortchanged by Justice System that Favors Prosecutors, by Derek Gilna
- Idaho DOC Can’t Stop Love; State Senator’s Ex-wife Weds Prisoner, by Mark Wilson
- Prison Tobacco Bans Reduce Smoking-related Deaths, by Christopher Zoukis
- Ninth Circuit Directs BOP to Reconsider Denial of Designation to State Prison for Service of Federal Sentence, by Derek Gilna
- Prisoners in Chinese Labor Camps Send Pleas for Help in Exported Products, by Joe Watson
- Prison Conferences to be Held in Ohio, California
- Prison Policy Initiative Report Says Money Bail System Keeps Poor in Jail, by Derek Gilna
- Texas Judge Indicted for Making Secret Deal with Red-light Camera Company
- Hawaii Prisoner Awarded $7.2 Million after Losing His Fingers and Feet, by Christopher Zoukis
- Los Angeles County Undersheriff Convicted on Federal Obstruction, Conspiracy Charges, by Christopher Zoukis
- Illinois DOC to Pay Millions in Utility Arrearages
- Hawaii Prison Relocation Project Fails to Skirt Environmental Review, by Panagioti Tsolkas
- Restraint Chair Deaths, Abuses Prompt Questions, Criticism and Lawsuits, by Joe Watson
- Will Ohio’s Prison Watchdog Agency be Silenced?
- New Jersey Prison Phone Class-action Suit Against Global Tel*Link Continues, by Derek Gilna
- Advocates Want Private Prisons Subject to Open Records Laws , by Joe Watson
- New York Federal Judge Challenges Collateral Consequences
- The Mirage of Justice
- Seventh Circuit Reverses Denial of Prisoner’s Claim for Failure to Detach Portion of Administrative Form, by Derek Gilna
- California: Ninth Circuit Reverses Finding that Props 9 and 89 are Unconstitutional, by Derek Gilna
- Oklahoma Jail Detainee Handcuffed, Pepper-sprayed and Choked to Death
- Cell Workout, by L.J. Flanders (LC Books, 2015), by David Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- News in Brief
More from Derek Gilna:
- Federal Judge in Louisiana Issues Sweeping Opinion Finding Numerous Eighth Amendment, ADA and RA Violations at Angola, April 1, 2022
- Human Rights Defense Center Prevails in Censorship Lawsuit Against Napa County Jail, California, Sept. 1, 2021
- California State Auditor’s Report Faults Counties for Waste and Poor Oversight of State Funds Used in “Public Safety Realignment”, Sept. 1, 2021
- The Fight Over Cellphones in Prisons Rages On, Sept. 1, 2021
- District Court Extends Armstrong Order to Five Additional California Prisons, Sept. 1, 2021
- HRDC Settles Censorship Lawsuit with Johnson County, Kansas Jail for $50,000 and Policy Changes, Aug. 1, 2021
- Virginia Prosecutors to Dismiss 400 Drug Convictions Tied to Disgraced Cop, July 15, 2021
- Discredited New York Police Detective’s False Testimony Causes the Dismissal of Close to 100 Drug Convictions, June 15, 2021
- D.C. Department of Forensic Sciences Firearms Examination Unit Under Fire, April 15, 2021
- Mississippi Joins Illinois and Few Other States Prioritizing Vaccination of State Prisoners to Slow Spread of COVID-19, April 1, 2021
More from these topics:
- Federal Court Grants HRDC Preliminary Injunction Against Mail Censorship at New Mexico Jail, May 1, 2026. Injunctions, Publications/Books, Due Process, Censorship, HRDC Litigation.
- HRDC Sues Colorado Jail for Prohibiting Dozens of Magazines and Books, May 1, 2026. Publications/Books, Due Process, Censorship, Constitution, state, HRDC Litigation.
- Massachusetts Settles Lawsuit with Promise to Release Jail Voting Data, April 1, 2026. Voting, Advocacy, Settlements, Voting Rights, Felon Disenfranchisement Statute.
- Judge Orders Rikers Manager Must Fix Jail in Seven Years Or Less, April 1, 2026. Prison Reform, Totality of Conditions, Jail Specific, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Consent Decrees.
- Officials in Kansas Allow CoreCivic to Reopen Leavenworth Prison, April 1, 2026. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Advocacy, Injunctions, Immigration Detention, Authority and Jurisdiction.
- The Same Company that Built Guantanamo Bay Is Building Kansas City’s World Cup Jail, April 1, 2026. Advocacy, Prison Reform, Cost of Prison Systems, Immigration Detention.
- New York City Mayor Appoints Ex-Rikers Prisoner as Corrections Commissioner, March 1, 2026. Prison Reform, Staffing, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Guard Unions, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- New York Governor Pulls Plug on Prison Watchdog Funding, March 1, 2026. Guard Misconduct, Prison Reform, Conditions of Confinement, Guards/Staff, State Legislation.
- Oregon Supreme Court Announces Bright-Line Rule Requiring Dismissal Without Prejudice When State Fails to Appoint Counsel for Eligible Criminal Defendant Within 60 Days in Misdemeanor Cases or 90 Days in Felony Cases Post-Arraignment, March 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Public Defenders, Indigent Defense, Constitution, state, Counsel - Right to.
- Most U.S. Prisoners Now Barred from Directly Receiving Physical Mail, Feb. 1, 2026. Mail Regulations, Due Process, Legal Mail, Censorship, Warrantless Searches, Electronic Surveillance.

