More from this issue:

1. Jailhouse Medicine - A Private Contractor Flourishes Despite Controversy Over Prisoner Deaths
2. Massachusetts: Lawsuit Filed to Stop Dog Searches of Prison Visitors, by Joe Watson
3. Excited Delirium Syndrome: Medical Condition or Cover-Up?, by David Reutter
4. New Mexico: Sharon Jones’s Strep Death Among Shocking Prison Tragedies in Lawsuits
5. South Carolina Sheriff Resigns, Pleads Guilty to DUI
6. Medical Marijuana Use by Arizona Probationer Cannot Support Violation
7. Federal Lawsuit Claims Negligence Caused Pennsylvania Prisoner’s Heroin Overdose Death, by Christopher Zoukis
8. Irish High Court Bars Extradition of Terror Suspect to U.S., Citing Inhumanity of Solitary Confinement, by Derek Gilna
9. $2.5 Million Settlement in North Carolina Prisoner’s Dehydration Death
10. Court’s Gag Order in Michigan Jail Corruption Case Reversed
11. Failure to Timely Assert Affirmative Defense in Responsive Pleading Constitutes Waiver
12. Report Finds Shortcomings at Santa Clara County, California Jail, by Derek Gilna
13. Tennessee Prisoner Awarded $60,000 for Guards’ Use of Excessive Force
14. $3.5 Million for South Carolina Prisoner’s Death Due to Deliberate Indifference
15. Deaf Prisoners Win Important Settlements in Kentucky and Maryland, by Derek Gilna
16. Architects’ Ethics Panel to Consider Boycott of Execution Chambers and Prison Design, by David Reutter
17. Pepper-spraying Sleeping Prisoner Unconstitutional, but Case Loses at Trial, by David Reutter
18. “Fatal Neglect” Report Faults ICE Health Care for Deaths of Detained Immigrants, by Derek Gilna
19. Ninth Circuit: Freezing Prisoner’s Funds Requires Pre-deprivation Process, by Mark Wilson
20. Second Circuit Allows Muslim Prisoners’ Bivens Claims to Proceed, by Derek Gilna
21. DOJ Settlement to Improve Conditions at Mississippi Juvenile Facility
22. Colson Task Force Report Highlights BOP Issues, Makes Recommendations, by Derek Gilna
23. Book Review: "Illegal to Legal: Business Success for (ex)Criminals, by R.L. Pelshaw", by Christopher Zoukis
24. Lawsuit Claiming CMUs Lack Due Process on Appeal to D.C. Circuit, by Derek Gilna
25. Delayed Washington Competency Evaluations and Treatment Violate Due Process, by Mark Wilson
26. Sacramento County Settles Former Jail Prisoner’s Lawsuits for $3,800, by Matthew Clarke
27. Privately-operated Texas Prison Rebounds, by Matthew Clarke
28. Transparent Jumpsuit for Prison Transport May Violate Eighth Amendment
29. Ninth Circuit: Improper ICE Detainer Constitutes Article III Injury, by Mark Wilson
30. The Will of the People: Ex-prisoners Voted into Public Office, by Joe Watson
31. California: Strip Searches of Prison Visitors No Longer Allowed
32. Exonerated New York Prisoner Recovers $21.9 Million in Damages
33. California Supreme Court Voids Ex Post Facto Sex Offender Residency Restrictions, by Derek Gilna
34. Texas: $400,000 Settlement Award to Mentally Ill Jail Prisoner
35. Lawsuits Challenge Release Debit Cards; Courts Rule Against Arbitration, by Derek Gilna
36. Prison’s Censorship of Newsweek Upheld
37. Sixth Circuit Allows Revival of Untimely Habeas Appeal Using Rule 60(b), by Matthew Clarke
38. $550,000 Jury Award for Failure to Treat Prisoner’s Broken Jaw
39. Kentucky Restores Voting Rights for Former Prisoners, then Reverses Course
40. Defense Verdict in Kentucky Prisoner’s Death; Appellate Court Reverses, by David Reutter
41. Seventh Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Terre Haute Prisoner’s FTCA Suit, by Derek Gilna
42. $2.5 Million Award for Wrongfully Convicted Former Michigan Prisoner
43. Ninth Circuit Rules Judge “Abused Discretion” in Imposing Abstinence as Supervised Release Condition, by Derek Gilna
44. $360,000 Verdict Against Indiana Sheriff for Denying Prompt Court Hearings
45. Deaths of Prisoners in Indiana, California and Arkansas Linked to Flu Virus, by Joe Watson
46. Texas Disciplinary Appeals Board Upholds Disbarment of State Prosecutor
47. $11.3 Million Jury Award for Former Colorado Jail Prisoner, by Matthew Clarke
48. Lifetime Registration of Low-level Sex Offenders found Excessive, Unconstitutional in New Hampshire
49. New Federal Law that Brands Sex Offenders’ Passports Faces Court Challenge, by Derek Gilna
50. Use of Nutraloaf on the Decline in U.S. Prisons, by Christopher Zoukis
51. Prisoners Hang Themselves in Sheriff Joe Arpaio’s Jails at a Rate that Dwarfs Other County Lockups, by Michael Lacey
52. U.S. Supreme Court Reverses Idaho Supreme Court, Asserts “Federal Supremacy”, by Derek Gilna
53. Texas Parole Records Mistake Could Cost Taxpayers Millions, by Gary Hunter
54. 2015 Annual Anti-Private Prison Awards Announced
55. Settlement in California Jail Suit Includes $4.8 Million in Attorney Fees, Costs, by Derek Gilna
56. California Lifers Paroled in Record Numbers, by Christopher Zoukis
57. D.C. Circuit Court Partially Stays FCC Order Capping Prison and Jail Phone Rates
58. From the Editor, by Paul Wright
59. News in Brief

More from these topics:

• Sixth Circuit Announces Federal Coercion and Enticement Statute Requires Knowledge of Victim’s Minor Status, Deepening Circuit Split, May 1, 2026. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Statutory Construction/Interpretation, Sentence, Miscalculation of the Guidelines Sentencing Range.
• Montana Supreme Court: Due Process Prohibits Courts From Relying on Unproven Charging Allegations When Imposing Sex Offender Registration Duty, Announces First-Impression Rule Limiting Review to Elements of Conviction, March 1, 2026. Sex Offender Registration, Administrative Exhaustion, Fourteenth Amendment, rights, Qualifying Offenses, Acquitted Conduct/Uncharged Crimes/Dismissed Counts.
• Fifth Circuit Holds Texas Sexual Assault of a Child Statute Sweeps More Broadly Than Federal SORNA Tier Offenses, March 1, 2026. Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Qualifying Offenses, Plain Error, Elements of Offense, Miscalculation of the Guidelines Sentencing Range.
• Fifth Circuit Upholds Dismissal of Suit by Civilly Committed Texan, Dec. 1, 2025. Sex Offenders (Discrimination), Conditions of Confinement, Complaints, Grievances, Civil Commitment.
• Third Circuit Announces “Commencement of the Instant Offense” in Guidelines § 4A1.2(e) Unambiguously Refers Only to Specific Offense of Conviction, Not Relevant Conduct, Nov. 15, 2025. U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration, Adequacy of Criminal History Category, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
• Florida Appeals Court Finds Rationale for “Sexual Predator” Label on Former Prisoner’s Drivers License, Oct. 1, 2025. Sex Offender Registration, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Sexually Dangerous Persons/Sexual Violent Predators, Prisoners' Rights.
• Nebraska Supreme Court Announces ‘Working Days’ for Purposes of ‘Temporary Domicile’ SORA Reporting Requirement Means Weekdays, Excluding Legal Holidays, and Reverses Conviction for Failure to Register, March 15, 2025. Sex Offender Registration, Wrongful Conviction.
• Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Commonwealth Must Prove Beyond a Reasonable Doubt Offender Knew of SORNA Registration Obligations for Failure to Register Conviction, March 15, 2025. Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Unreasonable Application of Clearly Established Federal Law.
• Washington Prisoner Sues Jail Where Assault Left Him Comatose, DOC Guard Who Then Sexually Abused Him, March 1, 2025. Prisoner-Staff Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Sex Offender Registration, Failure to Protect (General).
• Incompetent Louisiana Sex Offender’s Challenge to Registration Requirements Proceeds, Dec. 15, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, Sex Offenders (Discrimination), Sex Offense Registration Act (SORNA).