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Prisoner Suicides a Problem in Oklahoma
by Matt Clarke
A rash of suicides at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary (OSP) in McAlester gave it the highest suicide rate among Oklahoma prisons – six times that of the second-highest.
According to a February 20, 2017 article by Oklahoma Watch, between 2012 and 2015, nine …
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More from this issue:
- Ninth Circuit Blocks Deportation of ICE Detainee Who Received $125,000 for County Jail Rape, by Derek Gilna
- Oregon Juvenile Prisoners Denied Law Libraries, Legal Assistance; Claims Not Heck-Barred
- Report Critical of BOP’s Solitary Confinement Policy for Mentally Ill Prisoners, by Derek Gilna
- French Officials to Install Phones in 50,000 Prison Cells, by Monte McCoin
- Total Cost of Pretrial Detention Estimated at up to $140 Billion Annually
- $637,500 Settlement for Texas Jail Suicide
- California Jail Doctor Faces Medical Board Discipline for Negligent Care, by Monte McCoin
- North Carolina Brothers Settle Lawsuit Over 31 Years of Wrongful Imprisonment, by Matthew Clarke
- Prison Policy Initiative Report Addresses Jail Populations, by Derek Gilna
- California Billionaire Pushes States to Adopt “Marsy’s Law”, by Matthew Clarke
- Record Number of Florida Prisoners Died in 2016, 2017, by David Reutter
- Canada to Apologize, Pay $10.5 Million to Former Guantanamo Detainee, by Christopher Zoukis
- Prisoner Abuse at Parchman: Minimum Punishment and Impeded Investigations, by David Reutter
- Louisiana Prisons Present Immense Environmental Dangers, by Daniel Horowitz
- New York: Prison Disciplinary Witness Request Improperly Denied
- CoreCivic Prison in Tennessee Plagued with Problems, by David Reutter
- Texas: Federal Court Grants Injunction Against Discriminatory Money Bail System, by Derek Gilna
- Prisoner Suicides a Problem in Oklahoma, by Matthew Clarke
- New FAMM Report Offers Solutions for BOP Recidivism, by Derek Gilna
- Texas State Jail Guard Indicted for Leaking Video of Tear Gassing
- Ninth Circuit Reinstates Prisoner’s Excessive Force Suit
- $11.5 Million Awarded in Suits Over Wisconsin Jailer’s Sexual Assaults, by Matthew Clarke
- Ohio Experiences Continued Problems with Aramark, by Christopher Zoukis
- Poor and Mentally Ill Languish in Mississippi Jails for Months or Years Awaiting Indictments, by David Reutter
- Lawsuit Alleges Inadequate BOP Mental Health Treatment in SMU, by David Reutter
- Missouri Supreme Court: Restitution Must be for Losses “Due to” Crime of Conviction
- Stipulation to Admit Video Created Error When Video Was Excluded at Trial
- Class Certified in Lawsuit Alleging Flaws in Illinois’ Prison Healthcare System
- Co-pays Deter Prisoners from Accessing Medical Care, by Christopher Zoukis
- Pennsylvania: $20,000 Settlement for Prisoner’s ADA Claim
- Virginia: Undocumented Immigrant Receives $12,000 Settlement for Overdetention, by David Reutter
- $7.9 Million Award Against New York County and Medical Contractor in Jail Suicide Case
- Estimated 10.35 Million Prisoners Worldwide, Three Million in Pre-trial Detention, by Derek Gilna
- Clock is Ticking on Understaffing in Florida’s Prison System, by David Reutter
- Eighth Circuit Upholds $1.25 Million Jury Award for Missouri Prisoner’s Death, by Matthew Clarke
- Oregon County Pays $1.1 Million for Death of Detainee Mocked by Guards
- Indiana Jail’s Overdetention of Pretrial Detainees Erroneously Denied Class-action Status
- Lawsuits Challenge Treatment of Pregnant Prisoners at Milwaukee County Jail, by Matthew Clarke
- Ninth Circuit: Washington Civil Rights Suit Not Tolled by State Presentment Statute, by Lonnie Burton
- Arkansas Conducts Four Executions in One Week Due to Expiring Lethal Injection Drugs, by David Reutter
- Fifth Circuit Upholds Attorney’s 15-Year Sentence for Fake Bribery Scam
- TRO Requires Pennsylvania Jail to Provide Hormone Treatment
- Unable to Find Work, Some Former Prisoners Become Entrepreneurs, by Matthew Clarke
- Federal Court Holds PLN Lawsuit Challenging ADX Censorship Not Moot, by Matthew Clarke
- Seventh Circuit: No Summary Judgment for 11-Year ACL Surgery Denial
- HRDC Files Class-action Suit Over CDCR Debit Release Cards, by Derek Gilna
- Kentucky County Jail Settles Sexual Harassment Lawsuit for $75,000, by Derek Gilna
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Sexual Harassment Lawsuits, Settlements Rock Missouri Department of Corrections, by Derek Gilna
- News in Brief
- Prison Broke: The Missouri Department of Corrections Can’t Escape its Own Worst Habits, by Karen Dillon
More from Matthew Clarke:
- Eleventh Circuit Reinstates Alabama Prisoner’s Excessive Prison Violence Claim, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eleventh Circuit Upholds Most of Relief Ordered in Class-Action Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutionally Inadequate Mental Health Care in Alabama Prisons, Oct. 1, 2026
- Fourth Circuit Upholds Denial of Qualified Immunity to Jail Supervisors Who Ignored Detainee’s Cranial Abscesses, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Reverses District Court’s Denial of Motion to Dismiss Some Defendants from Lawsuit Over Missouri Prisoner’s Suicide, Oct. 1, 2026
- Eighth Circuit Grants Summary Judgment to Sheriff and County of Nebraska Jail Where Guard Sexually Assaulted Female Prisoner, Oct. 1, 2026
- Federal Court Orders Texas to Admit Incompetent Jailed Defendants to Mental Health Facilities Within 21 Days, Oct. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Grants Qualified Immunity to Detectives Who Revealed Prisoner Was Informant, Denies Him Anonymity, Aug. 1, 2026
- Seventh Circuit Holds Federal Law Prohibits County Jail from Forcing Immigration Detainees to Perform Custodial Labor by Threatening Solitary Confinement, Aug. 1, 2026
- New Mexico Supreme Court Holds Corrections Department Regulations Do Not Exempt Use-Of-Force Documents from Public Records Disclosure, Aug. 1, 2026
- DOJ Issues Memorandum Over BOP Employees Abusing Their Law Enforcement Credentials to Illegally Purchase Personal Firearms, Aug. 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- Eleventh Circuit Upholds Most of Relief Ordered in Class-Action Lawsuit Challenging Unconstitutionally Inadequate Mental Health Care in Alabama Prisons, Oct. 1, 2026. Eighth Amendment, Staffing, Injunctions (PLRA), Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides.
- Federal Court Orders Texas to Admit Incompetent Jailed Defendants to Mental Health Facilities Within 21 Days, Oct. 1, 2026. Staffing, Injunctions, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Pretrial Detention and Detainees, Competency.
- Last of Three Oklahoma Jail Death Settlements Totaling $66.5 Million Paid for Fatal Dehydration of “Cookie Queen”, Oct. 1, 2026. Diabetes, Settlements, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.
- Eighth Circuit Reverses District Court’s Denial of Motion to Dismiss Some Defendants from Lawsuit Over Missouri Prisoner’s Suicide, Oct. 1, 2026. Qualified Immunity, Sovereign Immunity, Failure to Protect (Wrongful Death), Suicides, Deliberate Indifference.
- $3.75 Million Paid by Wisconsin After Mentally Ill Prisoner Dies of Dehydration, Oct. 1, 2026. Water, Settlements, Medical Neglect/Malpractice, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Deliberate Indifference.
- Fatal LAPD Arrests Show Systemic Failure in Handling Mental Health Crises, Oct. 1, 2026. Shootings, Restraints, Police--Excessive Force, Mental Health, Staff Training.
- 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.
- Mental Health Diversion from New York State Jails Varies Widely by County, Sept. 1, 2026. Criminal justice system reform, Alternative Sentencing, Mental Health, State Legislation.
- Rising Deaths in Los Angeles County Jail Linked to Longer Stays, Sept. 1, 2026. Systemic Medical Neglect, Drug Overdose, Statistics/Trends, Suicides, Reduction of Prison Population.

