More from this issue:

1. News in Brief
2. Alaska Pays $400,000 to Settle Jail Prisoner’s Wrongful Death Suit, by Douglas Ankney
3. Report: Summit Food Services Provides Inadequate Nutrition at Missouri Jail, by Kevin Bliss
4. Maricopa County Pays $300,000 to Settle Lawsuit Over Arpaio-Era Prisoner Death, by Matthew Clarke
5. Mississippi Prison Deaths Spike for Second Year; Disturbing Photos Revealed, by Matthew Clarke, David M. Reutter
6. Illinois DOC Interferes with Prisoners’ College Program by Removing Books, by Edward Lyon
7. Lawsuits Challenge Florida Law that Undermines Voting Rights Ballot Initiative, by David M. Reutter
8. Third Circuit Affirms Refusal to Appoint Successive Counsel in Prisoner’s Civil Rights Case, by David M. Reutter
9. Oregon Sheriff Places Own Head on the Chopping Block for Budget Cuts, by Kevin Bliss
10. $2 Million Settlement in Lawsuit Over California Jail Prisoner’s Suicide, by Matthew Clarke
11. California Court of Appeal Reverses Convictions for Possession of Marijuana in Prison, by Dale Chappell
12. Second Circuit: Discharge Health Plan Part of In-Custody Mental Health Treatment When Pretrial Detainees Released, by Edward Lyon
13. Oregon Supreme Court Reverses Course: Secretly Taping Prisoner’s Statements Does Not Violate Right to Counsel, by Mark Wilson
14. Arizona DOC Publishes, Then Rescinds, Prison Tour Policy that Excluded Public Officials and Media, by Matthew Clarke
15. Denver Tries to End Private Prison Companies’ Halfway House Contracts, by Matthew Clarke
16. Lawsuit: Woman Gave Birth Alone in Colorado Jail Cell, by Kevin Bliss
17. Connecticut Prison Writing Program Leads to Lawsuits, by David M. Reutter
18. Third Circuit: Showers Part of Prison Operations for ADA and RA Purposes, by David M. Reutter
19. Investigations into Texas Jail Deaths Find Thousands of Guards Untrained, on Temporary Licenses, by Matthew Clarke
20. Former DOC Employee Awarded $300,000 in Workplace Sexual Harassment Case, by Matthew Clarke
21. New York State Prisoner Wins Medical Malpractice Suit, Awarded $30,000, by Edward Lyon
22. As Climate Changes, High Temperatures Plague Prisons and Jails, by Matthew Clarke
23. Former Hawaii Prisoner’s Sexual Assault Lawsuit Settles for Paltry $10,000, by Edward Lyon
24. The Sentencing Project Issues Report on Reducing Excessive Punishment for Violent Crimes, by Matthew Clarke
25. California Federal Court Orders City to Pay $150,000 for Failure to Comply with Jail Settlement, by Chad Marks
26. Fourth Circuit: Three Tasings in 70 Seconds May Constitute Excessive Force, by David M. Reutter
27. California Prisoner Wins $365,000 Settlement for Assault by Jail Guards, by Scott Grammer
28. Denial of Summary Judgment for Prison Officials Affirmed in West Virginia Excessive Force Case, by Scott Grammer
29. Michigan Prisoner Prevails in First Amendment Retaliation Case; $30,000 in Damages and Attorney Fees, by David M. Reutter
30. Cook County, Illinois to Pay $1.7 Million for Former Marine’s Suicide in Jail, by Douglas Ankney
31. Court Grants Remittitur in Former Prison Teacher’s Sexual Harassment Case – Total Award of $6.4 Million Plus Fees, Costs, Interest, by Matthew Clarke
32. Arizona Prisoner Receives $175,000 after Guards Read His Legal Mail, Shared it with FBI and Prosecutors, by Matthew Clarke
33. Author John Grisham Pens Editorial Criticizing Death Penalty in North Carolina, by Scott Grammer
34. Santa Clara County Jail Captain Accused of Misconduct, Retires, by Scott Grammer
35. Family of California Prisoner Who Committed Suicide Settles Suit for $595,000, by Scott Grammer
36. California County Settles Jail Death for $300,000, by Edward Lyon
37. Alabama Jail Prisoner Accused of Conspiring to Get Pregnant, Claiming Rape, by Douglas Ankney
38. Tenth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of New Mexico Prisoner’s First Amendment Claims, by Scott Grammer
39. North Carolina Prisoners Sue Over Gang Violence, Obtain $62,500 Settlement
40. Hepatitis C Treatment Ordered in North Carolina Prisons, by David M. Reutter
41. $157,000 Settlement in Michigan DOC Employee Discrimination Case, by David M. Reutter
42. Congressional Black Caucus Institute Accepts Donations from Private Prison Companies, by Matthew Clarke
43. Exploiting Prisoners on Prime Time, by Edward Lyon
44. Three Louisiana Prisoners Cleared in 1994 Rape of Another Prisoner, by David M. Reutter
45. Veteran Oregon Jail Guard Indicted and Jailed, by Mark Wilson
46. Federal Court Sanctions New Mexico Corrections Department Over Out-of-State Legal Mail, by Matthew Clarke
47. Survey: Jail Population Down but Incarceration Rates Higher for Whites, Women, by Jayson Hawkins
48. Why Our Movement Can’t Afford to Ignore Private Prison Corporations, by Caroline Isaacs
49. Audit Finds Mississippi Private Prison Plagued by Violence, Run by Gangs, by Kevin Bliss
50. Infamous Louisiana Sheriff on His Way Out, by David M. Reutter
51. San Francisco to Cut Costs for Jail Phone Calls, Commissary Sales, by Edward Lyon
52. Vermont Supreme Court Remands Prison Correspondence Claim, by Edward Lyon
53. Class Certified in Lawsuit Challenging Missouri Parole Violation Procedures, by David M. Reutter
54. From the Editor, by Paul Wright
55. Mentally Ill Prisoners’ Suit Against GEO Group Survives Motion to Dismiss, by Douglas Ankney
56. California Tried to Fix Its Prisons. Now County Jails Are More Deadly, by Jason Pohl, Ryan Gabrielson

More from Douglas Ankney:

• Pregnant Women Detained in Jail: The Hideous Story of In-Custody Births, May 1, 2026
• Idaho DOC Director Denies Verified Report of Rampant Sexual Abuse of Women Prisoners by Staff, May 1, 2026
• Fourth Circuit Announces Defendant Has Standing to Appeal Based Solely on Rogers–Singletary Claim of a “Material Discrepancy Between” Written and Orally Articulated Judgment at Sentencing, May 1, 2026
• Illinois Jail Reprimanded for Denying Detainees Mail Based on Media Content, P.O. Box Return Address, Settles Detainees’ Suit with $111,825 Payment of Legal Fees, May 1, 2026
• Sixth Circuit Announces Federal Coercion and Enticement Statute Requires Knowledge of Victim’s Minor Status, Deepening Circuit Split, May 1, 2026
• Oklahoma Supreme Court: Jail Trust Cannot Withhold Requested Records under Law Enforcement Exemption of ORA, May 1, 2026
• Delaware Supreme Court Announces Adoption of ABA Standard 3-6.5(b) Governing Prosecutors’ Opening Statements, Reverses Murder Convictions Based on Prosecutor’s References to Co-Defendant’s Guilty Plea, May 1, 2026
• Tenth Circuit Holds Prior California Child Pornography Conviction Does Not Trigger Federal Mandatory Minimum Because State Statute Encompasses Conduct Beyond Federal Definition Under Categorical Approach, April 1, 2026
• Kentucky Supreme Court Clarifies Parole Board May Delegate Final Revocation Hearings to Administrative Law Judges but Holds Due Process Requires Parolees Be Permitted to File Exceptions to ALJ Findings Before Board Renders a Final Revocation Decision, April 1, 2026
• New York Court of Appeals Holds Generic Physical Description Insufficient to Justify Pursuit in Mistaken Identity Case, and Suspect’s Flight Cannot Support Reasonable Suspicion Absent Evidence He Knew He Was Fleeing Law Enforcement, April 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• 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.
• Seventh Circuit Upholds Liability but Reverses Damages in Lawsuit Over Illinois Warden and Investigator Using Prisoner as Bait to Catch Staff Member Raping Her, May 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Damages, Evidentiary Ruling, Cruel and Unusual Punishment.
• Nevada Non-Profit Founder Under Investigation for Misconduct, May 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Staff-Prisoner Harassment, Contractor Misconduct, Complaints, Restrictions, discrimination.
• Idaho Struggles to Respond to Devasting Report of Widespread Prisoner Sex Abuse, April 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Prison Rape Elimination Act, State Legislation, Public Records Act.
• Eighth Circuit Revives Case Against Guards Who Failed to Intervene As Chaplain Sexually Assaulted Arkansas Prisoner, March 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Failure to Protect (General), Prison Rape Elimination Act, Qualified Immunity, Failure to Train/Supervise.
• Private Prison Firm GEO Group Reports Record $254 Million Profit After New ICE Contracts, March 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, GEO Group/Wackenhut, Systemic Medical Neglect, Immigration Detention.
• New York State Moves to Dismiss Hundreds of Prison Sexual Assault Lawsuits, Feb. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, DOC/BOP misconduct, Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Authority and Jurisdiction, Access To Courts.
• The DOJ Orders Prison Inspectors to Drop LGBTQ+ Protections, Jan. 1, 2026. Sexual Assault, Corrections Audits, Prison Rape Elimination Act, Discrimination (Transgender), Failure to Protect (Transgender).
• Hawaii Prison Warden Reinstated After Being Fired in 2014 for Sexual Harassment, Dec. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Supervisor-Staff Harassment, Guard Misconduct, Racial Discrimination, Employee Litigation.
• Prisoner Assaulted by BOP Guard and Left With Bleeding Rectum—Then the Cover-Up Began, Dec. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, DOC/BOP misconduct, Retaliatory Segregation, Malicious Prosecution, Restraints.