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Local Pennsylvania Voters Ban Solitary Confinement and No-Knock Warrants
by David M. Reutter
Residents of Allegheny County voted to restrict the use of solitary confinement. The ballot measure was overwhelmingly approved during a May 18, 2021 election.
PLN has previously reported on the brutalizing by guards and the improper use of solitary confinement within the Allegheny …
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More from this issue:
- PREA: Tackling the Nightmare of Prison Rape, by David Reutter
- From the Editor, by Paul Wright
- Nebraska Supreme Court Holds Discretionary Function Exception Bars Lawsuit Over Prison’s Botched Response to Uprising
- Arizona Federal Court Rescinds Approval of Jensen Settlement; Sets Class Action Medical and Control Unit Case Against Arizona DOC for Trial, by Matthew Clarke
- $50,000 Settlement for Denial of Medical Care at Tribal Jail in Montana
- Georgia Enacts Massive Probation Reform Bill, by David Reutter
- Protective Order Issued in Florida Solitary Confinement Lawsuit, by David Reutter
- Prison Staff Are Refusing Vaccines. Incarcerated People Are Paying the Price., by Erika Tyagi, Joshua Manson
- The States that Lead the Nation in COVID-19 Cases Are Hiding Their Prison Data, by Sharon Dolovich, Erika Tyagi, Neal Marquez
- Court Grants Class Certification for Illinois Prisoners in Restrictive Housing Lawsuit, by Keith Sanders
- Eighth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of HRDC Postcard-Only Suit Against Arkansas Jail, by David Reutter
- South Carolina Attorney General Issues Opinion That Information in State Prisoners’ Death Certificates Is Public Information, by Matthew Clarke
- HRDC Case Sues JPay Over Fee-Heavy “Release Card” Debit Cards
- Eleventh Circuit Holds No Qualified Immunity on Deliberate Indifference in Heat Exhaustion Case, by David Reutter
- Colorado Jail Blows Through $16 Million in COVID Relief Money, Has Outbreak Anyway, Settles ACLU Conditions Suit, by David Reutter
- Death, Neglect and Despair in U.S. Tribal Jails, by Daniel A. Rosen
- Tennessee Department of Corrections Rebids $123 Million Health Care Contract After Corizon Accuses It and Centurion of Bid Rigging, by Matthew Clarke
- Study Analyzes Deaths of Parole-Approved Texas Prisoners Awaiting Release, by Matthew Clarke
- File a CFPB Complaint for Unfair Money Transfer Fees
- Hunger Strike, Ceiling Collapse, Lawsuit Spotlight Deteriorating Conditions at Women’s Prison in Illinois, by Brian Dolinar, Panagioti Tsolkas
- Sacramento Sheriff Used Prisoner Welfare Fund for Trips, Salaries and Equipment, by Matthew Clarke
- Virginia Department of Corrections Confirms Visitation Not Primary Means of Contraband Introduction, by Kevin Bliss
- Fourth Circuit Rules Prisoner Sex Offender has No Right to In-Person Visitation with His Minor Children, by Douglas Ankney
- Seven Former GEO Employees Plead Guilty in Federal Texas Private Jail Bribery Scheme
- Indiana DOC Settles Class-Action Lawsuit Over Ban on Incoming Mail Except That in White Envelopes Using White, Lined Paper
- Supreme Court Reverses Qualified Immunity Dismissal of Texas Prisoner’s Excessive Force Claim, by Douglas Ankney
- Local Pennsylvania Voters Ban Solitary Confinement and No-Knock Warrants, by David Reutter
- Absent Expert Medical Testimony, Deliberate Indifference Tough to Prove in Medical Cases, by David Reutter
- Erie County Sheriff Settles AG Lawsuit for Violating New York Reporting Directives, by Kevin Bliss
- California Slashes High Call Rates in Prisons and Jails, by Chuck Sharman
- Mailbox Rule Inapplicable to Prisoners Represented by Counsel
- Federal New York City Jail Made Infamous by Jeffrey Epstein Death Closed Due to Persistent Problems and Incompetence
- New Connecticut Law Eliminates Prison Gerrymandering
- $56 Million Settlement in CoreCivic Securities Violation Lawsuit, by David Reutter
- Judge Orders COVID Emergency Release Procedures at Lompoc Federal Prison, by Jayson Hawkins
- Eleventh Circuit Grants Prisoner with Hep C Exception to PLRA Three Strikes Rule
- Washington DC Jail’s Suicide Proof “Safe Cell” Use Not Safe for Prisoners, by Kevin Bliss
- Iowa County Wants to Use COVID-19 Relief Money to Build New Jail, by Keith Sanders
- Immigration Detention Contracts Cancelled in Georgia and Massachusetts, by Daniel A. Rosen
- $1 Million Settlement in Georgia Prisoner’s Preventable Suicide Attempt and Death, by David Reutter
- $500,000 Settlement for California Jail Rape, Deputy Fired and Sentenced
- Pay-to-Play Lives in FEC Decision Not to Enforce Ban on Political Contributions by Boca Prison Contractor The GEO Group, by Dan Christensen
- News in Brief
More from David Reutter:
- 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
- Colorado Supreme Court Announces Defendant Must Be Competent Before Undergoing Mental-Condition Examination Under § 16-8-107(3)(b), April 1, 2026
- California Court of Appeal Announces Plea Agreements Cannot Bar § 1172.1 Resentencing, Holds Merit-Based Denial of Petition Is Appealable, April 1, 2026
- Georgia Supreme Court Clarifies That Failure to Object to Ineligible Juror Does Not Constitute Waiver Unless Party Knew or Could Have Discovered Ineligibility Through Ordinary Diligence, April 1, 2026
- Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, March 1, 2026
- Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Holds Motion Judge Abused Discretion by Denying Evidentiary Hearing on IAC Claim Where Plea Counsel’s Affidavit Was Not Inherently Inconsistent With Colloquy Statements Regarding Immigration Advice, March 1, 2026
- Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Double Jeopardy Analysis for Multiple Assault Convictions, Holding That Assaultive Acts Occurring Over Short Time Period in Same Location Without Intervening Events Constitute Single Course of Conduct, March 1, 2026
- New Jersey Supreme Court Reverses Drug Convictions Under Cumulative Error Doctrine, Holding Combined Effect of Improper References to Television Series, Gun Violence, and Search Warrants Deprived Defendant of Fair Trial, March 1, 2026
- New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026
More from these topics:
- New York Juvenile Detention Officials Sued for Abusing Adolescents with Solitary Confinement, May 1, 2026. Sanitation, Lockdowns, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Juvenile Prisons, Confinement in Segregated Housing.
- Class Certification Granted to Suit Challenging Suspension of HALT Act in New York Prisons, April 1, 2026. Injunctions, Class Certification, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Guard Unions, Administrative Detention/Segregation.
- D.C. Judge Blocks Transfer of Biden-Commuted Federal Death Row Prisoners to “Supermax,” Citing Lack of Meaningful Due Process, April 1, 2026. Transfers, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Fifth Amendment, Bureau of Prisons (BOP), Prison Classification.
- 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.
- After Exposing Prison Horrors, Incarcerated Whistleblowers Are Moved to Solitary, Feb. 1, 2026. Whistleblowing, Retaliatory Segregation, Work Strikes, Totality of Conditions, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement.
- $404,000 Verdict for Ohio Prisoner Brutalized by Trio of Guards, Kept in Solitary for Two Years, Jan. 1, 2026. Retaliation for Filing Grievances, Retaliatory Segregation, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Pepper Spray/Tear Gas, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement.
- U.S. District Court in Arizona Grants Summary Judgment in Favor of Prisoner Denial of Forms for Challenging 455 Days of Solitary, Jan. 1, 2026. Totality of Conditions, Administrative Exhaustion (PLRA), Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Chemical Spraying of Mentally Ill Inmates, Deliberate Indifference.
- First Circuit Greenlights Rhode Island Prisoner’s Damages Suit for Disastrous 450-Day Solitary Confinement, Dec. 1, 2025. Eighth Amendment, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights, Immunity - Absolute and Qualified, Deliberate Indifference.
- Suicidal West Virginia Prisoner Granted Transfer From 13-Year Solitary Confinement, Dec. 1, 2025. Contempt (Civil Procedure), Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness), Suicides, Deliberate Indifference.
- Suit by Mentally Disabled Detainees at South Carolina Jail Secures Class Certification; No Action on Damning DOJ Report, Dec. 1, 2025. Failure to Protect (General), DOJ CRIPA Actions, Class Certification, Control Units/SHU/Solitary Confinement, Failure to Treat (Mental Illness).

