Exam 3: Correctional Law and Legal Liabilities

In cases of legitimate religious actions, the government must show that substantially burdening the religious exercise of an individual is "the least restrictive means of furthering that compelling governmental interest."

The primary application of the Fourteenth Amendment to prison law issues has to do with procedural due process issues and issues related to equal protection.

What is an injunction against both individual defendants and their agency?

What type of immunity means that an individual is not able to be subject to a lawsuit when acting in his or her professional capacity?

Which court case ruling found that inmates must be given reasonable opportunities to exercise their religious beliefs?

In the case of Turner v. Safley, the court held that prison regulations must be based on key elements of what are known as the rational basis test. Which of the following is a key rational element?

In the ______ case, the U.S. Supreme Court held that any inmate who alleges a violation of Bounds must show that shortcomings in the prison's library or services for assistance caused an actual harm or injury that was directly attributable to the inmate's inability to pursue legitimate legal claims.

The Prison Litigation Reform Act sets a limit on the relief that an inmate may secure from the courts, the restriction being that courts may only require of prison systems a minimum of modification so as to most expediently and in a Spartan manner address a noted deficiency.

Explain the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the case of Coker v. Georgia in 1977.

A compensation judgment involves a judicial determination of the legal rights of the person bringing suit.

Which category of liability would tactics used to bully or abuse an inmate fall under?

Which court case ruling found that prison authorities cannot prohibit inmates from aiding other inmates in preparing legal documents unless they also provide alternatives by which inmates may access the courts?

The case of Bell v. Wolfish (1979) determined that body cavity searches of inmates after contact visits is permissible, as are searches of inmates' quarters in their absence.

In which case did the U.S. Supreme Court rule that a prison regulation that impinges on inmates' constitutional rights is valid if it is reasonably related to legitimate penological interests?

The policy of the Supreme Court and the lower courts of avoiding intervention in prison operations is generally known as the hands-off doctrine.

The ______ was initially passed through Congress with the intent of preventing the wave of frivolous lawsuits that had been filed by inmates in federal court.

Rulings such as that found in Brown v. Plata (2011) demonstrate that the U.S. Supreme Court will not become involved and rule against prison administrators even when prison conditions seem to be egregious.

Fully discuss events and cases that signaled the beginning of the end of the hands-off doctrine.

What was the significance of the ruling in the case of Lewis v. Casey (1996)?

The totality of circumstances has been modified in prison law to consist of the totality of the conditions, to determine if conditions in an institution are in violation of the Eighth Amendment.