Articles

Treatment of mentally ill prisoners changing

After more than seven years of litigation, the Indiana Department of Correction is instituting major changes by providing treatment and mostly eliminating solitary confinement for severally mentally ill prisoners.

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COA split over inmate’s ability to sue for unpaid wages

The Indiana Court of Appeals was divided Wednesday over whether an inmate who worked for a private company that contracted with the Department of Correction to employ offenders was allowed under Indiana statute to make a claim for unpaid wages.

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Advisory council approves recommendations for DOC funds

A recommendation to sprinkle $5 million in new state funding across nearly half of Indiana’s counties has been unanimously approved by the Justice Reinvestment Advisory Council, paving the way to expand treatment and rehabilitation programs to help low-level offenders.

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Inmate loses request for Xbox, other privileges

The Department of Correction has a rational reason for limiting which inmates qualify to be housed in a “Honor Unit,” in which they have access to video games and weights, the Indiana Court of Appeals held in affirming summary judgment for the DOC on an inmate’s lawsuit.

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DOC recommends stretching $5 million to 41 counties

The Indiana Department of Correction, going against previous advice, has proposed spreading newly available state money around to several counties to help provide rehabilitation and treatment for the low-level offenders who will be coming to county jails.

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Communities request more funds than DOC has available

In advance of lower-risk offenders staying in local jails instead of going to state prisons, counties across Indiana have requested more than $17 million from the state. However, for the first round of appropriations this fiscal year, the Department of Correction only has $5 million to give.

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