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ACLU of North Carolina Calls on Governor Beverly Perdue and Attorney General Roy Cooper to Respect the Rule of Law (10/29/2009)
RALEIGH – On the scheduled release date for Bobby Bowden and the other inmates whom the Department of Correction (DOC) deemed earlier this month to have completed their prison sentences, the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina (ACLU-NC) today urges the Governor and the state's Attorney General to uphold the Due Process guarantee under both the U.S. Constitution and the North Carolina Constitution that has been a fundamental principle of our constitutional democracy since the founding of this nation.

Court Rules that Sheriff Joe Arpaio Can No Longer Block Prisoners' Access To Abortion Care (10/20/2009)
PHOENIX – In a case brought by the American Civil Liberties Union, an Arizona court found today that Maricopa County Sheriff Joseph Arpaio can no longer require inmates seeking abortion care to prepay their transportation and security costs before they can obtain an abortion.

Federal Appeals Court Condemns Shackling Of Pregnant Prisoners In Labor (10/02/2009)
NEW YORK – Ruling in the case of an Arkansas woman who was shackled to her hospital bed while in labor in 2003, a federal appeals court today said that constitutional protections against shackling pregnant women during labor had been clearly established by decisions of the Supreme Court and the lower courts. This is the first time a circuit court has made such a determination. The full Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals made the ruling today in the case of ACLU client Shawanna Nelson.

Publisher Sues Corrections Corporation of America Over Censorship of Books Sent to Prisoners (09/02/2009)
Phoenix, AZ – Prison Legal News (PLN), a non-profit monthly publication that reports on criminal justice-related issues, filed suit today in U.S. District Court against Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), the nation's largest for-profit prison firm. PLN contends that CCA violated its rights under the First Amendment and the Arizona Constitution by censoring books sent to prisoners at the company's Saguaro Correctional Center in Eloy, Arizona.

ACLU Forces Sweeping Improvements At Baltimore City Jail (08/18/2009)
BALTIMORE – The American Civil Liberties Union and the Baltimore-based Public Justice Center today announced an agreement with Maryland state officials that will lead to dramatic improvements in the quality of medical and mental health care provided to detainees at the Baltimore City Jail and effectively settles major portions of a longstanding class-action lawsuit.

DHS Announces 11 Previously Unreported Deaths In Immigration Detention (08/17/2009)
NEW YORK – Prompted by an American Civil Liberties Union lawsuit seeking previously unreleased documents related to the deaths of immigration detainees in U.S. custody, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials today revealed 11 deaths that have occurred at detention facilities since 2004 that the government had previously failed to publicly disclose.

Alabama Department Of Corrections Ends Ban Of Prisoners With HIV From Work Release (08/13/2009)
MONTGOMERY, AL – After more than two decades of intense advocacy by the American Civil Liberties Union, Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) officials this week ended a longstanding ban of prisoners with HIV from participating in the state's work release program. The ACLU and other advocates have long argued that the ban was an arbitrary and discriminatory denial to participation in a program essential for aiding prisoners' successful reintegration into society.

Virginia Jail Ends Censorship Of Religious Material After ACLU Letter (08/10/2009)
STAFFORD, VA – In response to a letter sent last month by the American Civil Liberties Union, a Virginia jail has agreed to change its policies regarding prison mail to ensure that biblical passages and other religious material sent to prisoners are no longer censored. The ACLU's letter complained that religious material sent to detainees at the Rappahannock Regional Jail in Stafford, VA was being withheld by jail officials.

ACLU Tells Court County Needs Detailed Plan Before Closing Jail (07/13/2009)
LOS ANGELES – Alarmed at the prospect of further overcrowding and violence in Los Angeles County's jails, the American Civil Liberties Union today asked a judge to prevent the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from closing a 1,600-bed jail facility without first preparing a detailed plan to cope with the potential for a serious worsening of conditions in other jails.

ACLU Seeks End To Censorship Of Religious Material By Virginia Jail (07/09/2009)
STAFFORD, VA – The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Virginia today demanded that officials at the Rappahannock Regional Jail immediately end their illegal practice of censoring religious material sent to detainees.

ACLU Fights For Prisoner Punished For Exercising Freedom Of Speech (07/08/2009)
NEW ORLEANS, LA – The ACLU Foundation of Louisiana today filed a lawsuit on behalf of prisoner Ernest Billizone, who was punished by prison officials for filing simple written complaints about employee behavior. Although his written complaints contained no threats of violence, foul language or unlawful or improper action, the prison punished him. In one instance, he was punished for "spreading rumors."

House Subcommittee To Examine Role Of Federal Statute In Denying Prison Rape Victims Access To Courts (07/08/2009)
WASHINGTON – The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security will hold a hearing today to examine the role of a federal statute in denying prison rape victims access to courts. During today’s hearing, entitled “National Prison Rape Elimination Commission Report and Standards,” lawmakers will review the need to reform provisions of the Prison Litigation Reform Act of 1995 (PLRA), a law intended to reduce frivolous lawsuits by prisoners.