Home : Prisoners' Rights : Restrictions on Prisoners' Rights

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.

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 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."

Know Your Rights: Publications Sent by Mail (08/18/2009)

Benkahla v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, et al. - Amended Complaint (06/18/2009)

Thompson v. Ricci, et al. - Preliminary Injunction (12/03/2008)

Thompson v. Ricci, et al. - Complaint (11/20/2008)

Testimony on PLRA - SAVE Coalition (04/22/2008)
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on the Prison Litigation Reform Act.

Testimony on PLRA - Caroline Fredrickson and Elizabeth Alexander, ACLU (04/22/2008)
Before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security regarding the Prison Abuse Remedies Act of 2007 (H.R. 4109).

Testimony on PLRA - Ernie Preate, Former Pennsylvania Attorney General (04/22/2008)
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on the Prison Litigation Reform Act.

Testimony on PLRA - Jeanne Woodford, Former Warden of San Quentin Prison (04/22/2008)
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on the Prison Litigation Reform Act.

Testimony on PLRA - Stephen Bright, Founder of the Southern Center for Human Rights (04/22/2008)
Testimony before the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on the Prison Litigation Reform Act.

Letter from Rappahannock Regional Jail Superintendent Joseph Higgs Jr. (08/04/2009)
Response to ACLU letter demanding Virginia jail stop censoring religious materials sent to prisoners.

ACLU Letter Demanding Virginia Jail Stop Censoring Religious Materials Sent To Prisoners (07/09/2009)

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking Abandoned by the Government (06/18/2009)

Comments of Civil Liberties Groups on Limited Communication for Terrorist Inmates (06/18/2009)

Terre Haute CMU Institutional Supplement (06/18/2009)

Know Your Rights: The Prison Litigation Reform Act (06/07/2006)

Know Your Rights: Privileged and Non-Privileged Mail (06/02/2006)

Booth v. Churner (12/01/2000)
DECIDED

Benkahla v. Federal Bureau of Prisons, et al. (06/18/2009)
The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Indiana today filed a legal complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana challenging the confinement of an American citizen in a Communication Management Unit (CMU) – secretly created housing units inside federal prisons in which prisoners are condemned to live in stark isolation from the outside world.

Addressing the Unintended Consequences of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) (11/15/2007)
ACLU Efforts to Fix the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA)