Legal Issues and Liability in Corrections Flashcards
7 cards from real BSCC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Legal Issues and Liability in Corrections flashcards as text
Under the Eighth Amendment, what standard must be met for a corrections officer's use of force to constitute cruel and unusual punishment?
Answer: Malicious and sadistic intent to harm
The Supreme Court held in Hudson v. McMillian that force applied maliciously and sadistically to cause harm — not force applied in good faith to restore order — violates the Eighth Amendment.
Under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, what must an inmate prove to succeed in a civil rights claim?
Answer: Violation of a federally protected right under color of state law
Section 1983 requires showing a deprivation of a constitutional or federal statutory right committed by someone acting under color of state law — physical injury is not always required.
The Supreme Court case Estelle v. Gamble (1976) established which important inmate right?
Answer: Right to adequate medical care under the Eighth Amendment
Estelle v. Gamble held that deliberate indifference to a prisoner's serious medical needs constitutes cruel and unusual punishment under the Eighth Amendment.
'Deliberate indifference' in the context of inmate rights is best described as:
Answer: Conscious disregard of a known, substantial risk of serious harm
Deliberate indifference requires actual knowledge of a serious risk and a conscious choice to disregard it — it is a higher standard than negligence.
Which federal law primarily requires state and local correctional facilities to provide reasonable disability accommodations to inmates?
Answer: Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II
ADA Title II applies to state and local government entities, including correctional facilities, requiring reasonable accommodations for inmates with qualifying disabilities.
The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) requires inmates to take what step before filing a federal civil rights lawsuit?
Answer: Exhaust all available administrative remedies
The PLRA's exhaustion requirement mandates that inmates fully use all available internal grievance processes before bringing a federal civil rights lawsuit.
Under the Turner v. Safley (1987) test, a prison regulation restricting inmates' constitutional rights is valid if it is:
Answer: Rationally related to a legitimate penological interest
Turner v. Safley established a deferential rational-relationship test, allowing restrictions on inmate rights when reasonably related to legitimate correctional goals such as security and order.