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Questions tagged [prison]

53 questions
24
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Can I let myself out of a prison if I buy the prison?

Let's say I'm convicted of a felony and sent to state prison. Then, I buy the prison. Can I just let myself out?
user31975
21
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If you escaped from prison for a crime you did not commit, would you still serve the increased sentence once exonerated?

For example: you were convicted of murder and escaped and were then sentenced to years on top of your original sentence, but you were later exonerated of the crime of murder; would you still have to serve the sentence for escaping? Even though you…
Darren
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Are jails liable for negligence when prisoners get hurt?

If sexual harassment or poor/dangerous working conditions happen in a company, that company is often liable for damages or gets fined by the state/an appropriate government oversight body. Similar to companies, are public prisons/jails at all liable…
chausies
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Can a search of a person's belongings in jail actually be illegal?

Can a search of a person's belongings in jail actually be illegal? Or is this only the case of privileged individuals? This question stems from the recent findings in the case of artist P. Diddy. An article at msn.com writes about this as…
user1250
12
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6 answers

Can felons vote?

I am not familiar with USA laws, but I saw that Maine and Vermont are the only states where felons never lose their right to vote. Is this true? Does that include all elections (I.e., local, state, federal)? Are felons in other states not allowed to…
Quinoba
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8
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2 answers

Compensation for custody awaiting trial resulting in acquittal?

I was accused of a crime and held in custody for 8 months then acquitted at court, I missed the first 8 months of my only child's life, and lost both my job and my partner. Could I be entitled to compensation?
Mikey
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How negligent does a prison have to be before becoming liable for harm to a prisoner?

This question is prompted by this news story: A hastily executed transfer of nearly 200 people in California’s prison system set off a public health disaster that endangered the lives of thousands of prisoners and staff and led to dozens of deaths,…
Paul Johnson
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7
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Is it legal to incarcerate a person knowing that jail cannot afford to buy medication necessary for the inmate's well-being and future health?

Assume that a jail does not have the budget necessary to pay for the medicines that an inmate needs, and knows that depriving an inmate of these medicines could irreversibly damage the health of that inmate. Assume further that the inmate had been…
crystal mullis
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How much must a prison inmate protest against the incorrect actions of prison officials that erroneously benefit the inmate?

Based (loosely) on a recent event here in Ontario: https://www.thespec.com/news/crime/2020/08/18/do-not-approach-milton-prisoner-released-by-mistake-into-community.html Sam has been correctly convicted of a serious criminal offence. He's been…
DJohnM
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6
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Is it possible to end up in prison due to failure to appear in court for a civil matter?

This is a question about the law in USA, and is regarding civil cases. This question is only regarding cases where a civilian, or a non-governmental organization, has sued another civilian. With this question I am not interested of cases related to…
user2754
5
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2 answers

What does it take to be sentenced to a medium-security prison (US)?

It is a trope that when powerful/rich people are sentenced, they are sent to cushy, low-security prisons (think The Wolf of Wall Street). However, in my book, I'd like a certain character to be sent to a medium-security prison. The only problem is,…
user110391
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Is it commonly legal to permit life-sentenced mass murderers to procreate?

Swedish news reports that a convicted mass-murderer who is serving a life sentence has during his time in prison become a father of 3 or 4 new children. Is that a common practice? It surprises me that the legal system should accept that kind of…
Niklas Rosencrantz
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5
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Is escaping prison a crime?

Is it actually illegal to escape from a prison or will it just have effect on increased sentence in practice? I heard something that in Sweden where I live it is not illegal to escape, but is that no matter what you did?
Niklas Rosencrantz
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5
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What happens to property when one is incarcerated

What happens to one's alternative assets when one is incarcerated? Assets such as real estate or vehicles. A home requires property taxes to be paid in a timely manner and maintenance to be periodically performed, with certain maintenance being…
paulj
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5
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What confidence level is required to incarcerate someone for civil contempt?

This question is prompted by the story of Tommy Gregory Thompson who has just been released from nearly 10 years of incarceration for civil contempt (and starting 2 years for criminal contempt). He claims he suffers from a rare form of chronic…
User65535
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