Inmate Rights

Discussion on Inmate Rights
Author’s Name
The Institutional Affiliation
Course Number and Name
Instructor Name
Assignment Due Date
Introduction
The rights granted to those detained in a jail or prison in the United States have undergone significant shifts throughout history. This is due to a series of judicial decisions that have established the boundaries of their legal rights. The rights above are of the utmost significance since they guarantee that even those who have had their freedom taken away still retain some of their fundamental rights. To ensure the safety of people, it may be necessary to restrict certain rights. For instance, inmates should be allowed to communicate with one another. Still, the content of their conversations should be regulated to prevent them from engaging in unlawful activity or issuing threats.
Discussion
Summary and Relevant Inmate Rights’ Related US-Based Cases
In the landmark decision known as “Estelle v. Gamble” (1976), the United States Supreme Court declared that it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment to purposefully ignore an inmate’s grave medical needs, as this violates the protections provided by the Eighth Amendment (Greifinger, 2021). Because of this case, prisoners now have their rights. It was made abundantly evident by this body of case law that detainees have the legal right to get adequate medical care.
Analogously, the decision “Procunier v. Martinez,” which took place in 1974, established a legal standard stating that convicted individuals’ rights under the First Amendment to freedom of speech were still protected (Dolovich, 2022). Therefore, due to this decision, the practice of censoring letters from convicts was restricted. The legal dispute known as “Hudson v. Palmer” from 1984 showed that incarcerated individuals cannot reasonably expect privacy in their cells. Ultimately, it was judged that this expectation was beyond what may be considered fair (Zijl-Smit & Dünkel, 2021). On the other hand, the court case known as “Turner v. Safley” from 1987 found a satisfactory compromise between the rights of those who were incarcerated and the objectives of correctional management.
Impact on Correctional Administration
These occurrences have a significant impact on the administration of correctional institutions. It is of the utmost importance for prison authorities to ensure that prison rules and operations are to the constitutional rights of prisoners. Doing so will help officials avoid legal complications (Zijl-Smit & Dünkel, 2021). In addition, correctional facilities are responsible for ensuring that they have sufficient funds to offer medical treatment, make room for religious activities, and handle complaints in a manner that respects the rights of the individuals housed there. Administrators occasionally struggle to maintain order and security when effectively performing their tasks. The increased emphasis on the rights of incarcerated individuals has resulted in correctional insti...