Filed Date: 2013
Closed Date: 2016
Clearinghouse coding complete
On November 30, 2011, the Department of Justice opened this investigation into conditions of confinement at the State Correctional Institution in Cresson, Pennsylvania, under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. On May 31, 2013, the DOJ issued findings, concluding that the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections' (PDOC) use of long-term and extreme forms of solitary confinement on prisoners with serious mental illness at Cresson, many of whom also have intellectual disabilities, violated their rights under the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States and under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The DOJ then expanded the investigation statewide, focusing on similar issues. On February 24, 2014, the DOJ issued findings concluding that PDOC was violating the rights of prisoners under the Eighth Amendment and the ADA statewide across Pennsylvania's 26 prisons.
On April 14, 2016, the DOJ announced the close of its investigation into the PDOC following significant improvements made by PDOC to its policies and practices that were intended to protect prisoners with serious mental illness and intellectual disabilities from the harmful effects of solitary confinement. PDOC had worked to ensure that prisoners with serious mental illness and/or intellectual disabilities were no longer subjected to solitary confinement and were instead provided with specialized treatment to meet their individualized needs.
Summary Authors
Jessica Kincaid (4/22/2016)
Gupta, Vanita (District of Columbia)
Hickton, David J. (Pennsylvania)
Perez, Thomas E. (District of Columbia)
Samuels, Jocelyn (District of Columbia)
Last updated Aug. 30, 2023, 2:47 p.m.
Docket sheet not available via the Clearinghouse.State / Territory: Pennsylvania
Case Type(s):
Special Collection(s):
Key Dates
Filing Date: 2013
Closing Date: 2016
Case Ongoing: No
Plaintiffs
Plaintiff Description:
Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, to enforce the rights of prisoners with disabilities in Pennsylvania.
Plaintiff Type(s):
U.S. Dept of Justice plaintiff
Attorney Organizations:
U.S. Dept. of Justice Civil Rights Division
Public Interest Lawyer: Yes
Filed Pro Se: No
Class Action Sought: No
Class Action Outcome: Not sought
Defendants
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections, State
Defendant Type(s):
Facility Type(s):
Case Details
Causes of Action:
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. § 1997 et seq.
Constitutional Clause(s):
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Available Documents:
Outcome
Prevailing Party: None Yet / None
Nature of Relief:
Source of Relief:
Issues
General/Misc.:
Disability and Disability Rights:
Jails, Prisons, Detention Centers, and Other Institutions:
Solitary confinement/Supermax (conditions or process)
Medical/Mental Health Care: