Wolff V. Mcdonnell

The criminal justice system realizes that inmates do have some rights, however it is also recognized that those inmates do have less rights than free citizens. Taking away some rights of the inmates is a valid punishment and by restricting these rights it helps in maintaining security in prisons. The title of the case that I chose was Wolff v. McDonnell. This case was very important because it uniformed certain rights and freedoms within correctional facilities. “Although inmates received some procedural safe-guards to protect them against the notorious abuses of disciplinary meetings, they did not receive all the due- process rights of a criminal trial” (Clemens, 2002). Nor did the Court question the right of correctional officials to revoke the good time of inmates. In this case, “Robert O. McDonnell, a prisoner, had filed a class- action suit against the state of Nebraska, claiming that its disciplinary procedures, especially those pertaining to the loss of good time were unconstitutional” (Clemens, 2002). McDonnell also complained, along with other inmates, about the limitations on their access to the law library, legal services, and visitation with the inmate legal assistant and that the regulations regarding prisoners ' mail violated the attorney-client privilege” (Keenan, 2005). This case was argued on Argued April 22, 1974 and a decision was made on decided June 26, 1974. The state court ruled that the defendant had not received the minimum requirements for disciplinary proceedings. He petitioned the U. S. Supreme Court to restore the good time he had lost and to assess damages against corrections officials. The Supreme Court ruled that the state of Nebraska had appropriately enacted laws in regards to the admitting and withdrawing good time. On the other hand, the process used to revoke good time was found to be in violation of the due- process rights granted in the Fourteenth Amendment. “The Court clarified that prisoners facing disciplinary charges are

References: Clemens , B. (2002). Invitation to corrections: with built-in study guide. (p.471,). Pearson Custom Publishing. Retrieved from http://wow.coursesmart.com The free legal dictionary. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://legal-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/dissenting Justia caselaw. (n.d.). Wolff v. mcdonnell - 418 u.s. 539 (1974). Retrieved from http://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/418/539 Keenan, E. (2005, June 10). Mcdonnell v. wolff. Retrieved from http://www.clearinghouse.net/detail.php?id=812