Court to consider inmate visit limits.The Supreme Court agreed to decide how far states can go in restricting visits in prison--a decision that could further limit the rights of the 1.4 million inmates in the country's state and federal prisons. The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times reports that the justices, who have previously upheld restrictions on books, packages and visitors at prisons, will decide whether Michigan prison officials went too far by banning visits by some child relatives and former inmates and preventing some inmates from receiving anyone other than lawyers and clergy. An appeals court sided with the inmates, ruling in early 2002 that incarceration Confinement in a jail or prison; imprisonment. Police officers and other law enforcement officers are authorized by federal, state, and local lawmakers to arrest and confine persons suspected of crimes. The judicial system is authorized to confine persons convicted of crimes. does not erase a person's First Amendment right to associate with others. Michigan and 11 other states argue that the rules should be reinstated. "We believe that the state's current visitation policies can prevent the type of visit problems we've seen in the past ... of illegal drugs and a child being molested mo·lest tr.v. mo·lest·ed, mo·lest·ing, mo·lests 1. To disturb, interfere with, or annoy. 2. To subject to unwanted or improper sexual activity. ," said Greg Bird Greg Bird (born February 10, 1984 in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia) is an Australian rugby league player for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League competition. His position of choice is either at second row or at lock. , a spokesman for Michigan Attorney General The Michigan Attorney General is an elected official in the U.S. state of Michigan. Per the Michigan constitution of 1963, it is a four year term of office, and as amended in 1993, there is a two term limit. Jennifer Granholm. Michigan bans visits from inmates' young relatives, including brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. However, inmates who have not lost parental rights can receive visits from their children and grandchildren. Former inmates cannot visit unless they are part of an inmate's immediate family. In addition, inmates who twice are found to have used drugs or alcohol are forbidden any visitors except their lawyers and members of the clergy. The court said it will consider whether inmates have a constitutional right to have visitors and whether banning visits to inmates with drug infractions violates the Eighth Amendment's ban on cruel and unusual punishment Such punishment as would amount to torture or barbarity, any cruel and degrading punishment not known to the Common Law, or any fine, penalty, confinement, or treatment that is so disproportionate to the offense as to shock the moral sense of the community. . Supporting Michigan were Alabama, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire New Hampshire, one of the New England states of the NE United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts (S), Vermont, with the Connecticut R. forming the boundary (W), the Canadian province of Quebec (NW), and Maine and a short strip of the Atlantic Ocean (E). , Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. The last time the Supreme Court handled a major prison visitation case was in 1989, when the justices overturned the appeals court decision and upheld Kentucky's right to prevent inmates from having certain visitors without having to explain why. |
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