Indiana sees big cost jump with new prison medical contract
Indiana could pay about 50% more a year for prison medical services with a new contractor picked by state officials.
Indiana Department of Correction
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House passes juvenile justice bill on strong bipartisan vote
Described as a “model of the nation,” an Indiana juvenile justice reform bill passed the Indiana House of Representatives with Democrats and Republicans all voting in support of the measure.
Justices to hear arguments on order for informant to sit for face-to-face interview
An order requiring a confidential informant to sit for a face-to-face interview with defense counsel will be reviewed by the Indiana Supreme Court during oral arguments Thursday. Justices will also hear arguments on petition to transfer in a case where a defendant was erroneously released from prison then reincarcerated.
Murder convictions ineligible for expungement, appeals court rules
An Indiana trial court properly denied expungement to an out-of-state inmate convicted of murder in Indiana, the Indiana Court of Appeals has ruled.
Justices: Juvenile convicted of attempted murder failed to show parent ‘essential’
When juvenile defendants are tried in adult court, parents who are also witnesses may be excluded from witness-separation orders if their children establish them as “essential” to the presentation of evidence, the Indiana Supreme Court has ruled. However, applying that holding to the facts of the case before them, justices concluded an Elkhart County teen failed to establish his mom was “essential” to his attempted murder defense.
Druidism must be recognized in Department of Correction, judge rules
Druidism could soon become a formally recognized religion within the Indiana Department of Correction after a federal judge granted injunctive relief to a prisoner who claimed his religious rights were violated by the lack of communal Druid services in the DOC.
Post-release mental health treatment bill clears Legislature
A “simple bill” brought before the General Assembly that would patch a hole preventing some inmates from quickly receiving mental health treatment upon release is on the way to Gov. Eric Holcomb after passing both chambers without amendment or a vote in opposition.
DOC secrets remain after justices rule for disclosure
Despite a ruling in her favor from the Indiana Supreme Court capping her years-long quest to find out how the state of Indiana might carry out an execution, Washington, D.C., attorney Katherine Toomey was still waiting for answers two weeks later.
Report: Indiana tops U.S. in prison sentences of 50 years or longer
As part of a call by The Sentencing Project to abolish the mindset of locking people up and throwing away the key, Indiana is being highlighted as having the highest percentage of individuals in the nation who are serving 50 years or more in prison.
Juvenile justice reform bill heads to House with bipartisan support
The Indiana Senate passed a bill Wednesday that could save the state nearly $1 million in federal funding by prohibiting juveniles charged with crimes from being held in adult jails.
COA reverses denied expungement for Elkhart County man
A man who was denied a petition to expunge his criminal record had the pendulum swing in his favor on Tuesday after an appellate panel reversed to grant his expungement request.
Indiana inmate accused of attacking guards, killing 1
One correction officer was killed and a second seriously injured after an alleged attack Sunday by a prison inmate, Indiana State Police said.
Juvenile justice bill supported by Indiana advocates advances
A coalition of state and national organizations are putting their support behind a juvenile justice bill in the Indiana Legislature that they say will bring much-needed reform and prevent the state from losing federal money. The measure advanced to the full Senate on Tuesday.
COA remands probation revocation based on ‘imprecise’ evidence
An order that a Delaware County man serve nearly 17 years in the Department of Correction following technical probation violations has been reversed, with the Indiana Court of Appeals remanding for a resentencing not based on “imprecise” evidence.
Senate bill addresses post-release mental health treatment
A Senate bill requested by the Indiana Department of Correction would provide a way to ensure mental health treatment for inmates upon their release.
Indiana inmate agrees to plead guilty in inmate’s killing
An inmate at a central Indiana prison has agreed to plead guilty in the fatal stabbing of another inmate, four months after he rejected the same plea agreement. The inmate has previously requested the death penalty.
Kidnapper who brutalized, ransomed woman gets convictions reduced but sentence stands
A man convicted in a violent kidnapping scheme successfully had two of his felony convictions overturned on double jeopardy grounds, though the Indiana Court of Appeals declined on Tuesday to find an abuse of discretion in the consecutive sentences he received.
Justices urged to clear Putnam Co. prosecutor over undisclosed testimony deal
The elected Putnam County prosecutor should not be disciplined for accusations that he failed to disclose a deal for testimony from a witness who claimed he was wrongly identified, placing him in danger behind bars as a “snitch.” The hearing officer in Timothy Bookwalter’s attorney discipline case said the prosecutor violated no rules, should not be punished and urged the Indiana Supreme Court to re-examine the ethical duties of prosecutors.
DTCI: Life lesson from a year in prison: Don’t take it personally
Nearly 30 years ago, between college and law school, I spent a year of my life in prison — working that is — as a correctional officer for the Indiana Department of Correction. While the work was anything but glamorous, I have always appreciated that experience, where I learned more than a couple of important lessons.
Judge: Kosher meals don’t infringe on Muslim inmate’s rights
A Muslim inmate in the Indiana Department of Correction is not entitled to a halal diet, a federal judge has ruled, finding that the inmate failed to prove that eating a kosher diet instead would violate his Islamic beliefs.