ABSTRACT
OVERVIEW Criminal justice personnel have increasingly become targets of civil lawsuits. Historically, it has been common to read about a police or correctional officer being charged with brutality. In contemporary times, issues of liability have expanded beyond limited allegations of police or correctional officer brutality to include virtually every task performed by criminal justice personnel. Liability principles apply to all public officers, not just police officers. Detention and correctional personnel, probation and parole officers, including supervisors and administrative personnel, are subject to civil liability today. It is important for all criminal justice personnel to have a fundamental working knowledge of the critical components of civil liability, regardless of their level of responsibility.
