ABSTRACT

A number of federal statutes affect prisons, inmates, and persons on probation or parole. Four of these statutes are highlighted in this chapter. The Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) was passed in 1995 to address the large number of prisoner complaints filed in federal court. Its goal was to limit frivolous lawsuits from inmates and outline all of the procedures and guidelines that inmates have to follow when filing a lawsuit. The Federal Tort Claims Act, passed by Congress in 1946, permits a federal prisoner to bring an action against the United States for injuries caused by the acts of its employees. Various sections of the American’s with Disabilities Act (ADA) have direct implications for prison administration. In particular, the 2010 revisions to Titles II and III of the ADA outlined specific requirements that all levels of government must adhere to regarding the accessibility of public facilities, including prisons and jails. Finally, the Prison Rape Elimination Act (PREA) was passed by Congress in 2003. PREA addressed a significant problem in many correctional facilities: rape and sexual assault. The national standards to prevent, detect, and respond to prison rape were released in 2012.