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ACLU Report Details Horrors Suffered by Orleans Parish Prisoners in Wake of Hurricane Katrina (08/10/2006)
NEW ORLEANS -- As the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina approaches, the American Civil Liberties Union's National Prison Project today released Abandoned & Abused: Orleans Parish Prisoners in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina. The report documents the experiences of thousands of men, women and children who were abandoned at Orleans Parish Prison (OPP) in the days after the storm.

ACLU of Colorado Challenges Abuse of Prisoners in Garfield County Jail (07/19/2006)
DENVER, CO -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado filed a sweeping class action lawsuit today in federal court on behalf of prisoners in the Garfield County Jail who have been subjected to widespread excessive force by deputies’ misuse and abuse of pepperball guns, restraint chairs, Tasers, pepper spray, and electroshock belts.

ACLU of Ohio Calls for Thorough Investigation into County Jail After Two Deaths (06/27/2006)
HAMILTON, OH -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Ohio today sent a letter to the Department of Justice and Butler County Commissioners urging them to conduct a thorough and extensive investigation into the apparent suicides of two inmates in the Butler County Jail.

Supreme Court Limits Lawsuits By Prisoners Challenging Cruel and Inhumane Treatment; (06/23/2006)
WASHINGTON -- In light of a Supreme Court decision giving a broad interpretation to a Gingrich-era law restricting prisoners’ ability to vindicate their right to be free of torture and other cruel and inhumane treatment, the American Civil Liberties Union today called on Congress to amend the law.

ACLU Condemns U.S. for Failing to Uphold Civil and Political Rights (06/20/2006)
NEW YORK -- The American Civil Liberties Union today released a report to the U.N. Human Rights Committee condemning the U.S. government for failing to comply with its treaty obligations to protect and preserve a range of human rights protections at home and abroad. Drawing attention to some of the most vulnerable members of society, including women, children, minorities, immigrants and the accused, the ACLU offered detailed recommendations to bring the U.S. in line with universally recognized human rights standards.

Women at Wisconsin’s Taycheedah Prison Suffer Medical Neglect and Receive Worse Mental Health Care Than Men (05/02/2006)
MILWAUKEE -- In the first class action lawsuit on behalf of women prisoners in Wisconsin, the American Civil Liberties Union is charging that the state prison system puts the lives of women prisoners at risk through grossly deficient health care and provides far inferior mental health treatment as compared to men.

ACLU of New Mexico Demands End to Overcrowding in Women’s Prison (04/04/2006)
SANTA FE, NM – The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico today asked a state court to force Corrections Secretary Joe Williams to relieve overcrowding at the New Mexico Women’s Correctional Facility in Grants. According to the ACLU, inmates are being housed in public communal areas that are not designed for long-term custody, causing increased tensions and fighting among inmates as well as the backup of sewage into living areas.

Advocates Urge Accountability for U.S. Abuse of Power and Hurricane Katrina’s Human Rights Crisis (03/16/2006)
NEW YORK - The American Civil Liberties Union and the U.S. Human Rights Network today urged the U.N. Human Rights Committee to hold the U.S. government accountable for flagrant and repeated violations of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

ACLU of Wisconsin Seeks Further Court Action to Remedy "Appalling" Jail Conditions (01/31/2006)
MILWAUKEE, WI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Wisconsin and the Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee today asked a court to levy fines against Milwaukee County for failing to correct what experts described as “unacceptable, if not appalling” conditions at the Milwaukee County Jail.

ACLU of New Mexico Files Lawsuit Over Jail Guard's Sexual Abuse of Female Prisoners (01/25/2006)
ALBUQUERQUE, NM - The American Civil Liberties Union of New Mexico today filed claims of sexual abuse and 'cruel and unusual punishment' against a McKinley County detention officer, Brian Orr, on behalf of two female inmates from Wyoming.

ACLU Fights Virginia Law Barring Prisoners from Obtaining Medical Information (01/19/2006)
BIG STONE GAP, VA -- With help from the American Civil Liberties Union of Virginia and the Rutherford Institute, a prisoner suffering from Hepatitis C today filed a lawsuit in federal court seeking to overturn a Virginia statute that prevents him from obtaining a copy of the Department of Corrections policy describing how it is supposed to treat the disease.

ACLU of Rhode Island Files Appeal on Behalf of Christian Prisoner Barred from Preaching at Religious Services (01/12/2006)
PROVIDENCE, RI -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Rhode Island announced today that it has filed an appeal in federal court on behalf of a Christian prisoner who was barred from preaching during religious services at the state prison.

ACLU Urges New Orleans City Council to Review Conditions at Prison (12/08/2005)
In response to reports that hundreds of prisoners have returned to Orleans Parish Prison, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana today urged the City Council to conduct a full and thorough review of the conditions within the facility. In letters to each council member, the ACLU expressed concern that Sheriff Marlin N. Gusman re-opened the prison despite the lack of adequate evacuation plans or medical staff and equipment.