Conditions of Confinement

 Conditions of confinement can be deemed cruel and unusual punishment when those conditions are inflicted by officers or the administration and are not part of the normal course of operations. While it is understood that prisoners must be confined as part of their sentence, officers and the administration have the power to make supposedly benign decisions which can be categorized as cruel and unsual punishment. Overcrowded sleeping areas, staffing shortages linked to unsafe conditions and proliferation of gang activity, illegally installed deadbolts, not enough showers, metal covered windows exacerbating indoor heat, inadequate recreation time, and long lapse in mealtimes are all examples of poor conditions of confinement caused by correctional officers and the administration. Each of these violations warrants the initiation of a grievance, but multiple instances of multiple violations warrant a civil rights suit.