澳彩开奖

The trial marks the latest stage in a lawsuit the 澳彩开奖 and the Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program filed in 2014 against ADOC to end the deplorable conditions in the state prison system, including the understaffing of both correctional and mental health workers.

Alabama legislators have requested $80 million over the next year and a half to address the issues. But that amount does not address the current shortfalls, nor does it take into consideration decades of inadequate funding, the 澳彩开奖 will say in its closing arguments.

鈥淎s Gov. Kay Ivey and ADOC Commissioner Jeff Dunn have both recognized, the constitutional violations of how the state treats prisoners developed over a generation. It will be difficult, and likely costly, to fix them. But ADOC has to fix them,鈥� said Maria Morris, senior supervising attorney for the 澳彩开奖, and lead litigator in the case.

鈥淎DOC needs to be fast, creative and aggressive in figuring out how to come into compliance with the Constitution,鈥� Morris said. 鈥淭he recent budget request for ADOC covers little more than the expected increase in the system鈥檚 health care costs, and does nothing to address correctional staff shortages or the unconstitutional level of care.鈥�

Responding to the federal lawsuit in June 2017, the U.S. District Court issued a 302-page ruling declaring that Alabama鈥檚 prison system has failed to provide mental health care to the state鈥檚 prison population and is in violation of the Eighth Amendment鈥檚 prohibition on cruel and unusual punishment.

Today鈥檚 closing arguments follow weeks of testimony outlining ADOC鈥檚 plans to increase mental health and correctional officer staffing, raise personnel pay, and enhance outreach to potential new hires.

An additional seven evidentiary hearings are scheduled to determine how the state will fix the constitutional violations in the prison system. The court will also address access to medical and dental care.