On June 2, 1981, inmates at the Scott County Jail in Benton County, Missouri, filed a class action lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 against representatives of Benton County in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The plaintiffs asked the court for declaratory and injunctive relief, as well as damages, alleging that their constitutional rights had been violated by inadequacies in the areas of overcrowding, fire safety, mail delivery, food storage and preparation, sanitation, hygiene, visitation procedures, dental care, mental health care, medical care, telephone usage, recreation, security, and abuse by staff.

On October 25, 1982, the parties entered into a Consent Decree in the case. The Decree provided for changes in the areas of inmate safety, sanitation, lighting, heating, plumbing, cooling, ventilation, extermination of vermin, staff training, fire safety, laundering of clothing, recreation, library materials, medical care, dental care, visitation, mail, disciplinary procedures, grievance procedures, and attorneys' fees.

We have no further information on the proceedings in this case.

However, it should be noted that according to public information, Scott County built a new jail facility some time subsequent to this litigation.

Kristen Sagar - 01/18/2007


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