In July of 1993, the U.S. Department of Justice notified Neshoba County, Mississippi of its intention to investigate conditions of the county jail. In November of 1993, following the investigation, the DOJ notified the President of the Neshoba County Board of Supervisors of its findings and made recommendations regarding security and supervision; medical and mental healthcare; suicide prevention; sanitation; physical problems; emergency preparedness; exercise; fire safety; and new jail construction. Apparently after negotiation, the Attorney General filed an action under the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), 42 U.S.C. section 1997 et seq., against the jail in 1994. Shortly thereafter, the district court for the Southern District of Mississippi (Judge Tom S. Lee) approved a consent decree. The consent decree laid out steps the county must take to improve issues discussed in the DOJ's letter of findings and recommendations. According to the docket on PACER, the county submitted status reports to the court until 1996, and in 1997, the court granted the joint motion to dismiss the action and dissolve the injunction.

Lauren Cutson - 05/25/2005


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