In June 1997, the U.S. Supreme Court in a five to four majority decision of Richardson v. McKnight determined that employees of private correctional institutions are not entitled to the same qualified immunity defense as employees working in public institutions. This article presents the theoretical, penological, and legal issues concerning the majority and minority arguments and some of the opinions expressed in law reviews concerning this decision. Finally, it reviews the possible effects of this case and shows the inconsistencies in both the majority and the minority opinions.
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