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Prisoners' Rights: The Supreme Court and Evolving Standards of Decency
Prisoners' Rights The Supreme Court and Evolving Standards of Decency Author:John A. Fliter Prisoners' rights is an area of constitutional law that is often overlooked. Combining an historical and strategic analysis, this study describes the doctrinal development of the constitutional rights of prisoners from the pre-Warren Court period through the current Rehnquist Court. Like many provisions in the Bill of Rights, the meaning of the ... more »Eighth Amendment's language on "cruel and unusual punishment" and the scope of prisoners' rights have been influenced by prevailing public opinion, interest group advocacy, and--most importantly--the ideological values of the nine individuals who sit on the Supreme Court. These variables are incorporated in a strategic analysis of judicial decision making in an attempt to understand the constitutional development of rights in this area.« less