Handberry v. Thompson.

• Position: Prisoners claim administration's failure to provide adequate educational services - Brief Article

U.S. District Court

COMMISSARY

STAFFING LEVELS

EMPLOYEE QUALIFICATIONS

Handberry v. Thompson, 219 F.Supp.2d 525 (S.D.N.Y. 2002). Prison inmates who were between the ages of 16 and 21 brought a class action against city prison officials under [section] 1983 and a state education code, alleging failure to provide adequate educational services. The district court granted summary judgment in favor of the inmates. The court held that the city defendants failed to consistently and adequately follow notification procedures to inform inmates of their rights to receive educational services. The court found that state law required only three hours per day of instructional time for 16- and 17-year-old inmates, rather than the 5.5 hours minimum mandated for students who were not incarcerated. The court held that the city failed to provide the inmates with escorts or sufficient security personnel to ensure that eligible inmates received the educational contact hours to which they were legally...