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The Dynamics of Jail Reform Litigation: A Comparative Analysis of Litigation in California Counties

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 April 2024

Wayne N. Welsh
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Abstract

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Theory linking litigation onset, process, and outcome in jail reform lawsuits has been scarce. The author proposes a four-stage, comparative model: (1) conditions of surrounding legal and political environments, in concert with contextual factors (e.g., type of legal representation), set the stage for litigation in the trigger stage; (2) specific legal claims, defendants named, and litigation strategies shape litigation process at the liability stage; (3) the nature and degree of remedies crafted is shaped by complex interactions between litigants and judges at the remedy stage; and (4) judicial methods and litigant behavior shape negotiations, modifications, and compliance efforts in the postdecree stage. Using qualitative and quantitative research methods, the researcher examined hypotheses linking the four stages. All general-conditions lawsuits against California county jails between 1975 and 1989 (N=43) were coded and analyzed. Critical factors identified at each stage significantly influenced litigation incidence, process, and legal outcomes. The author discusses implications of a multimethod, comparative approach for studying court-ordered reform of public institutions.

Type
The Context of Litigation
Information
Law & Society Review , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , 1992 , pp. 591 - 625
Copyright
Copyright © 1992 by The Law and Society Association

Footnotes

This research was partially supported by a Doctoral Fellowship awarded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada. Appreciation for constructive comments and suggestions is extended to three anonymous reviewers. Any errors or omissions are solely those of the author.

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