State’s Request To Take Over Prison Health Care Denied

On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Thelton Henderson denied California's request to resume oversight of California's prison health care system. In 2006, a federal receiver was appointed to oversee the state's prison health care system because inadequate care led to an average of one inmate death per week. Henderson ruled that the receivership will stay in place until a 2008 inmate health care improvement plan is accomplished or until the state can demonstrate that it can provide adequate medical care.

• "CA Request To Take Over Inmate Health Care Denied" (Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, 5/31).
• "Federal Judge Lays Out Plan To Return Control of State Prisons to California" (Small, "KPCC News," KPCC, 5/30).