High Court Curbs State Prison Segregation

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High Court Curbs State Prison Segregation

Wednesday February 23, 2005 3:16 PM


WASHINGTON (AP) - State prisons may not temporarily segregate inmates by skin color except under the most extraordinary circumstances, the Supreme Court said Wednesday, all but ending a 25-year-old California policy aimed at reducing gang-related violence.

The 5-3 decision sets aside a lower court ruling that had gone California's way. Lawyers for that state had argued that California should have wide leeway to set race-based restrictions to promote safety. As a result, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals must now scrutinize the policy for hard evidence that it is necessary and works - a burden that will be hard to meet.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-4820538,00.html