On December 16, 2009, Congressman Robert C. Scott of Virginia introduced H.R. 4335, a bill to provide for the redress of prison abuses, and for other purposes, called "Prison Abuse Remedies Act of 2009."

H.R. 4335, "Prison Abuse Remedies Act of 2009"

On April 22, 2008, a hearing was held before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security on H.R. 4109, the Prison Abuse Remedies Act of 2007 (PARA). The legislation, introduced by Rep. Bobby Scott (D-VA) (Chairman of Subcommittee), can be found here. The following witnesses testified at the hearing:

Jeanne Woodford, former Director of the California Department of Correction and Rehabilitation, and former Warden of San Quentin State Prison

Ernie Preate, Former Attorney General for the State of Pennsylvania

Stephen Bright, President and Senior Counsel, Southern Center for Human Rights

Hon. John J. Gibbons, Senior Director, Gibbons P.C., Judge, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (retired); Co-Chair, Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons

Sarah V. Hart, Former Director of the National Institute of Justice and Counsel to Philadelphia District Attorney Lynne Abraham

Written testimony was also submitted by the following organizations:

SAVE Coalition

American Civil Liberties Union

Human Rights Watch

Washington Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights

Juvenile Law Center

Center for Children's Law and Policy

Public Justice

The Disabilities Law Program

On November 8, 2007, a hearing was held before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security entitled: "Review of the Prison Litigation Reform Act: A Decade of Reform or an Increase in Prison Abuses?" The following witnesses testified at the hearing:

Margo Schlanger, Professor of Law, Washington University in St. Louis

David Keene, Chairman of the American Conservative Union

Pat Nolan, Vice President of Prison Fellowship

Garrett Cunningham, former prisoner in the Texas Department of Corrections

Ryan W. Bounds, Deputy Assistant Attorney General, US Department of Justice

Written testimony was also submitted by the following individuals and organizations:

Elizabeth Alexander, Director, National Prison Project of the ACLU

Giovanna Shay, Assistant Professor, Western New England College School of Law (and Appendix)

Mark Soler, Executive Director, Children's Center for Law and Policy

SAVE Coalition

Stop Prisoner Rape (now Just Detention International)

United Methodist Church

Human Rights Watch

Additional letters in support of amending the PLRA were submitted by:

Commission on Safety and Abuse in America's Prisons

Other Faith-Based Organizations