Eighth Amendment: Overview

Abstract: 3 pages in length. The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution protects individuals against excessive bail and fines, as well as cruel and unusual punishments; pertinent to this particular amendment is the treatment of inmates. In spite of myriad frivolous federal lawsuits brought about by prison inmates who claim their constitutional rights under the Eighth Amendment have been violated, there is a window of protection within the scope of this amendment that affords them safekeeping against "being deprived of the basic necessities of life, such as food, shelter, health care, or personal security" (Hamden 15). However, it is the extent to which the deprivation of these inherent rights can be proved that establishes whether or not the Eighth Amendment has, indeed, been violated. Bibliography lists 2 sources.

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Catagory: Supreme Court & Constitutional Law

Subcatagory: Law & Legal Systems

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