Description
Students must be aware that their actions or inactions as criminal justice practitioners will be probed and analyzed by the public and, that such actions or inactions may be challenged in civil lawsuits. Civil lawsuits may be brought in a wide range of different areas. For example, plaintiffs may seek relief in legal proceedings seeking to impose liability and obtain relief for torts, personnel decisions and violations of civil rights. There is some evidence that the filing of lawsuits against criminal justice agencies is on the rise. Between July 1, 2010 and June 30, 2011, 2,241 civil rights claims were filed against the NYPD - up 23% from the 1,826 claims filed a year earlier. Additionally, New York City paid out 35 settlements and judgments worth $100,000 or more between July 1, 2011 and June 30, 2012 to end lawsuits accusing the NYPD of violating civil rights. In total, the nearly three dozen cases cost the city $22.8 million according to data compiled by the city comptroller's off