Corrections_Today_Spring_2026_Vol.88_No.1

News&Views

Update on Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety The Supreme Court will hear a case that could change how far reli gious rights extend for people in prison. The case involves Damon Landor, a Louisiana inmate and practicing Rastafarian. He says prison offi cials held him down and shaved his head, violating his religious beliefs. Landor sued under a federal law that protects religious freedom for inmates — the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, or RLUIPA. Lower courts said he couldn’t seek money damages from state officials under that law, and his case

At the heart of this case is a question the Supreme Court has faced before: how to balance strong protections for religious freedom with legal limits on suing states.

was dismissed. The Supreme Court will now decide whether that rule should change. The Trump administration is backing Landor, telling the Court that inmates should be able to sue for damages when their religious rights are violated. That’s a shift from the administration’s position five years ago in another case involv ing Muslim men and a similar law for federal officials.

At the heart of this case is a ques tion the Supreme Court has faced before: how to balance strong pro tections for religious freedom with legal limits on suing states. Landor’s lawsuit has attracted support from a wide range of reli gious groups. The Court’s decision could affect not just this case, but how future claims of religious rights are handled in prisons across the country. CT

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SPRING EVENTS A look at notable events for correctional workers during the Spring season:

Women’s History Month March 2026 Second Chance Month April 2026 National Correctional Health Care Workers Week May 3–9, 2026 National Correctional Officers and Employees Week May 3–9, 2026

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Corrections Today | Spring 2026

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