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The GEO Group Jail, Correctional Facility & Detention Center Strip Search Class Action Lawsuit Settlement

If You Were Admitted Into George W. Hill Correctional Facility In Thornton, Pennsylvania, Guadalupe County Correctional Facility In Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Frio County Detention Center In Pearsall, Texas, Dickens County Detention Center In Dickens, Texas, Tri-County Detention Center In Ullin, Illinois, And Newton County Correctional Center In Newton, Texas (“Jails”) And You Were Strip Searched Upon Your Admission To The Jail, You May Be Entitled To A Money Payment From A Class Action Settlement.

A class action settlement has been reached in a class action lawsuit against The GEO Group, Inc. (“GEO Group” or “Defendant”) in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (styled Penny Allison and Zoran Hocevar v. The GEO Group, Inc. et al., Case No. 08-CV-0467-JD) alleging that corrections officers employed by GEO Group at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Thornton, Pennsylvania, Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa, New Mexico, Frio County Detention Center in Pearsall, Texas, Dickens County Detention Center in Dickens, Texas, Tri-County Detention Center in Ullin, Illinois, and Newton County Correctional Center in Newton, Texas (collectively, the “Jails”) engaged in the illegal strip searches of individuals charged with only minor offenses upon their entry into the Jails, according to the GEO Group Jail Strip Search class action settlement notice.

The GEO Group Jail Strip Search class action settlement, if finally approved by the Court, reportedly would entitle each settlement class member who submits a timely (by September 14, 2010) and valid claim form to a payment of up to $400.00 as their share of a $2.999 million Settlement Fund (after payment of administrative costs, an incentive award to the representative plaintiffs, and attorneys’ fees).

In addition, the GEO Group has agreed to revise its allegedly unlawful strip search policy going forward, and has agreed to an injunction to ensure that detainees being admitted to the Jails are only strip searched where there is reasonable suspicion to justify the search.

The following persons are reportedly settlement class members:

  1. you entered the one of these Jails and you were strip searched (i.e., you were ordered to take off some or all of your clothes by a Jail employee, with that employee watching you undress; and/or were forced to bend at the waist or manipulate body parts to allow for a visual inspection) (i) during the period of January 30, 2006 to January 30, 2008 for George W. Hill Correctional Facility in Thornton, Pennsylvania; Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa, New Mexico; Frio County Detention Center in Pearsall, Texas; Dickens County Detention Center in Dickens, Texas; Tri-County Detention Center in Ullin, Illinois; or Newton County Correctional Center in Newton, Texas, or (ii) during the period of January 30, 2005 to January 30, 2008 for Guadalupe County Correctional Facility in Santa Rosa, New Mexico; AND
  2. you were charged with a misdemeanor; summary offense; traffic infraction; civil commitment or other minor crime; or bench warrant or probation violation where the underlying charge was a misdemeanor, summary offense or other minor crime; AND
  3. you were admitted with charges that did not include charges of violence, drugs charges, felonies, or weapons charges; AND
  4. your past criminal history does not include charges of violence, drugs charges, felonies, or weapons charges; AND
  5. you did not behave in a manner at intake that would give intake officers reasonable suspicion.

The settlement does not include individuals who were convicted of a crime at the time of their admission to the Jails (as compared to only being charged with a crime) and who were committed to serve a sentence for that conviction, or who were not strip searched when they entered the Jails as part of the Jails’ booking procedure.

For more information on The GEO Group Jail Strip Search class action lawsuit settlement and potential settlement benefits, and/or for updates on the settlement, call the Settlement Administrator at 1-877-234-4512, or write to Allison v. The GEO Group Settlement, c/o Gilardi & Co. LLC, P.O. Box 8060, San Rafael CA 94912-8060, or visit the Jail Strip Search class action settlement website:

www.multistatestripsearchsettlement.com

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