New Mexico's most populous county has agreed to improve certain conditions of its jail as part of inmates' class-action lawsuit.
The Albuquerque Journal reports that Bernalillo County's agreement is part of a court order filed Monday that centers on crowding and other conditions inside the Metropolitan Detention Center.
Under the order, jail officials and lawyers for inmates will work on changes with the court's jail operations expert.
Those changes will include writing new policies on inmates' violations of jail rules and on when jail officers may use force.
Other changes will deal with how many officers are needed inside the jail and with separation of violent inmates from non-violent inmates.
The court's expert would be able to issue binding decisions to resolve disagreements.
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