Washington University Journal of Law & Policy Volume 23 Disabilities January 2007 What They Can Do About It: Prison Administrators' Authority to Force-Feed Hunger-Striking Inmates Tracey M. Ohm Washington University School of Law Follow this and additional works at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy Part of the Law Commons Recommended Citation Tracey M. Ohm, What They Can Do About It: Prison Administrators' Authority to Force-Feed Hunger- Striking Inmates, 23 WASH. U. J. L. & POL’Y 151 (2007), https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy/vol23/iss1/6 This Note is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School at Washington University Open Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Journal of Law & Policy by an authorized administrator of Washington University Open Scholarship. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. What They Can Do About It: Prison Administrators’ Authority to Force-Feed Hunger-Striking Inmates * Tracey M. Ohm I. INTRODUCTION Prison inmates throughout history have employed hunger strikes as a means of opposition to authority.1 Inmates engage in hunger strikes for a variety of reasons, often in an attempt to gain leverage against prison officials2 or garner attention for the inmate’s plight or cause.3 Suicide is a motivating factor for some inmates.4 When a * J.D. Candidate (2007), Washington University in St. Louis School of Law. The author wishes to thank Professor Margo Schlanger for her guidance and expertise. 1. This Note examines hunger strikes undertaken by competent prison inmates. Analysis of hunger strikes by incompetent individuals or nonprisoners invokes different considerations.