Which prohibition is stated in 18 U.S.C. § 242?

• A. Prohibits officers from writing reports.
• B. Prohibits officers from supervising inmates.
• C. Prohibits officers from using excessive force in all cases.
• D. Prohibits officers from violating an inmate's civil rights.

Answer: (D)

18 U.S.C. § 242 makes it a crime to willfully deprive a person of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law, while acting under color of law. In a correctional setting, that means a jail officer who intentionally or with reckless disregard deprives an inmate of rights—such as due process protections, protection from cruel and unusual punishment, or access to medical care—commits a federal offense. The correct choice captures this by stating that the prohibition is on violating an inmate's civil rights. The other options misstate the statute: writing reports or supervising inmates are routine duties and are not prohibited activities by this statute; the use of excessive force is not automatically prohibited in every case, but only constitutes a § 242 violation if it is willful and done under color of law, depriving rights. Therefore, the best answer aligns with the principle that the law targets willful deprivation of civil rights under color of law.