Farmer v. Brennan (1994) established the deliberate indifference standard for prison liability.

Farmer v. Brennan (1994) established the deliberate indifference standard for prison liability.

• A. Strict Liability For All Injuries
• B. Deliberate Indifference Standard
• C. No Liability For Prison Staff
• D. Negligence Standard Only

Answer: (B)

In this area, liability for prison officials hinges on a high mental-state standard rather than simple fault. Farmer v. Brennan clarifies that a prison official can be held liable for failing to protect an inmate from a known, substantial risk only if the official actually knew about that risk and consciously disregarded it. That combination of knowledge and disregard is what courts call deliberate indifference. It’s stronger than mere negligence and it isn’t strict liability, which would attach liability without regard to the official’s awareness. So the best choice is the one that captures this deliberate indifference standard. The other options don’t fit: strict liability would impose liability without showing the official’s awareness or disregard; no liability would ignore the clearly protected interests under the Eighth Amendment; and a negligence standard is too weak because it doesn’t require actual knowledge of the risk or a conscious disregard.

In this area, liability for prison officials hinges on a high mental-state standard rather than simple fault. Farmer v. Brennan clarifies that a prison official can be held liable for failing to protect an inmate from a known, substantial risk only if the official actually knew about that risk and consciously disregarded it. That combination of knowledge and disregard is what courts call deliberate indifference. It’s stronger than mere negligence and it isn’t strict liability, which would attach liability without regard to the official’s awareness. So the best choice is the one that captures this deliberate indifference standard. The other options don’t fit: strict liability would impose liability without showing the official’s awareness or disregard; no liability would ignore the clearly protected interests under the Eighth Amendment; and a negligence standard is too weak because it doesn’t require actual knowledge of the risk or a conscious disregard.