Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani Partners Allison Becker and Kendra Stark, Co-Chairs of the firm’s Correctional Healthcare Practice Group, offer an in-depth examination of the complex intersection of surveillance technology and patient privacy in their new Law360 article, “Prison Body Cams Raise Health Privacy Compliance Issues,” published November 14, 2025.
Drawing on their extensive national experience advising correctional healthcare systems, Becker and Stark analyze the rapid expansion of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in jails and prisons and the legal tensions that arise when these devices capture protected health information (PHI) during medical and mental health encounters.
The authors outline how broad BWC mandates aimed at transparency and safety can collide with federal and state privacy obligations, including HIPAA, state confidentiality statutes, constitutional protections, and professional licensing requirements.
The article highlights emerging regulatory challenges, including conflicting obligations under California law: BWCs must remain activated throughout an officer’s shift, yet footage, even when containing PHI, may be subject to public disclosure requirements.
Becker and Stark also explore operational risks, from inadequate redaction protocols to limited staff training, and examine litigation trends showing how BWC footage can serve as both a defense tool and a source of liability in cases alleging excessive force, deliberate indifference, or privacy violations.
Becker is the Managing Partner of the firm’s Raleigh Office, Co-Chair of the National Healthcare Practice Group, and Co-Chair of the Correctional Healthcare Group. She is a seasoned attorney who represents correctional healthcare providers in complex litigation involving civil rights, medical malpractice, regulatory compliance, class actions, and professional liability.
Stark, a Partner and Co-Chair of the Correctional Healthcare Practice Group, focuses on defending correctional healthcare providers in federal civil rights actions, and high-exposure cases involving medical and mental-health services. She regularly presents on best practices for correctional healthcare delivery, surveillance policy, and emerging regulatory challenges.
Read the full article, “Prison Body Cams Raise Health Privacy Compliance Issues,” on the GRSM website.
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