porter et al nussle argued january decided february without filing grievance applicable connecticut department correction procedures nussle state prison inmate commenced federal action charging corrections officers including porter subjected sustained pattern harassment intimidation singled severe beating violation eighth amendment ban cruel unusual punishments district dismissed nussle suit relying provision prison litigation reform act plra directs action shall brought respect prison conditions section federal law prisoner administrative remedies available exhausted second circuit reversed holding exhaustion administrative remedies required claim kind nussle asserted appeals concluded prison conditions phrase covers conditions affecting prisoners generally single incidents immediately affect particular prisoners corrections officers use excessive force support position cited legislative history suggesting plra curtails frivolous suits actions seeking relief corrections officer brutality also referred decisions distinguished proof injury mens rea purposes excessive force claims conditions confinement claims held plra exhaustion requirement applies inmate suits prison life whether involve general circumstances particular episodes whether allege excessive force wrong cf wilson seiter pp current exhaustion provision differs markedly predecessor within district discretion exhaustion cases mandatory see booth churner unlike previous provision encompassed suits exhaustion required action brought respect prison conditions section designed reduce quantity improve quality prisoner suits affords corrections officials opportunity address complaints internally allowing initiation federal case instances corrective action taken response inmate grievance might improve prison administration satisfy inmate thereby obviating need litigation instances internal review might filter frivolous claims ibid cases ultimately brought administrative record clarifying controversy contours facilitate adjudication see ibid pp determination meaning prison conditions phrase guided plra text context prior decisions relating uits prisoners titled pathmarking opinion mccarthy bronson construed federal magistrates act authorization district judges refer prisoner petitions challenging conditions confinement magistrate judges concluded mccarthy read proper context phrase challenging conditions confinement authorizes nonconsensual reference prisoner petitions magistrate mccarthy emphasized preiser rodriguez unambiguously placed cases involving single episodes unconstitutional conduct within broad category prisoner petitions challenging conditions confinement plra dominant concern promote administrative redress filter groundless claims foster better prepared litigation claims aired see booth churner farmer brennan although cases distinguish excessive force claims conditions confinement claims context proof requirements injury must plaintiff allege show mental state must plaintiff plead prove proof requirements case however touch concern threshold inquiry issue whether resort prison grievance process must precede resort reason believe congress meant release evidentiary distinctions drawn hudson farmer moorings extend application otherwise invigorated exhaustion requirement least equally plausible congress inserted prison conditions exhaustion provision simply make clear preincarceration claims fall outside example claim prisoner arresting officer furthermore asserted distinction excessive force claims frivolous claims untenable excessive force claims frivolous exhaustion serves purposes beyond weeding frivolous allegations pp infirmities inhere second circuit disposition see mccarthy prison environment specific incident may symptomatic systemic problem rather aberrational nussle urges case placed isolated episode category might equally urge complaint describes pattern practice harassment climaxing alleged beating seems unlikely congress included plra firm exhaustion requirement meant leave need exhaust pleader option cf preiser moreover appeals disposition augurs complexity bifurcated proceedings normal thereunder example prisoner sues corrections officer alleged used excessive force supervisor allegedly failed adequately monitor charge finally scant sense supports single occurrence prevailing circumstance dichotomy example prison authorities interest receiving prompt notice opportunity take action guard brutality less compelling interest receiving notice opportunity stop types staff wrongdoing see pp reversed remanded ginsburg delivered opinion unanimous correction officer porter et petitioners ronald nussle writ certiorari appeals second circuit february justice ginsburg delivered opinion case concerns obligation prisoners claim denial federal rights incarcerated exhaust prison grievance procedures seeking judicial relief ronald nussle inmate connecticut prison brought directly without filing inmate grievance complaint charging corrections officers singled severe beating violation eighth amendment ban cruel unusual punishments nussle bypassed grievance procedure despite provision prison litigation reform act plra stat amended supp directs action shall brought respect prison conditions section title federal law prisoner confined jail prison correctional facility administrative remedies available exhausted appeals second circuit held governs conditions affecting prisoners generally single incidents corrections officers use excessive force actions immediately affect particular prisoners nussle defends second circuit judgment urges relevant distinction excessive force claims says need pursued administratively claims recognizes must proceed first prison grievance process reject readings hold line text purpose plra precedent point weight lower authority exhaustion requirement applies prisoners seeking redress prison circumstances occurrences respondent ronald nussle inmate cheshire correctional institution connecticut app according complaint corrections officers prison subjected prolonged sustained pattern harassment intimidation time arrival may nussle alleged singled perceived friend governor connecticut corrections officers feuding labor issues ibid concerning episode suit nussle asserted june several officers including porter ordered nussle leave cell placed wall struck hands kneed back pulled hair ibid nussle alleged attack unprovoked unjustified officers told kill reported beating ibid connecticut department correction provided grievance system prisoners see system grievances must filed within days occurrence rules governing grievance process include provisions confidentiality reprisals without filing grievance june nussle commenced action federal district filed suit days statute limitations ran nussle charged principally corrections officers assault violated right free cruel unusual punishment eighth amendment made applicable fourteenth amendment app district relying dismissed nussle complaint failure exhaust administrative remedies nussle willette ahn app construing narrowly exception general rule cases appeals second circuit reversed district judgment appeals held exhaustion administrative remedies required prisoner claims assault excessive force brought nussle willette section requires administrative exhaustion inmates claims respect prison conditions contains definition words prison conditions appeals found term scarcely free ambiguity purposes plra exhaustion requirement concluded term appropriately read mean circumstances affecting everyone area rather single momentary matter beatings directed particular individuals ibid quoting booth churner noonan concurring dissenting aff grounds appeals found support position plra legislative history floor statements overwhelmingly suggest ed congress sought curtail suits qualifying frivolous subject matter suits insufficient storage locker space defective haircut served chunky peanut butter instead creamy variety internal quotation marks omitted actions seeking relief corrections officer brutality second circuit stressed genre appeals referred decisions disaggregate broad category eighth amendment claims distinguish proof injury mens rea purposes excessive force claims one hand conditions confinement claims citing hudson mcmillian farmer brennan conflict second circuit federal courts appeals determined prisoners alleging assaults prison guards must meet exhaustion requirement commencing civil rights action see smith zachary higginbottom carter booth churner freeman francis granted certiorari resolve intercircuit conflict reverse second circuit judgment ii ordinarily plaintiffs pursuing civil rights claims need exhaust administrative remedies filing suit see patsy board regents prisoner suits alleging constitutional deprivations incarcerated fell within general rule see wilwording swenson per curiam however congress introduced exhaustion prescription suits initiated state prisoners see civil rights institutionalized persons act stat amended measure authorized district courts stay state prisoner action period exceed days prisoner exhausted available plain speedy effective administrative remedies exhaustion prescription large part discretionary ordered state prison grievance system met specified federal standards even particular case believed requirement appropriate interests justice described provision limited exhaustion requirement mccarthy madigan thought inapplicable prisoner suits damages monetary relief unavailable prison grievance system part plra congress invigorated exhaustion prescription revised exhaustion provision titled suits prisoners action shall brought respect prison conditions section title federal law prisoner confined jail prison correctional facility administrative remedies available exhausted supp current exhaustion provision differs markedly predecessor within discretion district exhaustion cases covered mandatory see booth churner available remedies must exhausted remedies need meet federal standards must plain speedy effective see ibid see also even prisoner seeks relief available grievance proceedings notably money damages exhaustion prerequisite suit see unlike previous provision encompassed suits exhaustion required action brought respect prison conditions whether federal law compare ed supp thus federal prisoners suing bivens six unknown fed narcotics agents must first exhaust inmate grievance procedures state prisoners must exhaust administrative processes prior instituting suit beyond doubt congress enacted reduce quantity improve quality prisoner suits purpose congress afforded corrections officials time opportunity address complaints internally allowing initiation federal case instances corrective action taken response inmate grievance might improve prison administration satisfy inmate thereby obviating need litigation booth instances internal review might filter frivolous claims ibid cases ultimately brought adjudication facilitated administrative record clarifies contours controversy see ibid see also madigan congress described cases covered exhaustion requirement action brought respect prison conditions nussle case requires us determine term prison conditions means given congress failure define term text exhaustion guided endeavor plra text context prior decisions relating uits prisoners precedent pathmarking opinion mccarthy bronson construed ed judicial code provision authorizing district judges refer magistrate judges inter alia prisoner petitions challenging conditions confinement petitioning prisoner mccarthy argued allowed nonconsensual referrals prisoner challenges ongoing prison conditions complaint mccarthy targeted ongoing prison conditions homed isolated incident excessive force ibid reason according mccarthy petitioner nonconsensual referral case impermissible quarrel prisoner assertion mccarthy natural reading phrase challenging conditions confinement viewed isolation include suits seeking relief isolated episodes unconstitutional conduct nonetheless concluded petitioner argument failed upon reading phrase proper context ibid found suggestion congress meant divide prisoner petitions subcategories ibid contrary observed relevant section read entirety suggests congress intended authorize nonconsensual reference prisoner petitions magistrate ibid federal magistrates act noted covers actions two kinds challenges conditions confinement applications habeas corpus relief congress concluded intended include entirety th ose two primary categories suits brought prisoners ibid three years drafted explained mccarthy opinion preiser rodriguez described two broad categories prisoner petitions challenging fact duration confinement challenging conditions confinement ibid preiser rodriguez left doubt stated mccarthy latter category unambiguously embraced kind single episode cases petitioner construction exclude found telling congress composing magistrates act chose language clearly parallel ed preiser opinion considered significant well purpose magistrates act lighten caseload overworked district judges thwarted opening door satellite litigation precise contours suggested exception single episode cases mccarthy read term prison conditions isolation proper context plra exhaustion provision captioned suits prisoners see unqualified heading scarcely aids argument congress meant sect universe prisoner suits see ibid see also title statute heading section tools available resolution doubt meaning statute internal quotation marks omitted generally presume congress expects statutes read conformity th precedents wells presumption plra dominant concern promote administrative redress filter groundless claims foster better prepared litigation claims aired see booth persuade us key words prison conditions properly read lens mccarthy preiser decisions tug strongly away classifying suits prison guards use excessive force one many times anything actions respect prison conditions nussle places principal reliance hudson mcmillian farmer brennan second circuit found support position cases well hudson held sustain claim excessive force prisoner need show significant injury prisoner alleging excessive force must demonstrate defendant acted maliciously sadistically cause harm hudson farmer similarly distinguished mental state must shown prevail excessive force claim purposeful knowing conduct lesser mens rea requirement governing conditions confinement claims deliberate indifference question decisions attendant distinctions context made question presented different order hudson farmer trained solely precisely proof requirements injury must plaintiff allege show mental state must plaintiff plead prove proof requirements case however touch concern threshold inquiry us whether resort prison grievance process must precede resort reason believe congress meant release evidentiary distinctions drawn hudson farmer moorings extend application otherwise invigorated exhaustion requirement extension highly anomalous given congress elimination judicial discretion dispense exhaustion deletion former constraint administrative remedies must plain speedy effective exhaustion required see supra booth cf congress imposition obviously broader exhaustion requirement makes highly implausible meant give prisoners strong inducement skip administrative process simply limiting prayers relief money damages offered administrative grievance nussle contends congress added words prison conditions text specifically exempt excessive force claims mandatory exhaustion requirement sees requirement applicable mainly prison claims may frivolous subject matter see brief respondent least equally plausible however congress inserted prison conditions exhaustion provision simply make clear preincarceration claims fall outside example title vii claim prisoner preincarceration employer matter claim arresting officer furthermore asserted distinction excessive force claims need exhausted one hand frivolous claims see untenable xcessive force claims frivolous smith inmates allege subject vicious nudges exhaustion serves purposes beyond weeding frivolous allegations see supra infirmities inhere second circuit disposition see mccarthy petitioner definition generate additional work district courts distinction cases challenging ongoing conditions challenging specific acts alleged misconduct often difficult mccarthy emphasized prison environment specific incident may symptomatic rather aberrational unwarranted assault corrections officer may reflective systemic problem traceable poor hiring practices inadequate training insufficient supervision see smith nussle alleged case beating suffered june also alleged extending date prolonged sustained pattern harassment intimidation correction officers app nussle urges case placed isolated episode category might equally urge complaint describes pattern practice harassment climaxing alleged beating seems unlikely congress included plra firm exhaustion requirement meant leave need exhaust pleader option cf preiser wholly frustrate explicit congressional intent hold prisoners evade exhaustion requirement simple expedient putting different label nussle view second circuit moreover bifurcation normal prisoner sues corrections officer alleged used excessive force supervisor allegedly failed adequately monitor charge tr oral arg officer alone taken directly charge supervisor proceed first internal grievance process similarly split proceedings apparently order second circuit decision prisoner elects pursue officers discrete instance ongoing conduct charges finally emphasize concern complexity augured second circuit disposition scant sense supports single occurrence prevailing circumstance dichotomy prisoner immediate access guard assaults one occasion beatings widespread routine see smith nussle distinction excessive force claims prisoner suits see supra presents similar anomaly prison authorities interest receiving prompt notice opportunity take action guard brutality somehow less compelling interest receiving notice opportunity stop types staff wrongdoing see preiser since internal problems state prisons involve issues peculiarly within state authority expertise important interest bypassed correction problems reasons stated hold plra exhaustion requirement applies inmate suits prison life whether involve general circumstances particular episodes whether allege excessive force wrong cf wilson accordingly judgment appeals reversed case remanded proceedings consistent opinion ordered footnotes second circuit held actions connecticut governed state statute limitations tort actions williams walsh another provision plra supp observed define prison conditions nussle willette provision concerns prospective relief defines prison conditions mean conditions confinement effects actions government officials lives persons confined prison second circuit found definition less ambiguous bare text neither alternative formulations said used everyday speech describe particular instances assault excessive force see booth churner aff grounds reading cover prison conditions corrections officer actions make prisoners lives worse second circuit ultimately concluded improper event automatically import definition civil actions brought respect prison conditions two provisions distinct statutory purposes parties dispute meaning simultaneously enacted provision concerns prospective relief purpose defines expression civil action respect prison conditions see supra noting inter alia divergent constructions second third circuits rest decision meaning prison conditions context express definitive opinion proper reading reaching decision second circuit referred obligation construe statutory exceptions narrowly order give full effect general rule citing city edmonds oxford house patsy board regents second circuit available subsequently rendered decision booth churner booth held mandates initial recourse prison grievance process even prisoner seeks money damages remedy available process see ruling observed congress may well thought shortsighted failing adequately recognize utility administrative process satisfy reduce clarify prisoner grievances canon second circuit relied may dependable contexts plra establishes different regime litigation within compass congress replaced general rule general rule exhaustion title provides relevant part notwithstanding provision law contrary judge may designate magistrate conduct hearings including evidentiary hearings submit judge proposed findings fact recommendations disposition judge applications posttrial relief made individuals convicted criminal offenses prisoner petitions challenging conditions confinement provisions refer prison conditions less scope second circuit construction term section provides dismissal initiative action brought respect prison conditions frivolous malicious specific incident complaint subject prescription view suits implicate prison conditions provides pretrial proceedings action brought respect prison conditions may held prison via telephone video conference telecommunications technology prisoner need physically transferred participate surely arrangements appropriate nussle case others genre authority practical procedures rest cases like nussle qualify actions regarding prison conditions