The number of federal civil rights lawsuits brought by Idaho inmates is dropping, and could stay in the double digits this year for the first time since 2006, the AP reports.

Some of the biggest reforms to Idaho's prison system, including court-ordered improvements to medical care, reduced overcrowding and increased staffing levels have come in response to inmate lawsuits. Inmate civil rights lawsuits give the public a rare window into the nation's penal system, University of Michigan law professor and prison litigation expert Margo Schlanger said.

"Prison litigation is one of the very few ways that prisons are held to account," Schlanger said. "It really is important for the public to understand what goes on in prison for there to be some accountability."

According to the U.S. District Court of Idaho's filing system, 104 of the lawsuits were filed last year, and only 81 have been filed so far this year. That compares with a 10-year high of 139 cases filed in 2009. You can read a full report here from AP reporter Rebecca Boone.