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Safe and Humane Jails Project

At the Safe and Humane Jails Project, our goal is to ensure that those incarcerated in all 109 of the county jails across North Carolina are housed in safe and humane conditions and that their constitutional rights are protected.

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The Jails Team fulfills its mission in several ways:

​Case Review and Investigation: Often times, investigation is required before deciding whether a case is one that is likely to result in a successful lawsuit. Cases are investigated over the course of months or sometimes years before we have enough information to determine whether we can pursue the case further. If, after an investigation, we are unable to represent you, we will explain in a detailed letter the obstacles that make your case unlikely to be successful in court.

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Full Representation: In some cases, after a thorough investigation, we will agree to file complaints on a client’s behalf and litigate their case through settlement, trial, or dismissal. We represent inmates in both state and federal court.

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Informal Advocacy: For those we cannot represent, we will offer guidance and resources in writing to inmates and speak with their loved ones on the phone. In some circumstances, we will contact jail staff to try to resolve the issue informally.

 

Keeping an Eye on Trends: Through the letters, phone calls, and emails we receive, we keep track of broader issues routinely occurring at specific jails and determine how we can best advocate for those issues to be addressed, resulting in positive change.

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Cases we review:

  • Conditions of Confinement

  • Confiscated Legal Materials

  • Failure to Protect

  • Deficient Medical/Mental Health Care Claims

  • Religious Claims

  • Sexual Assault

  • Use of Force

  • Wrongful Death

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Due to our limited resources, we are only able to assist those incarcerated in a North Carolina jail with issues relating to their confinement. We cannot assist with other civil issues, such as family law matters or civil disputes with those outside the jail facility. However, we do have packets geared toward other services that we can send to help inmates advocate for themselves.

Civil rights cases are difficult to prove. Strong cases are those where the misconduct is severe, resulted in substantial and documented harm, affected large numbers of people, or reflects a demonstrated pattern or behavior over time.

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Contact us:

If you would like us to review a case that falls into one of the categories listed above, please write to us at:​

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Safe and Humane Jails Project

NC Prisoner Legal Services

P.O. Box 25397

Raleigh, NC 27611

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North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services, Inc. 
PO Box 25397
Raleigh, NC 27611

Phone: 919.856.2200

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