Inmate Rights (Required)

Each county correctional facility shall ensure that inmate rights are being protected by providing, at a minimum, the following: (1) Written policy and procedure ensuring that inmates shall have access to the courts and to address communications to governmental authorities. Inmates seeking judicial or administrative redress shall not be subjected to reprisals or penalties as a consequence. (2) Written policy and procedure shall ensure and facilitate that inmates have access to attorneys and their authorized representatives. (3) Written policy and procedure shall provide the following: (a) that program access, work assignments and administrative decisions are made without regard to inmates' race, national origin, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, or handicap; and (b) equal opportunity to access various programs and work assignments, and involvement in decisions concerning classification status. (4) Written policy and procedure shall provide for a program designed to assist inmates in the preparation and filing of legal papers. Such a program shall meet the minimum requirements for legal assistance programs required by applicable Federal and State law. The program shall consist of one of the following: (a) a law collection containing legal materials meeting the minimum requirements of such a collection as required by applicable Federal and State laws, and the required equipment and supplies to prepare legal papers; or, (b) a lawyer assistance program which shall furnish inmates with sufficient opportunity to meet with and be counseled by attorneys, to the extent required by the demonstrated legal needs of the particular inmate. (5) Written policy, procedure and practice provide that foreign nationals have access to the diplomatic representative of their county of citizenship.