|
Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act
The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act ( CRIPA )
authorizes the U.S. Attorney General to investigate conditions of
confinement at State and local government institutions such as
prisons, jails, pretrial detention centers, juvenile correctional
facilities, publicly operated nursing homes, and institutions for
people with psychiatric or developmental disabilities. Its purpose is
to allow the Attorney General to uncover and correct widespread
deficiencies that seriously jeopardize the health and safety of
residents of institutions. The Attorney General does not have
authority under CRIPA to investigate isolated incidents or to
represent individual institutionalized persons.
The Attorney General may initiate civil law suits where there
is reasonable cause to believe that conditions are "egregious or
flagrant," that they are subjecting residents to "grievous harm,"
and that they are part of a "pattern or practice" of resistance to
residents' full enjoyment of constitutional or Federal rights,
including title II of the ADA and section 504 of Rehabilitation
Act. For more information or to bring a matter to the Department
of Justice's attention, contact:
Special Litigation Section
Civil Rights Division
U.S. Department of Justice
P.O. Box 66400
Washington, D.C. 20035 - 6400
( 202 ) 514 - 6255 ( voice/relay )
|
