The Special Litigation Section is one of several Sections in the Civil Rights Division. We work to protect civil rights in the following areas: 1) the rights of people in state or local institutions, including: jails, prisons, juvenile detention facilities, and health care facilities for persons with disabilities; 2) the rights of individuals with disabilities to receive services in their communities, rather than in institutions; 3) the rights of people who interact with state or local police or sheriffs' departments; 4) the rights of youth involved in the juvenile justice system; 5) the rights of people to have safe access to reproductive health care clinics; and 6) the rights of people to practice their religion while confined to state and local institutions. We can also act on behalf of people at risk of harm in these areas.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
The Justice Department issued a letter detailing the findings of its investigation into conditions of confinement at Escambia County Jail, a jail located in northwest Florida, housing roughly 1,300 prisoners.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
The Department of Justice reached a comprehensive agreement with the Missoula, Mont., Police Department to ensure that the police department fairly and effectively responds to reports of sexual assault.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
The Department of Justice and the Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights obtained a comprehensive resolution agreement with the University of Montana-Missoula to allegations of sexual assault and harassment by students.
Findings Letter regarding excessive risk of assault by other prisoners and inadequate mental health care at the Escambia County Jail in Florida.
On May 9, the Section announced
findings and a
settlement regarding the
University of Montana's Office of Public Safety. On May 15, the Section announced
findings and a
settlement regarding the
Missoula Police Department. Both matters involved allegations that OPS and MPD discriminate against women in their response to sexual assault. The Division's Educational Opportunities Section also announced findings and a settlement regarding the University's overall response to on-campus sexual assault, which can be found
here.
On March 7, the City of New Orleans and DOJ selected five monitoring candidates to be interviewed for the role as Consent Decree Court Monitor to monitor the NOPD pursuant to a
consent decree from 12 total submissions. The five proposals under consideration can be found
here.
The Justice Department entered into a sweeping
agreement with the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and Governor Luis Fortuno to resolve its civil investigation of the Puerto Rico Police Department. The agreement has been submitted to the Court for approval. Governmental and private entities are
invited to submit amicus briefs to the Court by April 1, 2013.
The Justice Department
filed a lawsuit against the City of Meridian, Miss.; Lauderdale County, Miss.; judges of the Lauderdale County Youth Court; and the state of Mississippi alleging that the defendants systematically violate the due process rights of juveniles. The Department welcomes feedback from the community. If you have comments or concerns, please feel free to contact us at
Community.Meridian@usdoj.gov.
On December 2, 2011, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Thomas E. Perez sent identical letters to more than 150 local law enforcement agencies in Alabama, informing them of the Division’s monitoring activities and reminding them of their obligations to engage in non-discriminatory policing.
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