U.S. Department
of Justice
Civil Rights Resources, Contacts, Links
CRIMINAL ENFORCEMENT
FBI Main Page: http://www.fbi.gov
FBI Civil Rights website page: https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/civil-rights
FBI Columbia Field Office (Covers the entire state of South Carolina)
222 Caughman Farm Lane
Lexington, SC 29072
https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/columbia
(803) 551-4200
Department of Justice, Civil Rights, Criminal Section:
https://www.justice.gov/crt/criminal-section
The Criminal Section prosecutes cases involving the violent interference with liberties and rights defined in the Constitution or federal law. The rights of both citizens and non-citizens are protected. In general, it is the use of force, threats, or intimidation that characterize a federal criminal violation of an individual's civil rights.
CIVIL ENFORCEMENT
Civil Rights Division Department of Justice: https://www.justice.gov/crt
Home page for the DOJ Civil Rights Division, which states that, “The Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, created in 1957 by the enactment of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, works to uphold the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans, particularly some of the most vulnerable members of our society. The Division enforces federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status and national origin.”
Disabilities: www.ada.gov
Outstanding resource by the DOJ Civil Rights Division that provides a variety of Information and Technical Assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
DOJ Guide to Disability Rights Laws, https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm
The Americans with Disabilities Act Title II, Technical Assistance Manual, Covering State and Local Government Programs and Services, https://www.ada.gov/taman2.html.
Education
DOJ Educational Opportunities Section:
https://www.justice.gov/crt/educational-opportunities-section
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights (OCR):
Employment Discrimination
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Charlotte District Office: https://www.eeoc.gov/field-office/charlotte/location
Greenville local Office: https://www.eeoc.gov/field-office/greenville/location
Savannahs local Office: https://www.eeoc.gov/field-office/savannah/location
South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (SHAC): https://schac.sc.gov/
Fair Housing
DOJ Housing and Civil Enforcement:
https://www.justice.gov/crt/housing-and-civil-enforcement-section
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD):
https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp
South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (SHAC):
Fair Lending
DOJ Housing and Civil Enforcement:
https://www.justice.gov/crt/housing-and-civil-enforcement-section
Federal Programs
Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (FCS)
https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs
The Federal Coordination and Compliance Section (FCS) ensures that all federal agencies consistently and effectively enforce civil rights statutes and Executive Orders that prohibit discrimination in federally conducted and assisted programs and activities.
Federal Agencies - Civil Rights Offices
https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/Agency-OCR-Offices
Jails, Prisons, Disability Facilities, and Other Government-Run Institutions:
DOJ Special Litigation Sections:
Jails and Prisons:
https://www.justice.gov/crt/rights-persons-confined-jails-and-prisons
Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons
https://www.justice.gov/crt/religious-land-use-and-institutionalized-persons-act-0
Juvenile Justice
DOJ Special Litigation Section – Rights of Juveniles
https://www.justice.gov/crt/rights-juveniles
Law Enforcement
COPS, https://cops.usdoj.gov/
The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) is a component within the
U.S. Department of Justice dedicated to community policing.
Law Enforcement - Communications with the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
“Deaf Sensitivity Training Video for Police Officers” – Deaf, Inc.
· https://youtu.be/l9aNpMRHH2c
· Created in collaboration with St. Louis County Police Academy
· Deaf Inc: https://www.deafinconline.org/contact
· St. Louis County and Municipal Police Academy (314) 889-8600
“Police Response to People with Disabilities, 8-part series” video – ADA
· https://www.ada.gov/videogallery.htm
· Part 7 = Deafness or Hard of Hearing
“Communicating with People Who Are Deaf or Hard of Hearing: ADA Guide for Law Enforcement Officers” -ADA
· https://www.ada.gov/lawenfcomm.htm
· ADA requirements
· Communication techniques/ practical suggestions
· When interpreters are required
Military and Servicemembers’ Rights
DOJ Servicemember Veterans Initiative (SVI)
https://www.justice.gov/servicemembers
U.S. Department of Labor, VETS (Veterans’ Employment and Training Service):
USERRA (Uniformed Services Employment Reemployment Rights Act)
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/vets/programs/userra
Religious Land Use
https://www.justice.gov/crt/freedom-access-clinic-entrances-places-religious-worship
Voting
DOJ Voting Section: www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot
COMMUNITY RELATIONS
DOJ Community Relations Service, https://www.justice.gov/crs
The Community Relations Service is the Department's "Peacemaker" for community conflicts and tensions arising from differences of race, color, national origin, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion and disability. CRS is not an investigatory or prosecutorial agency, and it does not have any law enforcement authority.
South Carolina Human Affairs Commission (SHAC) https://schac.sc.gov/about-us