{"id":355719,"date":"2016-04-04T10:42:00","date_gmt":"2016-04-04T15:42:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/civilrights\/other-constitutional-rights\/civil-rights-of-institutionalized-persons.html"},"modified":"2024-04-25T10:51:51","modified_gmt":"2024-04-25T15:51:51","slug":"civil-rights-of-institutionalized-persons","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/civilrights\/other-constitutional-rights\/civil-rights-of-institutionalized-persons.html","title":{"rendered":"Civil Rights of Institutionalized People"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Civil Rights of Institutionalized People<\/h1>\n
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\n By Lark Lewis, J.D.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by Susan Mills Richmond, Esq.<\/a>\n | Last updated\n
\n \n <\/i>\n Legally Reviewed\n <\/summary>\n\n
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This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n\n

\n \n <\/i>\n Fact-Checked\n <\/summary>\n\n
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The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/details>\n<\/section>\n

You still have civil rights<\/a> if you’re confined in a state or locally-run institution. The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), enacted by Congress in 1980, protects those rights. Private facilities aren’t covered under the Act.<\/p>\r\n

CRIPA doesn’t create new rights for inmates<\/a> or other institutionalized people. Instead, it provides a process for the Attorney General or the Special Litigation Section of the U.S. Department of Justice<\/a> (DOJ) to enforce existing rights. CRIPA allows the DOJ, a federal agency, to bring a civil action in federal court against a state or local government for a civil rights violation regarding an institutionalized person.<\/p>\r\n

This article addresses the institutions and actions CRIPA covers. It also discusses the CRIPA process. The article next addresses what to do if you suspect a violation of the Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act. Finally, the article discusses other laws protecting institutionalized people.<\/p>\r\n

Institutions and Abuses Covered by CRIPA<\/h2>\r\n

The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA) generally applies to five types of institutions. These include:<\/p>\r\n