NCJ Number
95621
Journal
Federal Probation Volume: 48 Issue: 2 Dated: (June 1984) Pages: 49-52
Date Published
1984
Length
4 pages
Annotation
A unique legal program at the Federal Correctional Institutional (FCI) in Milan, Mich., is described.
Abstract
The institution has contracted with an attorney to (1) provide legal advice to inmates, (2) assist inmates in preparing legal papers, and (3) help in arranging for representation of inmates by other attorneys on a contingent fee basis or through community legal aid services. The attorney contracted to FCI visited the prison 25 times in 1981 to conduct 136 interviews that consumed 71 hours. He worked primarily on nine types of problems: (1) Salient Factor Scores and Offense Severity Ratings (as used by the Federal Parole Commission), (2) detainers, (3) divorce problems, (4) parole matters, (5) sentencing and appeal questions, (6) prison administration questions or complaints, (7) property rights problems, (8) civil liability, and (9) miscellaneous legal questions. The attorney arranged his visits in the evenings when the inmates were more likely to have free time. The Federal Bureau of Prisons paid about $3,000 for his services in 1981; in return, the program afforded inmates the opportunity to air their legal problems to an attorney. The associate warden praised the program, saying that it is a legitimate exercise of contract services and that it achieves the administration's goals. Inmates generally expressed satisfaction with the advice and assistance they received. This program should be tested in other Federal prisons, as well as in State prisons.