The Inmate Legal
Assistance Program (ILAP) is designed to provide legal assistance to all
offenders located at either the Mississippi State Penitentiary, Central
Mississippi Correctional Facility, South Mississippi Correctional Institution,
private prison facilities, county/regional facilities, community work center or
approved county jail. ILAP is structured to ensure all offenders have an
opportunity to meet with an attorney and/or paralegal and to receive computer
generated research and forms upon request. Each of the three state prison
facilities has a designated director who is responsible for providing aide to
offenders in the county/regional facilities, CWC's and county jails within their
area. The statewide director, an attorney, oversees the entire program and is
available to offenders for consultation as well. The private facilities are
responsible for providing an attorney for conferences and for fulfilling any
legal requests from the inmates housed within their facility.
The ILAP Director is responsible for ensuring
that inmates are afforded access to the courts, receive necessary legal material
and receive answers to any legal questions they may not understand. The
director does not prepare legal briefings, legal motions, nor represent the
offender as his/her attorney. In the case of an illiterate inmate, legal
assistance will draft legal work according to the inmate’s instructions. ILAP
does not provide legal assistance for matters other than the inmate’s current
charge, post conviction and conditions of confinement lawsuits. The director
maintains a record of all inmates who request assistance and the date and type
of assistance that is provided.
Inmates submit their
request forms to the ILAP office. These forms are reviewed on a “first come,
first serve” basis. The ILAP Director evaluates the request according to the
inmate’s case and responds accordingly or denies the request with a detailed
reason for the denial. Inmates requesting specific cases, statutes, etc., are
provided in accordance with ILAP procedures. Inmates requesting non-specific
cases, statutes, etc., that are relevant to their cases, are provided computer
generated research for specific law on point with their case.
The ILAP office schedules attorney visits for
inmates. Before an attorney may schedule a visit with his/her client, the
inmate must first submit the attorney’s name to be placed on his/her
attorney of record list. Once the attorney is verified and listed, he/she
may call that particular institution to schedule a visit with his/her
client. In no instance will an attorney be allowed on institution grounds
without 24 hour advanced notice and approval. All visits will be conducted
during normal business hours Monday through Friday.
