Page 6 - Katten 2018 Pro Bono Annual Review

CHARLOTTE

Responding to the

Challenges of the Underserved

GIVING THE DESERVING A SECOND CHANCE force; failure to be protected from the risk of serious
injury; unsafe, inhumane, overcrowded conditions; and
For many people, having a criminal arrest and/or conviction indifference to or serious neglect of their mental health
record can create unwanted and negative consequences or medical care. In addition, a team of seven Katten
long after their debt to society has been paid. As back- attorneys is working with inmates to make sure they
ground checks and the availability of technology make it receive accurate jail credit. This is time that is spent in
easier than ever to access a person’s history, any legal confi nement in a state or local correctional, mental or
record can cause issues, especially when applying for a other institution as a result of their sentences. This time
job, renting an apartment, buying a car and more. To is deducted from the defendant’s fi nal sentence, if they
help assist these people, several of Katten’s Charlotte are convicted.
attorneys have partnered with the Charlotte Center
for Legal Advocacy, helping to expunge their clients’ FIGHTING TO REUNITE AND DEFEND THE
criminal records. With this done, clients can then honestly RIGHTS OF IMMIGRANTS
answer “no” when asked if they have ever been arrested
or convicted of a criminal offense on a job, rental or In the spring of 2018, thousands of children were taken
mortgage application. Their lives are changed, truly giving from their parents in response to the government’s “zero
them a second chance. tolerance” immigration policy. Since that time, Project
Corazon, a program founded by the Lawyers for Good
ENSURING INMATES’ RIGHTS ARE UPHELD Government in partnership with nearly 40 top US law
fi rms, including Katten, has worked to help reunite
North Carolina Prisoner Legal Services (NCPLS) these families, defend the rights of detained immigrants
is a nonprofi t created to help inmates who are in the and provide assistance to immigrants recently released
custody of the North Carolina Department of Safety, from detention.
Division of Adult Correction secure their constitutional
right of meaningful access to the courts. In 2018, Katten
attorneys were proud to partner with NCPLS, providing
their experience to the Safe & Humane Jails Project,
as well as helping to ensure that inmates receive their
appropriate jail credit.

The Safe & Humane Jails Project was born as a result of
an increase in North Carolina prison violence over the
past several years. As part of this program, our attorneys
have received training and volunteered to help investi-
gate and, potentially, litigate issues that arise in North
Carolina jails, including inmates’ charges of excessive

4 KATTEN MUCHIN ROSENMAN LLP