Why It May Be Wise To Appoint A Prisoner Rights Attorney In NYC

By Leslie Ball


In the United States, every citizen enjoys certain inalienable rights. These privileges can never be taken away, even when a citizen commits a crime and is found guilty of that crime. Prisoners therefore do not forfeit their privileges. In fact, they enjoy a certain additional level of protection. If any of their privileges is refused or abused, they can approach a prisoner rights attorney in NYC.

In New York, NY, there are more than 65 000 people incarcerated in state facilities and more than 14 000 in New York City jails. Many of these inmates are waiting for bail hearings or they are awaiting trial. However, all of these inmates are the focus of many organisations dedicated to making sure that they are treated humanely and according to the laws. Many lawyers also specialize in representing prisoners that have been abused is some way or another.

When a person is arrested, the arresting officer is obliged to inform the person being arrested of his privileges. If this is not done, the validity of the arrest can be contested in court. Law enforcement authorities are trained to know and respect the privileges of all citizens. If they do anything to deny these privileges, they can be disciplined or even dismissed.

Nobody can be forced to make a formal statement or to answer questions from any law enforcement authority without having a lawyer present. There are good reasons for this rule. When arrested, many people feel bewildered and of course they experience very high levels of stress. Under these conditions they can easily say something that will turn out to be to their own detriment at a later stage.

It is for this reason that everybody has the right to a lawyer, even those too poor to afford one. In such cases the state provides a lawyer free of charge. Sadly, state lawyers are overworked and they carry heavy case loads. Once sentenced to incarceration, prisoners are not likely to continue enjoying representation and help from their lawyers. When abused, they have nobody to turn towards.

There are some real reasons to be concerned about inmates in prison. There have been numerous cases of abuse in every form possible. Inmates are often subjected to abuse from other prisoners and even from the guards. Corruption and violence is an unfortunate characteristic of life behind bars. Victims often do not know how to go about getting protection or help, causing many cases to remain unreported.

The best course of action is to become informed. Most prisons have libraries and it is vital to find out exactly what the law says about the treatment of prisoners. It may also be a good idea to speak to a social worker or chaplain and to find out which non governmental organizations specializing in protecting prisoners are active in that particular prison.

Critics often say that prisoners are enjoying far too many freedoms and privileges. The fact remains, however, that as long as the laws provide for certain codes of behaviour and for certain inalienable rights, these have to be observed. Failure to do so makes the perpetrator a criminal too.




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