Center For Justice

Programs: The center's general law program provides legal support to all center programs and addresses other community needs, including civil rights, police accountability, public records and open government, environmental justice, housing, local land use, and other public interest legal needs. Key components of this program include providing legal services to those who were incarcerated, to address barriers to re-entry into the community and re-employment (including record clearing and addressing legal financial obligations), and to provide legal representation to those currently incarcerated who have been denied their civil rights. The center's general law program also includes our housing justice program, which assists community groups and tenants in developing and advocating for policy changes that protect the rights of low income tenants and increase low income housing opportunity. The program also provides assistance to community members through outreach and housing clinics. During 2017, 577 clients were assisted with a number of issues: 16 clients were assisted with housing issues, 11 were assisted with police accountability issues, 14 were assisted with civil rights issues, 4 were provided assistance with issues of government accountability, 84 inmates or former inmates were assisted, 28 clients were assisted with expungement issues, 8 were assisted with legal financial obligations (lfos), 14 clients were assisted with environmental and land use issues, 6 were assisted with public records cases, 1 client was assisted with issues regarding the sex offender registry, 1 client was assisted with issues regarding employment, 1 client was assisted with issues regarding discrimination, and 1 client was assisted with issues regarding consumer protection. This program is implemented by center attorneys and volunteers.

the spokane riverkeeper program works to protect and restore the spokane river and its tributaries by engaging in public process, educating decision makers, providing an "on the water" patrol of the river, and, when necessary, taking legal action to enforce environmental protection laws. The riverkeeper is part of the international waterkeeper alliance that collaborates to seek state, national, and even international changes to laws and policies that benefit our home watersheds. In 2017, the spokane riverkeeper program took significant action, including an innovative settlement of litigation against the epa to address nonpoint sources of pollution from agricultural practices that are significantly impacting hangman creek, one of the spokane river's largest tributaries. The riverkeeper program is led by a non-attorney riverkeeper and is supported by a staff scientist and toxics outreach coordinator, volunteers and a center attorney.

relicensing program provides assistance to individuals that are low or moderate income seeking restoration of their driving privileges. Center staff helps participants pull their unpaid tickets out of collection agencies, consolidate them into one reasonable monthly payment, eliminate interest and fees, and drive legally while making payments. Additionally, a mandatory rules of the road and fundamental budgeting class provides tools for long-term success. In addition to the standard program, the center offers a weekend "women's relicensing" program that is focused on addressing the unique legal issues facing low income women in the community. The center's relicensing program changes lives by giving people an opportunity to stop the cycle of debt, incarceration, and unemployment caused by indefinite license suspension. Each client is also provided an opportunity to register to vote and provided education on registration issues. In 2017, we provided relicensing assistance to 363 individuals and 58 women through the women's relicensing program.

the smart justice program works to reform our community's criminal justice system to encourage the utilization of evidence-based alternatives to incarceration. This includes measures such as diversion programs such as drug court and other measures that reduce recidivisms rates, provide a deterrent to crime, and are cost effective. During 2017, the center successfully advocated for a citywide ordinance that would prohibit initial screen of job candidates based on criminal history ("ban the box"). The center's work on smart justice is conducted in collaboration with other local service providers, faith-based groups, and justice advocates. The work is primarily conducted by center volunteers and attorneys. The center also serves as a fiscal sponsor for other programs administered by community partners that have a consistent mission to the center. This includes women's legal education programs and leadership training for nonprofit legal service providers.