In parts one and two of this multi-part blog series, we’ve gone over some of the basic rights afforded to those who are incarcerated. Whether temporarily for a charge that carries a bail amount or for longer prison sentences, prisoners in US jails and prisons have a number of inalienable rights that cannot be taken away even despite their incarceration.

At Beehive Bail Bonds, in addition to providing 24/7 bail bond services to all our clients in need, we also have assisted numerous clients with basic inmate assistance themes, including rights issues. You may not have realized it, but inmates retain a wide number of rights even once incarcerated – today’s part three will look at a few more that are considered very important and regularly fought for by the ACLU.

Freedom of Speech

There are several areas where jail or prison inmates are no different from everyday American citizens, and one such area is the freedom of speech afforded by the 1^st Amendment. Just like freedom of religion is protected for all inmates, speech is an area that cannot be infringed upon.

To whatever extent their speech does not interfere with their status as an inmate, jail occupants can take advantage of it fully. This includes writing and receiving letters of any kind, without any fears of reprisal or punishment if they express views or opinions on prison life, prison staff or other inmates. Some of the most significant issues in terms of prisoner rights cases in the public eye have been based around such reprisals based on letter-writing.

Freedom From Discrimination

Down similar lines, every inmate in a jail or prison has the right to be free at all times of any kind of discrimination. Such discrimination includes age, religious beliefs, disabilities or other movement concerns, sexual preferences or any kind of racial or ethnic discrimination.

Right to Basic Privacy

One area that’s very different in jail or prison compared to everyday life is the ability to obtain privacy. There are certain areas where this simply isn’t realistic within a prison setting.

However, there are also several where privacy is completely reasonable and is a right of inmates. Areas like restroom usage, showering and others where reasonable privacy should be expected are all generally covered, though there will be certain exceptions here based on the setup of the jail and other factors. There are plenty of cases, however, where it can be easily proven that jail staff did not make requisite efforts to afford inmates privacy based on the conditions at play.

For more on inmate rights during any stay of incarceration, or to learn about any of our bail bond services, defense attorney recommendations or other services, speak to the staff at Beehive Bail Bonds today.