Civil Survival Project

In 2022, Civil Survival's Reentry Legal Aid Project (RLAP) expanded its impact further than ever. RLAP's attorneys represented clients in 657 cases across Washington State. RLAP assisted clients with a wide variety of legal issues, including legal financial obligation (LFO) waiver, criminal record vacation, juvenile record sealing, and pardons. Civil Survival also launched a new website, which includes self-help guides designed to walk individuals through the process of determining their eligibility for criminal record vacates, Blake relief, LFO remission, occupational licensing, and a link where individuals can request a free copy of their criminal history. Through Civil Survival's criminal history request tool, for the first time ever, people in Washington were able to obtain a free copy of their criminal history. In just six months, Civil Survival's criminal history request tool allowed RLAP to provide 185 criminal history reports. Civil Survival also led systemic advocacy to ensure Washingtonians are not forced to choose between meeting their basic needs and making LFO payments they cannot afford. RLAP drafted an Amicus Brief, signed by 19 organizations, in support of review in State v. Tatum, which challenged the mandatory imposition of LFOs on people who cannot afford to pay them. Civil Survival also organized a coalition of 21 community organizations, which successfully petitioned the Washington Supreme Court to create forms for obtaining LFO waiver that are accessible to people without an attorney.

In 2022, Civil Survival organized people directly impacted by the criminal legal system to understand their rights and advocate for policies to restore opportunity to our community. We held weekly Game Changer meetings where directly impacted people came together to build community, support each other, learn more about resources in the community, and how to impact system change through legislative advocacy. After helping secure the passage of legislation in 2021 that restored the right to vote for people held in county jails, in 2022, we held voter registration drives in Pierce and Kitsap County jails, registering hundreds of voters. Civil Survival also organized a community to support the passage of several key pieces of state legislation. We supported the passage of HB 1818, which expanded the housing voucher program from three to six months for those exiting incarceration. Civil Survival also successfully advocated for HB 1412, which expanded LFO relief for people who cannot afford to pay LFOs and meet their own basic needs. We helped pass HB 1874, which reduced barriers to professional licensure for individuals with previous arrests or criminal convictions. Finally, Civil Survival helped secure a $200 million investment in communities disproportionately harmed by the war on drugs, bringing new funding for economic development, violence prevention, and reentry services.

During its first full year of operation, Civil Survival's Blake Civil Impacts Project helped low-income Washingtonians vacate over 100 unconstitutional drug possession convictions under State v. Blake and obtain LFO refunds. In addition to direct legal representation, Civil Survival developed education materials to assist the public in obtaining a Blake vacation without an attorney. Civil Survival created a guide on its website that allows people to determine whether they have a Blake conviction. We also hosted a statewide information session on Blake resources, how to obtain relief, and how to access self-help forms online. The presentation was translated into Spanish and American Sign Language and is available on Civil Survival's Blake self-help page. Civil Survival also collaborated with the Benefits Law Center to create a guide, available on our Blake webpage, detailing how Blake LFO refunds may impact eligibility for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Additionally, Civil Survival brought Blake information into the community, sharing resources with hundreds of people at community events and meetings. Finally, we engaged in systemic advocacy to ensure that courts granted full Blake relief. Civil Survival challenged Minor in Possession of Alcohol convictions in several courts and helped draft an Amicus Brief, requesting that the Washington Supreme Court review Bail Jumping convictions predicated on the statute found unconstitutional in Blake.