California Instructions for Filing a Civil Rights Complaint by a Prisoner - General Instructions

Examples of civil rights include the right to vote, the right to a fair trial, the right to government services, the right to a public education, and the right to use public facilities.

A civil rights violation is any offense that occurs as a result or threat of force against a victim by the offender on the basis of being a member of a protected category. For example, a victim who is assaulted due to their race or sexual orientation. Violations can include injuries or even death.Race.

You may call toll free at (866) 741-6241; collect calling at (800) 688-4486; or you may call via the California Relay Service operator at (800) 735-2929. You may also submit a "Complaint of Discrimination" form by clicking on your preferred language below. The form cannot be completed online.

If you believe that you have been discriminated against because of your race, color, national origin, disability, age, sex, or religion in programs or activities that HHS directly operates or to which HHS provides federal financial assistance, you may file a complaint with OCR.

If you believe your civil rights, or someone else's, have been violated, submit a report using our online form. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, please call 911 or local police. If you are reporting misconduct by law enforcement or believe you have experienced a hate crime, please contact the FBI.

Once it is clear that OCR has jurisdiction to handle your complaint, the investigator will gather information through interviewing witnesses, obtaining documentation, and perhaps making site visits.You may be interviewed again as information is gathered.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is responsible for enforcing civil rights laws that apply to recipients of Federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. These laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex.

Both historically and today, civil rights prosecutions have provided a means for federal prosecutors to bring charges against people who have committed hate crimes, where local prosecutors lack the political will to do so.