Access to outside support services
Like the evidence protocol and forensic medical examinations standard (Standard 115.21/115.121/115.221/115/321), Standard 115.53/115.253/115.3534 recognizes the unique role of rape crisis center advocates in providing support, crisis intervention, information, and referrals to victims. This standard requires facilities to provide inmates and residents with access to victim advocates for emotional support services related to sexual abuse by supplying mailing addresses and telephone numbers of local, state, or national victim advocacy or rape crisis organizations. Facilities are required to provide access to immigrant services agencies for persons detained solely for civil immigration purposes in adult prisons, jails, or juvenile facilities. (Note that the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has released proposed standards for DHS confinement facilities.) The standard further requires facilities to enable reasonable communication between inmates/residents and these organizations, in as confidential a manner as possible. Juvenile facilities must also provide residents with reasonable access to their attorneys or other legal representation and to parents or legal guardians.
[4] This standard does not apply to lockups.