Filing a Jail Complaint
The West Virginia Community Collaborative Council (CCC) is committed to improving the lives of people behind bars in West Virginia. One way we do this is by gathering information about the problems and conditions in the state's regional jail system.
You can help by reporting an issue experienced behind bars -- anything from a medical matter to poor staff treatment to violations of state and federal law. The CCC will accept reports from people who have a client or loved one behind bars, or directly from a person who has been released from jail in the last 6 months.
Right now, there is very little known about how West Virginia jails operate. The state does not provide public reports about the number of people behind bars on a given day, or the quality and quantity of medical care given, or even the number of people who die in jails.
The CCC will compile this information to provide a more accurate picture of the harms of being jailed. Information reported to the CCC -- such as the specific jail facility, the time period, and the kind of issue -- may be shared with advocates, journalists, and lawmakers. But the CCC will always keep your name, your contact information, and the names of incarcerated people confidential.
If you report an issue affecting a person who is still incarcerated, you will have the option to request that the CCC mail a Grievance Packet to the regional jail so that the person behind bars has information about how to submit a grievance. We strongly encourage incarcerated people to make use of the grievance process, which you can learn more about here. If an incarcerated person does not file a grievance within the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DCR), they may lose their ability to file a lawsuit over jail conditions. For incarcerated people who want to protect their right to file a lawsuit, they must file a grievance within DCR and complete the process through final decision and appeal.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How is reporting an issue to the CCC different than submitting a grievance?
Submitting a Report to the CCC helps our community-based program better understand the problems facing people behind bars, but our process does not replace the grievance process within DCR. We strongly encourage incarcerated people to make use of the grievance process, which you can learn more about here. If an incarcerated person does not file a grievance within DCR, they may lose their ability to file a lawsuit over jail conditions.
For incarcerated people who want to protect their right to file a lawsuit in the future, they must file a grievance within DCR and complete the process through final decision and appeal.
What issues does the CCC track?
The CCC is tracking a wide variety of issues in our regional jails, from issues with medical treatment to adherence to proper intake protocols to facility maintenance issues. You can see a full list of these issue categories here.
Who is the CCC?
The CCC is a project of the West Virginia Center on Budget and Policy (WVCBP). It emerged from more than 80 conversations with impacted people across the state who seek to reduce the harms of incarceration. To learn more about West Virginia’s jails and prisons, and the state’s criminal legal system, access the WVCBP’s criminal law research here.
Will I get a response after reporting an issue?
After reporting an issue, you will immediately get an email confirming your submission.
If you indicate that you would be open to follow-up communication, the CCC may reach out to you for further information regarding the issue you've described.
Is the CCC accepting reports from people in prisons or juvenile facilities?
No, not at the moment. We are focusing our efforts on identifying issues in our state's most deadly facilities: our regional jails.
Can I report an issue that happened in the past?
Whenever possible, we want to hear from the person closest to the harm. This means that, for past issues, we would prefer they be reported directly by the person who experienced the issue. If you experienced an issue during your incarceration in a WV regional jail and were released in the last 6 months, you can report it by clicking "Report an Issue" in the upper righthand corner.
Can you recommend a lawyer for issues my loved one is facing?
The CCC does not provide legal representation or recommendations about lawyers. If you need a referral for an attorney, you can access the West Virginia Bar’s Lawyer Referral Service: https://wvlawyerreferral.org/
Please note: for incarcerated people who want to protect their right to file a lawsuit over jail conditions, they must file a grievance within DCR and complete the process through final decision and appeal. If an incarcerated person does not file a grievance within DCR, they may lose their ability to file a lawsuit over jail conditions.