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.