How people in custody or supervision can ask for disability accommodations and report violations of their disability rights by any public agency.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Información sobre la ADA” on our Spanish resources page.

How to file administrative grievances and appeals (Forms 602-1/602-2 and 602 HC), which sometimes can solve prison and parole issues and usually must be completed before a court challenge.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Como presentar una queja y una apelación administrativa de CDCR” on our Spanish resources page.

Learn about eligibility for programs that allow people to serve part of their sentence in the community.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Programas alternativos de custodia y de reingreso del CDCR” on our Spanish resources page.

Form for complaining about problems with a lawyer, such as failure to communicate, ineffective assistance, and over-billing

Link to CALPIA's directory of resources in each county for health, housing, human services, transportation, and reentry

Link to California Council of the Blind resources list

Information on legal actions for challenging a parole denial, rescission or reversal, including common legal issues that can be raised

Information on BPH hearing procedures, including an overview of the California parole process from UnCommon Law, an organization that provides advocacy and support for people in the parole hearing process.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Como entender el proceso y como prepararse para las audiencias de la Junta de Libertad Condicional” on our Spanish resources page.

CDCR's matrix showing who is eligible to be placed in fire camp or minimum custody

Form to authorize a lawyer, advocate, or family member to obtain documents from a person's CDCR file. (Note: There is a different form for authorizing release of health care information.)

This resource is available in Spanish as “Formulario de autorización de archivo custodial del CDCR” on our Spanish resources page.

Information on the Department of Risk Management process for asking for compensation for injury or loss of property caused by prison or jail staff. This process must be completed before filing a state lawsuit seeking money damages.

Information about the different types of petitions for challenging a criminal conviction or sentence in addition to or instead of a direct appeal.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Impugnaciones 'colaterales' a las condenas penales de California” on our Spanish resources page.

Information about how a person might get released from prison through resentencing if they (1) have a serious and advanced medical condition with an end-of-life trajectory, (2) are permanently medically incapacitated with a medical condition or functional impairment that makes them permanently unable to complete activities of basic daily living, or (3) have progressive end-stage dementia.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Liberación compasiva” on our Spanish resources page.

Information on constitutional rights and CDCR rules about using confidential information in disciplinary and classification proceedings.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Uso de la información confidencial en las decisiones del CDCR” on our Spanish resources page.

How to seek seek dental care and challenge denial of dental care.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Atención dental en las prisones del CDCR” on our Spanish resources page.

How to file a notice of appeal from a criminal judgment and contact information for the state appellate defense offices.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Apelaciones directas a condenas penales de California” on our Spanish resources page.

Information about early parole consideration for some people who are over the age of 50 (or in some cases 60).

This resource is available in Spanish as “Programa de libertad condicional para el adulto mayor” on our Spanish resources page.

This non-profit organization publishes some resources for people incarcerated in prisons and jails, including a Racial Justice Act Guide and information on resentencing laws

A summary of some of the changes to the laws on sentences and enhanements in the past few years and whether those laws apply to people convicted before the new laws took effect.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Cambios en las leyes sobre aumentos de condenas y sobre sentencias” on our Spanish resources page.

Information about the laws concerning CDCR's consideration of family ties in deciding where to house someone.

This resource is available in Spanish as “Lazos familiares y ubicaciones en prisiones del CDCR” on our Spanish resources page.