Tara Simmons spent time in prison is now as second year law student at Seattle University. She wants to help former criminals like herself get help to get back into society.

1 in 4 Americans have criminal records! NJP’s Eric Dunn interviewed on recent HUD Guidance to Landlords: Blanket rejection of tenants with criminal records may be discriminatory.
 
See also NPR National Story: Denying Housing Over Criminal Record May Be Discrimination, Feds Say 

Northwest Justice Project helps a disabled man in Dayton keep his small business going.

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A flood of poor defendants representing themselves — often ineffectively — in dire cases involving eviction, foreclosure, child custody and involuntary commitment has led to a push in legislatures to expand rights to free lawyers in certain civil proceedings.
Everyone has a right to a free lawyer in criminal cases if they can’t afford one. But the same right isn’t guaranteed in civil cases.

Spokane-based bar president says helping poor get legal services is priority.

U.S. Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: Native American girls have the highest rates of incarceration of any ethnic group. They are nearly five times more likely than white girls to be confined to a juvenile detention facility…

WENATCHEE — In July 2014, about 50 workers lived at the King Blossom Natural orchard near Brewster, none aware of the wildfire bearing down on them.
“The owner sent a boy to wake us up,” said Alejandro Valdovinos Murillo in Spanish following the fire. “It was windy and there was so much smoke. There was no time to take anything.” They escaped, but the fire decimated the camp. They were never told to evacuate by authorities.
Patrick Pleas, an attorney with the Northwest Justice Project, believes they were left out of the loop because many of the workers didn’t speak English.

NJP-Tacoma’s Jennifer Ammons cited in News Tribune article:  “We see clients who have units where there is no heat, there’s maybe no running water, no hot water, there’s a hole in the roof and the landlord isn’t going to fix it until they move out.” 

In Washington between 1997 and 2014, there were 989 deaths as a result of domestic violence. It is unlikely that one policy will end domestic violence, but there is one service that is proven to have a positive impact on the lives of survivors and their families – civil legal aid.vIn Washington between 1997 and 2014, there were 989 deaths as a result of domestic violence. It is unlikely that one policy will end domestic violence, but there is one service that is proven to have a positive impact on the lives of survivors and their families – civil legal aid.

According to the Washington Department of Licensing, 380,000 drivers have suspended licenses. Many of them are low-income and lost their license because they failed to pay traffic tickets. They often have unpaid tickets from several jurisdictions and they’re likely to drive even without a license. Now state lawmakers and the attorney general are looking for ways to help these drivers get their licenses back and pay off their fines.
 
See also AGO Press Release 1/28/16 – AG: Reform traffic fine collection for more equitable outcomes