History

• The landmark Supreme Court case Bounds v. Smith in 1977 resulted in the creation of law libraries in many prisons throughout the U.S.
  
  

Access to the Courts

• Inmates have a right to access to the courts, and law libraries are an extension of that right. Prisoners need this right in order to file appeals and other legal paperwork that might help their situation.
  
  

Jailhouse Lawyer

• Inmates can receive legal help from another inmate also known as a "jailhouse lawyer." This is helpful for inmates who have difficulty navigating or are overwhelmed with the information available to them in the prison law library.
  
  

Types

• Prison law libraries are maintained separately from general prison libraries per the Library Standards for Adult Correctional Institutions.
  
  

Problems

• Access to law library materials is an issue for overcrowded prisons, particularly for inmates who are in segregation. Prisons risk lawsuits when they don't adequately address this issue.