Re-Entry Legal Assistance Program
The Re-Entry Legal Assistance Program (RLAP) provides legal services for individuals reintegrating into society after contact with the criminal legal system.
Services focus on removing barriers such as prior convictions, Legal Financial Obligations (LFOs), and professional licensure issues. Support is provided through direct representation, legal advice, systemic advocacy, self-help tools, and community-based assistance events.
RLAP uses multiple service models to reach people both in the community and inside prisons and jails. This includes partnerships with legal and community organizations as well as outreach to populations traditionally underserved by legal aid—such as people with disabilities, immigrants, people experiencing homelessness, and individuals who do not speak English as a primary language.
The Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) does not directly provide services. Instead, services are delivered by the Civil Survival Project through a contract with OCLA, which provides program funding and oversight.
Eligibility
Services are available to individuals with reentry-related legal needs stemming from prior involvement with the criminal legal system.
Program History
In 2020, the legislature recognized the critical need to support individuals reentering society after incarceration by appropriating funds for dedicated reentry legal services. The Reentry Legal Assistance Program (RLAP) was consequently established under Section 115(12), Chapter 357, Laws of 2020, and the Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) was directed to oversee the program. Services provided under the program are essential for addressing significant barriers to reintegration, such as securing housing, obtaining employment, and accessing public benefits.
Since its inception, RLAP-funded civil legal aid providers have delivered comprehensive legal information, advice, assistance, outreach, and representation to individuals reentering society. In FY 2024, RLAP assisted in over 1,350 cases. These services are crucial for helping individuals overcome legal barriers that impede their successful reintegration, thereby reducing recidivism and promoting public safety. While these efforts are significant, they represent only a small portion of the total population in need, with approximately 28,000 people currently incarcerated in Washington State and 98,000 cycling through local jails annually.
Since RLAP's launch in 2020, the program has expanded in both scope and service delivery methods. Originally focused on direct legal help for people exiting incarceration, RLAP has grown to include outreach within prisons and jails, community-based assistance events, and a wider array of services addressing employment, housing, licensing, and debt-related barriers.
Looking ahead, RLAP plans to strengthen access to reentry legal help through new community partnerships and expanded self-help resources. This includes producing multilingual legal education videos, launching a Spanish version of Civil Survival’s legal guide library, and increasing outreach to underserved populations. Civil Survival also plans to host additional Legal Financial Obligation (LFO) Reconsideration Days across the state and continue integrating services into correctional facilities.
Resources
Individuals seeking help can access reentry legal information and services through the following:
- Civil Survival Project – Legal Assistance and Guides
- Washington Law Help – Reentry Legal Help
These resources include self-help guides, legal templates, information about sealing criminal records and clearing LFOs, and instructions on how to get help from a lawyer.
Impact
In fiscal year 2024, RLAP assisted 294 clients across 1,351 cases and appeared in 85 different courts. During this period, an estimated $3 million in LFOs were waived for program participants.