Rights Behind Bars

What Rights Behind Bars does

Rights Behind Bars is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal advocacy organization founded in 2019 and headquartered in Washington, DC. It litigates conditions of confinement cases on behalf of incarcerated individuals — including people in federal and state prisons, local jails, and immigration detention centers — across all levels of the U.S. federal court system. The organization operates three service lines: Track-and-Intervene Appellate Representation (monitoring pro se cases and intervening on appeal to establish binding precedent), Movement-Led Affirmative Litigation (filing targeted class actions against egregious facilities and practices in coordination with grassroots organizers), and Public Advocacy (educating the public and policymakers about harms enabled by secrecy in carceral facilities). It also operates a merchandise store selling branded apparel and accessories.

The business model is donation-driven: as a 501(c)(3), the organization is funded by tax-deductible charitable contributions from individuals and foundations, supplemented by merchandise proceeds. It does not charge clients for legal representation. The organization has built an ecosystem of co-counsel relationships with elite civil rights law firms (Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld, Arnold & Porter, WilmerHale, Covington & Burling, O'Melveny & Myers, Crowell & Morning) and law school clinics (Yale, UNC, Saint Louis University), enabling it to take on complex federal litigation and class actions well beyond what its 1–10 person staff could staff independently.

Rights Behind Bars has reported 106 federal circuit court wins across 39 states and 100+ documented cases. Its landmark outcomes include the Taylor v. Riojas Supreme Court qualified immunity reversal (the first such denial in 16 years), the FCI Dublin class action that resulted in the facility's closure, a $115 million settlement for 104 survivors of sexual abuse (the largest aggregate BOP settlement in history), and the Federal Prison Oversight Act (passed 392–2 in the House and unanimously in the Senate), with FCI Dublin cited as the catalyst.

Name

Rights Behind Bars

Legal name

Rights Behind Bars

Website

https://rightsbehindbars.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Rights Behind Bars is a Washington, DC-based 501(c)(3) legal nonprofit that litigates conditions of confinement cases on behalf of incarcerated people in U.S. jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers, achieving landmark federal appellate and Supreme Court outcomes through a small in-house team and an elite law-firm co-counsel network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civil Rights Legal Advocacy

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Legal Aid & Client Advocacy Services (BPAGAEAM)

akta.pro secondary industry

Civil Liberties & Constitutional Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAA)

Keywords

• Civil rights litigation
• Conditions of confinement
• Prison reform advocacy
• Appellate legal services
• Nonprofit legal representation

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Fundraising: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Rights Behind Bars relies on charitable donations from individuals, foundations, and supporters. The organization states that all donations are tax deductible and every dollar funds litigation, advocacy, and systemic change.
2. Merchandise Sales: The organization sells branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, mugs, hats, bandanas, tote bags, stickers, and youth apparel through their online store. All sale proceeds directly support Rights Behind Bars.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Rights Behind Bars is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization that provides free litigation and advocacy services for incarcerated individuals in U.S. jails, prisons, and immigration detention centers. It litigates conditions of confinement cases at all levels of the federal court system, including appellate representation, affirmative class action lawsuits, and amicus briefs. The organization supplements its litigation work with public advocacy and an online merchandise store that funds its programs.

Product overview

Rights Behind Bars operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit legal organization offering litigation and advocacy services for incarcerated individuals. The organization provides three core services: Track-and-Intervene Appellate Representation (tracking pro se cases and offering appellate representation), Movement-Led Affirmative Litigation (targeted cases against egregious practices), and Public Advocacy (educating the public). Additionally, the organization operates a merchandise store selling branded apparel and accessories including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, mugs, hats, pet bandanas, tote bags, and stickers. The organization maintains a cases database documenting over 100 federal circuit court wins across 39 states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Legal Litigation Services Comprehensive legal representation for incarcerated individuals, including appellate litigation, affirmative litigation, and amicus briefs at federal and state levels, covering conditions of confinement, civil rights, disability, and sexual abuse cases.
• Track-and-Intervene Appellate Representation Tracks pro se cases in key issue areas and offers representation on appeal as repeat players in federal courts to establish strong case law for incarcerated people.
• Movement-Led Affirmative Litigation Brings targeted cases to highlight egregious practices and facilities, working alongside organizers to build movement power for systemic change.
• Public Advocacy Educates the public and decision-makers about harms enabled by secrecy and isolation in jails, prisons, and detention centers.
• RBB Merchandise Store Online store selling branded merchandise including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, mugs, hats, pet bandanas, tote bags, laptop stickers, and youth apparel to support the organization's litigation and advocacy work.

Quantifiable outcome

• Achieved $115 million settlement for 104 survivors of sexual abuse at FCI Dublin — largest aggregate BOP settlement in history
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld LLP (RBGG)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2023Co-counsel in the California Coalition for Women Prisoners et al. v. Bureau of Prisons class action lawsuit regarding FCI Dublin. RBGG is a law firm specializing in civil rights and constitutional law.
• California Collaborative for Immigrant Justice (CCIJ)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 August 2023Co-counsel in FCI Dublin litigation and Ahn v. The GEO Group immigration detention case. CCIJ focuses on immigrant rights and justice.
• Arnold & PortercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel representing 12 survivors of sexual abuse at FCI Dublin in individual lawsuits.
• Yale Law School Worker and Immigrant Rights Advocacy CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Savino et al. v. Souza immigration detention class action lawsuit regarding conditions and COVID-19 at Bristol County House of Corrections.
• Lawyers for Civil RightscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Bristol County immigration detention class action case.
• WilmerHalecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Bristol County immigration detention class action case.
• ArchCity DefenderscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Tillman v. City of Saint Louis ADA action and Jones et al. v. City of St. Louis cases challenging conditions at St. Louis City Justice Center.
• MacArthur Justice CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in St. Louis City Justice Center cases and Tate v. Harmon amicus brief.
• Saint Louis University Law School CliniccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in St. Louis City Justice Center ADA and conditions cases.
• UNC School of Law ClinicsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Edwards v. Hooks case regarding shackling of pregnant incarcerated people in North Carolina.
• Tycko & ZavareeisupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Edwards v. Hooks pregnancy shackling case.
• Crowell & MorningsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Edwards v. Hooks pregnancy shackling case.
• Promise of Justice InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborating organization in VOTE et al. v. LeBlanc lawsuit challenging forced agricultural labor at Angola prison.
• Centro Legal de la RazacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Ahn v. The GEO Group lawsuit regarding wrongful death at Mesa Verde ICE Processing Center.
• Covington & Burling LLPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel with Rights Behind Bars in Snowden v. Henning Seventh Circuit appeal.
• O'Melveny & MyerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Melnik v. Dzurenda Ninth Circuit appeal regarding denial of due process in disciplinary proceedings.
• Legal Defense FundsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-counsel in Getzen v. Long Ninth Circuit case regarding excessive force and qualified immunity.
• Dublin Prison Solidarity CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovement partner in FCI Dublin litigation. Coalition of advocates that protested and organized around the closure of the prison.
• Public Justice, ACLU, Center for Constitutional Rights, MacArthur Justice Center, Southern Center for Human RightssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition of civil rights organizations that submitted amicus brief in Tehum Care Services bankruptcy proceeding supporting pro se incarcerated creditors.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Center for Constitutional Rights: National legal advocacy nonprofit that litigates federal civil rights cases, including prison conditions, immigrant detention, and government misconduct; already an amicus co-counsel partner with RBB.
• Public Justice: National legal advocacy organization that pursues impact litigation on civil rights, prisoners' rights, and abuse of power; partner in RBB's amicus work and operates in overlapping legal territory.
• Equal Justice Initiative: Nonprofit that litigates on behalf of incarcerated people, challenges excessive punishment, and represents death row and wrongfully convicted clients; comparable as a nonprofit legal advocacy organization focused on criminal justice reform.
• Civil Rights Corps: Civil rights litigation nonprofit that challenges systemic criminal justice abuses including conditions of confinement, cash bail, and fines-and-fees practices; closely mirrors RBB's mission of using impact litigation to reform carceral systems.
• Southern Center for Human Rights: Nonprofit that litigates on behalf of people in Southern jails and prisons, challenging conditions of confinement and abusive practices; closely comparable mission and methodology, and an existing RBB partner.
• MacArthur Justice Center: Public interest law firm that litigates against conditions of confinement, wrongful conviction, and civil rights abuses in prisons and jails; already a documented RBB co-counsel partner.
• Promise of Justice Initiative: Louisiana-based nonprofit that litigates conditions of confinement, solitary confinement, and forced labor at Angola and other facilities; a current RBB collaborating partner with directly comparable casework.

Broad incumbents

• ACLU National Prison Project: Established national program within the ACLU that litigates conditions-of-confinement cases and prisoners' rights cases at scale; broader portfolio but directly overlapping subject matter.
• Human Rights Watch (US Program): International human rights organization that investigates and advocates on US prison and detention conditions; comparable in mission and advocacy audience but functions through research and reporting rather than direct litigation.

Emerging players

• Vera Institute of Justice: Nonprofit that combines research, technical assistance, and targeted litigation to reform conditions of confinement and end mass incarceration; comparable reform agenda but primarily uses policy and research rather than courtroom advocacy.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/RightsBehindBars
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RightsBehindBars
• Facebookfacebook.com/rightsbehindbars
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rights-behind-bars

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rights Behind Bars