Manville Is Fall 2005 Advocate In Residence
Daniel E. Manville is the Center for Excellence in Advocacy's Fall 2005 Advocate in Residence. He is a Professor at the Constitutional Rights Clinic at Wayne State University. Over a 25 year legal career, Mr. Manville has worked tirelessly to improve conditions in American prisons. He co-authored "Prisoner's Self-Help Litigation Manual," which has helped countless prisoners protect their own rights. As a former prisoner himself, Mr. Manville has focused his work on using the legal system to remedy the deficiencies of the correctional system.
Mr. Manville addressed Washburn students on the topic of litigating prisoners' rights in a clinical setting during a noon lecture. As a professor, he described the balance between the educational needs of his students and legal needs of his clients. While his students might benefit from a full litigation of the merits of a case, the prisoner and the judicial system more frequently benefit from settling claims.
He also shared some of his personal experiences as a former-prisoner-turned-litigator. He acknowledged that leaving prison in the 1970's, he had tremendous advantages over others released at the same time, and certainly more going for him than most prisoners released since. As the beneficiary of education programs in the prison, he left state custody with more education and skills than he possessed on arrival. Despite his advantages, he confessed that the scariest night of his life was the first night OUT of prison after three years. The hurdles he faced as a convicted felon were serious. It would be three more years before he could enroll in law school. It would be seven additional years after law school before admission to the Michigan Bar.
Mr. Manville's story highlighted the need for change in re-entry and rehabilitation programs in the current prison system. As education and training programs in prison have dwindled, recidivism rates have skyrocketed. Inmates given a change of clothes and $75.00 upon release soon become guests of the state again at the cost of $30,000-$50,000 per year. If inmates with a college degree face years of hardship attempting to build a life after release, what challenges await those with no education or skills?
Mr. Manville also met with members of the Center for Excellence in Advocacy to discuss his personal experiences in the legal and correctional systems, his work with the ACLU, and the legal issues surrounding the remand of Jacklovich v. Simmons, 392 F.3d 420 (10th Cir. 2004), a case heard in October 2005 by the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Washburn Law's Robinson Courtroom and Bianchino Technology Center.
Article contributed by Anthony Hunter.
