California Code of Regulations
Title 15 - Crime Prevention and Corrections
Division 3 - Adult Institutions, Programs and Parole
Chapter 1 - Rules and Regulations of Adult Operations and Programs
Subchapter 5.1 - Incarcerated and Supervised Person Programs
Article 1 - Administrative Remedies for Incarcerated and Supervised Persons
Section 3482 - Preparation and Submittal of a Grievance

(1) An incarcerated person who wishes to submit a grievance shall do so in writing to the Institutional Office of Grievances at the prison, or to the Institutional Office of Grievances designated for the re-entry facility or fire camp where they are housed. Every Warden, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Adult Institutions, shall issue a separate local rule in compliance with subdivision (c) of section 5058 of the Penal Code which shall be made available in all the law libraries at that institution, identifying the address where grievances may be mailed, the availability of electronic kiosks or tablets for submitting grievances, the physical location in each housing unit of all lock-boxes where grievances may be submitted, and the specific departmental staff permitted to collect grievances from those lock-boxes. Grievances shall be collected from lock-boxes at least once per business day by departmental staff not regularly assigned to that housing unit. Additional local processes and procedures regarding the preparation and submittal of a grievance may be promulgated by the Division of Adult Institutions so long as they are consistent with this Article, pursuant to Penal Code section 5058(c)(1).

(2) A supervised person who wishes to submit a grievance shall do so in writing to the Regional Office of Grievances in the parole region where they are supervised. Every Regional Parole Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the Division of Adult Parole Operations, shall issue a written advisement to a supervised person within 15 calendar days of the supervised person's release from prison identifying the address where grievances may be mailed, the availability of electronic kiosks or tablets for submitting grievances, and the physical location where grievances may be submitted. Additional local processes and procedures regarding the preparation and submittal of a grievance may be promulgated by the Division of Adult Parole Operations so long as they are consistent with this Article, pursuant to Penal Code section 5058(c)(1).

(1) A claimant shall submit a claim within 60 calendar days of discovering an adverse policy, decision, action, condition, or omission by the department. Discovery occurs when a claimant knew or should have reasonably known of the adverse policy, decision, action, condition, or omission.

(2) The time limit for a supervised person to submit a grievance shall not be extended while the supervised person is on suspended status, meaning the supervised person has absconded.

(3) The time constraint to submit a claim shall be extended for the period of time that a claimant is:

(4) Regardless of these time constraints, all allegations of staff misconduct shall be referred by the Centralized Screening Team to an appropriate authority within the department for the purpose of gathering facts needed to prove or disprove the allegation and respond to the claimant.

(1) type or print legibly on an official CDCR Form 602-1 (01/22) or complete the form electronically, if available;

(2) describe all information known and available to the claimant regarding the claim, including key dates and times, names and titles of all involved staff members (or a description of those staff members), and names and titles of all witnesses, to the best of the claimant's knowledge;

(3) describe any attempt to resolve the claim informally and, if there was such an attempt, provide the details of that attempt, including key dates and times, names and titles of all involved staff members (or a description of those staff members), and the results of that attempt, to the best of the claimant's knowledge;

(4) include all supporting documents available to the claimant related to the claim or identify to the best of the claimant's ability all relevant records with sufficient specificity for those records to be located; and

(5) sign and date the CDCR Form 602-1 (01/22).

(1) use threatening, obscene, demeaning, or abusive language, except when quoting persons involved in the claim;

(2) include information or accusations known to the claimant to be false; or

(3) contaminate the grievance package by including organic, toxic, or hazardous materials that may threaten staff safety or institutional security, in which case the grievance shall be safely discarded and the entire grievance disallowed. The claimant may re-submit the grievance concerning the same claim or claims so long as it is submitted within the time constraints set forth in subsection (b).