Civil rights issues affecting the Latino community in Washington (District of Columbia) were explored in a 3-day fact-finding hearing involving the sworn testimony of more than 100 witnesses. Information from extensive field investigation and research was also included. The District's Latino population is a small but rapidly increasing minority group that is predominantly low skilled, poor, and in need of social services. Most are either undocumented immigrants or Salvadorans. Police community relations are strained in part due to the District's Civilian Complaint Review Board's inability to investigate and process citizen complaints of police misconduct. In addition, Latinos entering the District court system face severe disadvantages due to ignorance and language barriers. Despite Latino pressure to increase the number of Latinos in the city government, the number of Hispanics in government is proportionately low. Language and cultural barriers limit access to health and social services for Latino residents. Further inadequate low-income housing and lack of educational services are major problems for inner city Latinos. Barriers to educational opportunity such as insufficient bilingual and English-as-a-Second-Language programs; unequal immigrant access to public schools, especially for limited-English-proficient (LEP) students; the resort to corporal punishment by frustrated teachers; problems connected with Latino eligibility for in-state tuition; and communication problems among parents, teachers, and school administrators are considered. A pattern of police misconduct, government resistance to hiring Hispanics, and failure to address bilingual service needs exist. The report includes dissenting views by Commissioner Carl A. Anderson, a police department response to the report, and correspondence. (JB)