Resources

This is a web-based service with reliable information on addiction and rehabilitation, substance abuse, mental health, and treatment. Lists top facilities by city with rigorous research. No facility can submit themselves or pay to be on a list. Includes types of treatment may be most helpful and effective.

 

Provides services to Alabama’s incarcerated women with emphasis on enhancing personal growth and strengthening the bonds between inmate mothers and their children. Serves women in Alabama only.

Alabama Appleseed works to achieve justice and equity for all Alabamians, included the incarcerated. They are currently working on a number of advocacy projects for incarcerated folks and also helping people prepare for successful re-entry. Contact them to receive quarterly updates on their research, coalition building, legislative advocacy, and direct action. They also offer pro-bono legal support for certain cases. Serves Alabama only.

Alabamians for Fair Justice is a coalition made up of formerly incarcerated individuals, family members of those currently or recently serving time in Alabama’s prisons, advocates, and civil justice organizations. Join the coalition and receive updates through their website. Serves Alabama only.

The Aleph Institute is a non-profit Jewish organization dedicated to assisting and caring for the wellbeing of members of specific populations that are isolated from the regular community, including prisoners and people institutionalized or at risk of incarceration due to mental illness or addictions. Aleph addresses their religious, educational, and spiritual needs, advocates and lobbies for their civil and religious rights, and provides support to their families at home left to fend for themselves. Jewish prisoners may write to receive free books, regular monthly literature, holiday offerings, and family programs.

ABA provides high-quality, advanced Bible correspondence courses at no cost to the incarcerated through its Inmate Scholarship Program. Inmates and their legally recognized spouses can receive commercial-quality 120-page textbooks, or download free Bible textbooks, commentaries, courses, Gospel tracts and other Christian resources at www.abarc.org. Inmates may also access American Bible Academy courses through the Edovo app. Course materials available in both English and Spanish.

ABC is on the frontline in supporting those imprisoned for struggling for freedom and liberty with a focus  on the overall support and defense of political prisoners and prisoners of war. The ABC Federation is a collective of ABC groups working together to better support anarchist and "class war" political prisoners and prisoners of war. Write for information on political prisoners and for addresses of other chapters in Bakersfield CA, Inland Empire CA, Orange County, Lancaster PA, Philadelphia PA, and New York City.

The Appalachian Prison Book Project (APBP) sends free books and provides educational opportunities to people incarcerated in the Appalachian region. We serve six states: Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia. You can request by topic area or title, and we will do our best to find a good book for you.

Sends free reading material to folks incarcerated in North Carolina and South Carolina, including county jails, detention centers, state prisons, and federal facilities.  They do not have a catalogue, but try to match requests to books as best they can. Serves people in North Carolina and South Carolina only.

Provides free spiritual and uplifting books to inmates, chaplains, and prison libraries. This program provides opportunities for inmates to create profound, positive change in their body, mind and spirit through the wisdom found in the Edgar Cayce material.Prisoners are limited to one book every two months.

The Bard Prison Initiative (BPI) enrolls students at seven men's and women's correctional facilities in New York: Albion, Coxsackie, Eastern, Fishkill, Green Haven, Taconic and Woodbourne. Students enroll full-time and take in-person courses across a range of academic disciplines, earning Bard College associate and bachelor's degrees. To apply, one must be at one of the seven prisons where BPI operates and have a high school diploma or its equivalent. The application process includes a writing session and interview; candidates who are not offered admission may apply again. BPI students and alumni are also eligible for BPI services in reentry and alumni engagement, which begin while students are incarcerated and continue after they return home.

A volunteer-run nonprofit sending books to inmates in Mississippi correctional facilities since 2015. Mississippi only.

This project was formed to connect with Midwest-based incarcerated trans/gender non-conforming people with other trans/gender non-conforming and allied community members.  This project was initially launched to reach out to transgender prisoners who are placed in lock down (administrative segregation), and now will correspond with LGBTQIA2S+ individuals mainly in MN, IA, ND, and SD.

A grassroots, volunteer-run prison abolition project that provides free books upon request to people incarcerated in New Jersey prisons. Please include your name, ID number, facility name, address, and the kind of books you want. Since all of our books are donated, we can't guarantee exact titles (though we do our best). New Jersey only.

Free books across the Eastern Seaboard. Sends to DE, MD, NJ, NY, PA & VA only.

Free book project covering Alabama and Texas. Write with general requests.

CFASC is dedicated to stopping the inhumane treatment of prisoners within the California penal system, especially those held in solitary confinement. Their ultimate goal is to end the use of solitary confinement. CFASC is primarily an organization working with family members. Serves Californians only.

Writing Warriors Advocacy through Correspondence project establishes supportive relationships between volunteers in the community and people incarcerated at the women's prisons in California. The program is part of a collective undertaking which trains correspondents to promote advocacy for incarcerated people.  Writing Warriors volunteers primarily communicate via GTL email but can also correspond thru U.S. mail via the CCWP Oakland office address. Only provides services to California prisons.

The Center of Wrongful Convictions Women's Project monitors potential cases of wrongfully convicted women across the country, facilitates the sharing of information about such cases, and educates the public about relevant issues. They consider cases in which the person seeking assistance must be in no way responsible for the crimes of which she was convicted, and the trial must be completed and have resulted in a conviction and sentence.

The CWCY is the only innocence project in the country that focuses exclusively on individuals who were convicted or accused of crimes when they were adolescents or younger. They are dedicated to identifying, investigating, and litigating credible innocence claims of wrongfully convicted young people and preventing future wrongful convictions.

Our organization sends free Buddhist books to prisoners who request them, answers questions regarding Buddhist beliefs and practice that prisoners may have. Sends nationally. For correspondence course on Buddhism, write to:
Buddhist Correspondence Course
Pháp Nguyen Buddhist Congregation,
c/o Rev. T.N.Phap Lan
1838 County Road 129, Pearland, TX 77581-623

Published a monthly newsletter with news about prisoners nationwide from 2009 to 2023. Archived issues are on the website and can be mailed to prisoners or read online.

A Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual (12th Ed, 2020, 1520 pages, $30) is a handbook of legal rights and procedures designed to inform prisoners of their rights and how use to judicial process to secure these rights on both the federal and state level, with an emphasis on New York State law. It also has published the following supplements: 1) on Louisiana state law; 2) on Texas state law; and 3) on Immigration and consular access, containing information about the immigration law consequences of criminal convictions for people who are not U.S. Citizens. Individual chapters are also available for download.

This is a student-run, volunteer organization; they cannot provide legal advice or respond to individual inquiries. Expect delays in delivery.

For incarcerated persons, the 12th Edition of the main JLM is $30; supplements range from $15-25 by state. Make checks payable to "Columbia Jailhouse Lawyers' Manual." For non-prisoners, the main JLM is $140 and supplements range from $50-100. 

The CPCS Innocence Program aims to identify and litigate new trial motions on behalf of indigent Massachusetts state defendants who are actually innocent of the crimes of which they have been convicted. They review and litigate both DNA and non-DNA based innocence claims, with special attention to cases involving eyewitness identification evidence, false confessions, and flawed or invalidated forensic science testimony. Write for questionnaire. Do not send original documents. Serves Massachusetts only. 

A coalition that focuses on alternatives to incarceration, prison reform legislative issues, community education, and effective interventions for all of Hawaii’s lawbreakers. CAP’s goal is to educate the community on best practices and proven strategies that preserve human dignity, reform our criminal justice system, and motivate the greater community to take action on these important issues. Serves individuals in Hawai'i only.

Provides monthly Dharma Friends newsletters, and also the following resource lists; Personal Health and Nutrition, 12 Step and Buddhism, Buddhist Resources, Christian Spiritual Resources, Hindu and Yoga Spiritual Resources, Other Spiritual and Psychological Healing Resources, Todd Fletcher's Buddhist Resource List, Ani Tendron's Recommended Buddhist Readings.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Michigan; DNA cases only; must be in custody; no time requirement. Students assist assigned attorneys with reviewing case files, screening applications, investigating facts, conducting interviews, and analyzing cases. Serves Michigan only.

Founded in 1844, the Correctional Association of New York (CA) is an independent non-profit organization that advocates for a more humane and effective criminal justice system. They visit and assess conditions in prisons across NY state. CA is not able to provide legal assistance or extensive individual advocacy, communication with impacted individuals is logged and analyzed for use in monitoring and reporting. Additionally, CANY on a limited basis and with the consent of an impacted individual, does provide legal referrals, access to informational resources, and administrative advocacy. Serves New York only. 

CURE-SORT (Sex Offenders Restored through Treatment) has information, resources, contacts, and support to individuals, families, treatment providers, and professionals who work with issues of sexual abuse and its prevention.  CURE-SORT is an issue chapter of Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE). Provides info nationally. We are not a treatment program. We do not provide legal assistance.

Request free reading material by mail. Sends books to state and federal prisoners in AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MD, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NM, NV, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, WV, and WY as well as federal prisoners (only) in AZ and requests from DC residents in federal prisons in all states. Please wait 5 months between requests.

Assistance is generally limited to providing basic disability civil rights informational materials and referrals, with attention to CDCR state prisoners concerning prison condition and medical access. DREDF does not provide assistance with individual disability benefits applications or denial of Social Security Disability benefits. California only.

Advocacy for disabled people in Texas, including those in some correctional facilities. Write for handout: Disability Discrimination in Correctional Facilities, or Suing a Government Entity for an Injury. To request legal advocacy services, call 1-800-252-9108. Only serves people in Texas.

The Education Justice Project (EJP) is a comprehensive college-in-prison program at Danville Correctional Center in central Illinois. Students earn transferable University of Illinois credit. EJP also publishes multiple reentry guides: Mapping Your Future: National Edition and A New Path: A Guide to the Challenges and Opportunities After Deportation. Mapping Your Future includes advice about housing, employment, healthcare, substance use and more, with resources for formerly incarcerated individuals throughout the US. A New Path is a guide for people getting deported to Mexico and Central America and is published in English and Spanish. EJP also prepares specific reentry resources for Illinois residents (Mapping Your Future: A Guide to Successful Reentry in Illinois), availalbe in both English and Spanish.) All resources can be found on their Reentry Guides website.

Provides legal representation to indigent defendants and prisoners who have been denied fair and just treatment in the legal system. They litigate on behalf of condemned prisoners, juvenile offenders, people wrongly convicted or charged with violent crimes, poor people denied effective representation, and others whose trials are marked by racial bias or prosecutorial misconduct. The organization requests that you not send any printed materials unless we specifically request them. Mostly works with people in Southern states.

Nonprofit organization fighting for fair and proportionate sentencing laws that allow judicial discretion; improved prison conditions; and an increase in compassionate release. Does not provide legal service. May not respond to letters.

The Florida Justice Institute (FJI) is a public interest law firm that conducts civil rights litigation and advocacy in the areas of prisoners’ rights, housing discrimination, disability discrimination, and other areas impacting the poor and disenfranchised. This includes cases for persons currently or formerly incarcerated in a Florida prison or jail involving mistreatment while incarcerated, or involving the conditions of the facility. Does not assist with criminal law cases or postconviction cases such as habeas corpus petitions.Only serves people in Florida. 

Publishes and distributes "The Texas Writ Writer's Survival Guides" including THE TEXAS CITEBOOK which contains 1,400+ Texas caselaws on 100 legal topics and has a foreword by the National Lawyers Guild. To receive an order form and more info send SASE. An order form will be returned for signature. As soon as payment is received, books will be ordered. To receive an order form and more info, send a SASE. Mostly for Texans.

The Fortune Society’s vision is to create a world where all who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated can become positive, contributing members of society. They do this through a holistic, one-stop model of service provision. Their continuum of care, informed and implemented by professionals with cultural backgrounds and life experiences similar to those of their participants, helps ensure each individual’s success. The Fortune Society serves approximately 7,000 individuals annually via three primary New York City-area locations: their service center in Long Island City, and both The Fortune Academy and Castle Gardens in West Harlem. Also publishes The Fortune News twice per year, which is free to those incarcerated in NY. Serves people in New York only.

Offers prisoner titles such as Cell Chef Cookbook, Life With A Record,
Start Thinking Outside Prison, Post-Conviction Relief series, Habeas Corpus
Manual, and many books, guides, photos, and a wide variety of gifts,
all make in USA. Send a pre-addressed, stamped envelope for packet of
color brochures. To see more, best to order their 92 page color catalog, send $5.
and add $5. more for shipping and tracking. Produces Inmate Shopper
(current issues always available) which is America’s largest book of resources
for inmate services plus many other sections of reading and entertainment.
PARC recommends the Inmate Shopper because it reviews and rates many
businesses that service inmates. Order on line, by text, email or mail
by sending payment of $29.99 (includes shipping & tracking) to the address
listed at @freebirdpublishers. Cash App at $freebird publishers, venmo@freebirdpublishers,
PayPal.me/freebirdpublishers.

Friends of Iowa Women Prisoners mission is to bring together those concerned about women in the Iowa correctional system and provide education on how to best advocate on their behalf. They support a variety of programming to incarcertated women and also award scholarships that allow women to take college credit classes while incarcerated. Serves Iowa women only.

As a comprehensive survey of all criminal procedure in the federal courts. The ARCP is a single issue per year edition that provides readers with objective, concise and accurate overview of criminal procedure and recent case-law decisions in the United States Supreme Court and each of the 12 Federal Circuit Courts. The $25 discounted rate is only honored for orders sent directly to correctional facilities, $85 for standard retail rate. Also offers complimentary copies of older editions to those who are incarcerated that can provide proof of indigence. Ask a friend or loved one to email for the discounted order form, and have them mail it to you or write to the Office of Journal Administration-ARCP for a copy to be mailed directly to you. Please make checks and money orders payable to: Georgetown Law Journals-ARCP. VISA/Mastercard  payments are accepted via fax at 845-267-3478. Refunds are not available for discount orders. Orders are shipped USPS, so please allow up to 4-6 weeks for delivery. Tax must be included if shipping to DC (5.75%), VA (5.0%), MD (6%), NY (7.0%), TN (7% state & 2.25% local). Expect delays; Do not send money order or check without an order form.

Through strategic litigation, public policy advocacy and education, GLAD works in New England and nationally to create a just society free of discrimination based on gender identity and expression, HIV status and sexual orientation. As part of this work, GLAD takes very select legal representation on behalf of LGBTQ prisoners. Has a victory in Sept. 2018 achieving transfer of a trans woman to a women's prison in Maine. Also has a New England centered resource guide. Mostly serves people in New England.

Provides free books to people incarcerated around the US. Write to request specific titles, authors, and or general types of books you're interested in. If we don't have exact titles or authors on hand, we will do our best to send a close match from books available. Serves: federal facilities and CA, TX, and FL state facilities.

The Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project is a law student clinic providing service to indigent incarcerated people, including advocacy for those charged with violating prison regulations, people appearing before Parole Board and disciplinary hearings, and legal research assistance for those who are currently incarcerated. Because this program is university-affiliated, it may not be staffed during transitional periods in the academic schedule. Collect calls accepted. Provides post-conviction administrative advocacy, not direct pre-conviction litigation. Represents incarcerated people in disciplinary and parole hearings in Massachusetts only; provides legal research for incarcerated folks all over the country.

Hawai‘i Friends of Restorative Justice (HFRJ) envisions a humanitarian justice system that provides processes for hope, healing and rehabilitation. They provide education, training, and program development to help individuals and organizations live cooperatively based on knowledge gleaned over the years. They have trained and hired incarcerated peer educator tutors and help fund higher education after release. They developed an effective re-entry planning process and provide a re-entry guide for Hawai’i. Serve Hawai’i only. 

Hearts on a Wire is a grassroots organization working to address the needs of incarcerated transgender people in Pennsylvania prisons. They are a group of trans and gender variant people building a movement for gender self-determination, racial and economic justice, and an end to policing and imprisoning our communities. Offers a free newsletter to incarcerated and detained people. Write to be added to their mailing list. In your letter asking to be added, please tell us something about your relationship to the trans community. Serves transgender people in Pennsylvania only.

Hope Prison Ministry assists men and women leaving prisons in South Dakota with clothing, housing, transportation, and food to support them in making a new start and re-establishing themselves in society. Offers fellowship and friendship beyond the walls. Serves South Dakota only.

How To Justice's goal is to provide easy-to-read answers to your questions about your rights in prison, including conditions, medical care, visitation, and rights to communication. Write with general questions. Does not provide legal advice.

The Human Kindness Foundation's Prison-Ashram Project sends free books and newsletters to people in prisons and jails all over the U.S., including We're All Doing Time by the late Bo Lozoff. HKF encourages a way of life based upon three common principles taught by the great sages of all religions: Simple living, a dedication to service, and a commitment to personal spiritual practice. Write to request materials in English or Spanish. Limited materials also available to addresses outside the U.S.

Humanity for Prisoners, in collaboration with strategic partners, works one-on-one with people in prison to provide personalized services which empower them to receive support and assistance. Key areas of focus include: navigating the prison system, advocating for healthcare, gaining access to public documents, preparing for parole board hearings, and reconnecting with lost family and friends. Serves Michigan only.

Reviews cases where the applicant claims to be actually innocent of the crime(s) for which he or she is convicted. Must be substantial new evidence to support a claim of innocence, such as DNA evidence. Must have at least 8 years left on your sentence and not already represented. Cannot take on all applicants. Expect delays, especially during summer. Serves Illinois only.

Serves incarcerated people and their loved ones by offering a rapid response support system to address rights violations and injustices that occur in Illinois jails and prisons for people in immediate danger and ongoing case management. They provide support and intervention in instances of abuse, neglect, and violations of civil and human rights. Services are free to incarcerated community members and their loved ones. Serves Illinois only.

The Incarcerated Individuals Legal Assistance Project (ILAP) is a student run, pro-bono organization that provides free legal research to incarcerated individuals. Under the guidance of an experienced appellate attorney, students aid incarcerated individuals on a variety of legal issues, from post-conviction relief and ineffective assistance of counsel claims to tort claims and family law. Primarily serves Indiana but may be able to assist incarcerated people in other states. 

The Innocence Project works to exonerate the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms to the criminal justice system to prevent future injustices. They accept only cases in which DNA testing can prove innocence. Write to request intake form. Accepts applications nationwide EXCEPT from AZ, CA, IL, MI, OH, WI or PR.

Accepts cases of factual innocence; must be serving a life sentence or a near-life sentence with at least 10 years left to be served; direct appeal has been denied; cannot afford an attorney; is not serving a sentence on another conviction. Serves Louisiana and South Mississippi only.

The Innocence Project of Texas can only review cases that meet the following tests: The prisoner is claiming actual innocence; the conviction is a felony which took place in a Texas state court; and all direct appeals have been completed. Does not accept requests for assistance via email, phone, or fax. Serves Texas state prisoners only (no federal).

Organization supporting education model that brings together campus-based college students with incarcerated students for a class held inside jail or prison. This is a training center for Inside-Out education programs all across the country. it does not directly teach students. Write to find out if there is an Inside-Out program in your state.

ISKCON Prison Ministry (IPM) donates books about: karma, reincarnation, mantra meditation and bhakti-yoga. These books teach you how to live a godly life and find internal peace and joy, no matter what your external circumstances are.

We have books in English and Spanish. If you need books in another language, please ask us and we’ll see if we can get it for you. In your letter be sure to tell us if you are allowed hardcover or only softcover books, and how many books at a time. We also donate books, CDs (lectures and music) and DVDs, to chapel libraries; you can give our information to your chaplain. If you are allowed to receive CDs yourself, let us know that as well.

The NYPL's Correctional Library Services publishes "Connections", the most exhaustive guide and directory of resources in New York City available to help people when they are leaving correctional facilities. The guidebook is free to those incarcerated in New York State prisons and local jails, with mailed copies prioritized for soon-to-be-released individuals. Full PDF available online. Aquí encontrará una traducción al español disponible como un archivo PDF. Personas que están encarceladas pueden solicitar hasta 40 páginas impresas de "Conexiones" a la vez (que se enviarán por carta), escribiendo a: NYPL Correctional Services, 445 Fifth Ave, NY, NY 10016. Serves individuals in New York only.

JPSI is a Jewish chaplaincy organization that strives to fulfill the Talmudic obligation of all Jews being responsible for each other, along with other religious mandates of their faith. JPSI strives to insure that Jewish prisoners are permitted to practice their faith by providing the advocacy and religious materials to further that goal. Write for a prisoner info form. Follow us on LinkedIn! Serves Jewish prisoners nationally; expect delay in response.

Prospective clients should meet the following criteria: a Kentucky conviction & incarceration; a minimum five-year sentence; a minimum of three years until eligible to go before the parole board or if parole has been deferred, a minimum of three years to the next appearance before the parole board; new evidence of innocence discovered since the conviction which can be investigated; and a claim of actual innocence. Serves Kentucky only.

The Korey Wise Innocence Project (fKWIP) will not take cases in which the defendant already has a lawyer, or is entitled to a lawyer at state expense. The KWIP will take a case only where there is a genuine and provable claim of innocence. The KWIP gets involved only when the traditional methods of appealing a conviction have failed. Only Colorado cases will be accepted (state and federal). Write for a copy  of evaluation criteria.

The Legal Action Center (LAC) uses legal and policy strategies to fight discrimination, build health equity, and restore opportunity for people with arrest and conviction records, substance use disorders, and HIV or AIDS. They also help people fight for their right to medication for addiction treatment (MAT) or medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) Primarily serves people in New York state, but sends resources to incarcerated people throughout the US. 

Legal Assistance to Minnesota Prisoners (LAMP) provides civil representation to indigent persons incarcerated in Minnesota. Students at the Mitchell Hamline School of Law represent clients from interviews through any trial. Cases include domestic relations, imprisonment-related matters (institutional grievances, parole, and detainers), and the full range of other civil problems including debtor-creditor, wills, contracts, torts, and civil rights issues. LAMP does not handle appeals for inmates to contest their convictions. Serves people in Minnesota only.

Legal Services for Prisoners, Inc., (L.S.P.) is a non-profit group that provides legal services to indigent inmates in Kansas correctional facilities. The program’s goal is to ensure that prisoners’ rights to the courts are met to pursue non-frivolous claims. L.S.P. assist inmates with the unique legal problems which arise out of their incarceration and help to augment the normal Facility Counseling Services. They do not represent inmates for money damages or most other civil matters, but can provide information on who to contact to seek counsel and in some instances how to proceed pro se in such cases. Serves Kansas only.

The Lewisburg Prison Project (LPP) is affiliated with the PA Institutional Law Project (PILP). Together, we provide informational materials, advice, and representation on civil rights matters related to the conditions of confinement (medical, mental health, excessive force, etc.) of those incarcerated in Pennsylvania. We cannot provide legal advice or representation to those with claims that occur outside of Pennsylvania, and we do not assist with criminal matters, habeas cases, sentencing, or parole issues. Also provides informational materials and legal bulletins about prisoners' rights to people incarcerated throughout the United States. Resources available online, or write in for order form and to submit requests. May not answer phone calls. Legal advice only provided in Pennsylvania; other resources nationwide.

The only organization that provides books of their choosing to youth in Illinois prisons. Volunteer-run. Write for a catalog of options.

LSA offers a free monthly newsletter, Lifer-Line, and the quarterly California Lifer Newsletter with reviews of the latest published and unpublished state and federal cases concerning parole issues, parole board news, legislation and articles on prison, parole and correctional issues of interest to prisoners and their families. Each issue contains 50 - 70 pages. Subscription rates are: Inmates, $35 per year, $60 for 2 yrs, $90 for 3 yrs. Free individuals, $99 per year, $180 for 2 years. Also correspondence courses on several subjects relevant to parole suitability.   Sign up for free newsletter and correspondence courses on the website, www.lifesupportalliance.org.  Focuses on the California lifer population, but anyone can benefit from their information.

Write in your book requests by topic or genre, or have a friend print the optional order form from our website and mail to you. Spanish resources available. No law books. Sends books to people who are locked up in jails, prisons, and ICE facilities in Louisiana, Alabama, and Arkansas.

The Maine Prisoner Advocacy Coalition (MPAC) is comprised of Maine prisoners, their friends and families, and others committed to humane changes in Maine's prison system. They focus on solitary confinement, inhumane conditions of confinement, and reentry services. They may also connect you with other organizations and advocates that can help with support and reentry. Write a letter to PO Box 446, Lisbon ME 04250 or email.  Serves Maine only.

Write for free Qur'an, prayer rugs, and kuffis as well as other books on Al-Islam. Conducts visits in Michigan. Nationwide services.

Free investigative and legal assistance to innocent prisoners convicted in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia who have provable claims of innocence, either by DNA testing or by other newly discovered evidence. The prisoner must not be currently represented by another attorney in his or her criminal case, or have the right to appointed counsel in the case. Write in for questionnaire. D.C., Maryland and Virginia only.

Midwest Pages to Prisoners provides free books and zines to prisoners in the Midwest. Serves only AR, IA, IN, KS, ND, OK, & SD.

Midwest Pages to Prisoners provides free books and zines to prisoners in these ten Midwest states only: AR, IA, IN, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, OK, & SD. In your letter, please tell us what type of reading material you are interested in—sharing subjects and genres of interest is most helpful. 

Abolitionist group of volunteers sending books to individuals incarcerated in Missouri and Kansas only.

Accepts DNA and non-DNA cases. Prisoners must have been convicted of a felony crime in a Montana state or federal court; must have completed trial, sentencing and direct appeals; must not currently be represented by an attorney. Priority is given to cases where convincing and corroborating evidence can establish actual innocence. Serves Montana only.

Mount Tamalpais College (MTC) is an independent, accredited liberal arts college inside San Quentin State Prison. MTC offers a 61-unit Associate of Arts degree in liberal arts as well as a college preparatory program in math and writing. The college offers 20 college courses each semester, allowing students to complete the coursework necessary for transfer to any California State University or University of California campus. The sole requirement for participation is a high school diploma or GED. No student is excluded based on age, length of sentence, commitment offense, or time left to serve. The college charges no fees or tuition and provides all the necessary textbooks, course readers, and school supplies in addition to learning support services, tutoring, and a computer lab. MTC provides education only to people based in San Quentin State Prison in California.

Advocates for change policies and society to increase understanding and acceptance of transgender people. Its Racial and Economic Justice Initiatice includes work on reforming detention conditions for transgender people in correctional facilities and in immigration detention. In 2019, NCTE published Failing To Protect & Serve, an audit of the policies at the 25 largest police departments and a model policy to help local advicates and law enforcement. Operating remotely in January 2022 and will continue to do so for an undetermined period of time. They are still active during the pandemic but remote status may impact phone and written responses. Will send resources nationwide.

The National Defense Center for Criminalized Survivors (NDCCS), formerly known as the National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women, addresses the unique needs of victims and survivors of gender-based violence who have been criminalized as a result of their experiences of being abused. NDCCS does not provide direct legal representation; it works with defense teams of survivors by providing case-specific technical assistance, resources, and support. NDCCS works nationwide.

The National Office of the National Lawyers Guild in New York does not provide lawyers or legal assistance; they offer free membership for jailhouse lawyers, which includes the ability to vote on national resultions and to receive the quarterly publication, Guild Notes. Also publishes Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook with Center for Constitutional Rights. See PARC RECOMMENDED BOOKS at the end of this Directory for more info on how to order. If CCR does not respond to your request for the Handbook in 2+ months, then request from the National NLG.  There is also an online form available at https://www.jailhouselaw.org/ to request a Handbook.

NMIJP’s primary mission is to provide assistance and referrals to people wrongfully convicted in our state. NMIJP is an independent organization, and has no affiliation with any other project in New Mexico. They will be opening to review and refer cases soon. In the meantime, please direct questions or concerns to info@nmijp.org. Serves New Mexico only. 

The North Carolina Innocence Inquiry Commission was created by the North Carolina General Assembly in 2006 and is charged with providing an independent and balanced truth-seeking forum for credible post-conviction claims of innocence in North Carolina. The Commission is separate from the appeals process. A person exonerated by the Commission process is declared innocent and cannot be re-tried again. Serves North Carolina only.

Accepts actual innocence cases for people convicted in a Northern or Central California county; DNA and non-DNA cases; no minimum sentence requirements. The applicant must have been convicted in state court of a serious felony. Will consider cases involving faulty forensic science, police or prosecutor misconduct, ineffective assistance of counsel, eyewitness misidentification, false testimony and false confessions. Northern and Central California only.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Ohio; DNA and non-DNA cases; no sentence requirements. Only serves prisoners in Ohio.

Cases accepted for review: Cases of actual innocence in Ohio; non-DNA cases only; arson cases; Shaken Baby Syndrome cases; child sex abuse cases; all other claims of actual innocence. Serves Ohio only.

The Prison Book Project sends free books to indigent prisoners in Florida prisons. Serves people in Florida only.

Pathfinder Press is a publisher whic carries books on the works of revolutionary and working class leaders, in many different languages. Prisoners receive a 50% discount off the cover price, with a flat rate of $2.75 for shipping and handling per order (one or more titles). Write for a free catalog. Serves people internationally.

Since the mid-1970s, PEN America’s Prison and Justice Writing Program (PJW) has supported and amplified the work of thousands of writers who are creating while incarcerated in the United States. Recognizing that the freedom to write in U.S. prisons is a critical free expression issue of our time, PJW leverages the transformative possibilities of writing to raise public consciousness about incarceration and justice, and supports the development of justice-involved literary talent. The annual PEN Prison Writing Awards recognizes exceptional works in poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and playwriting/screenwriting with cash prizes, development support through the PEN Prison Writing Mentorship Program, and publication in an annual anthology series. Additionally, by providing free copies of our recently updated handbook, The Sentences that Create Us: Crafting a Writer's Life in Prison (Haymarket Books, 2022), PJW strives to bridge access to the broader literary community. Serves writers nationally.

PILP seeks to deliver civil legal services to the institutional population in Pennsylvania, and was created and designed to meet the needs of low income residents of PA prisons, jails, hospitals, and state centers. PILP also publishes (or provides) free copies of the a number of legal publications.  Write for more info. Most resources only for prisoners in Pennsylvania.

Fights for justice for people in Illinois who have been tortured or physically abused, wrongfully arrested or convicted, unfairly sentenced to death, or targeted as a result of their political beliefs or organizing efforts on behalf of movements struggling for justice and liberation. Serves Illinois only.

PM Press carries counter-culture, anti-prison, and similar titles including The Prison-Industrial Complex and the Global Economy, Let Freedom Ring: A Collection of Documents from the Movements to Free U.S. Political Prisoners, and more. Prisoners receive a 50% discount. No longer offers printed catalog; must view website (asking for outside help if needed) for listings of books. Check your selection against the prison's contraband list as many political books are banned. Serves nationally.

Free books and print resources to people in prisons and jails. Offers a free National Prisoner Resource List and a free legal primer (We The People). Three book shipments per person per year. Requests typically take 60-90 days to fill. Serves people in all 50 states, except facilities and state systems which do not permit free books or only permit books from Amazon, Hamilton, etc.

Brings those impacted by the justice system together with the University of Michigan community for artistic collaboration, mutual learning, and growth. Its programs include weekly creative arts workshops, exhibitions, a literary journal, and a community of formerly incarcerated creators. Write to PCAP to join the newsletter mailing list and receive its calls for art and writing. Michigan only.

Training incarcerated writers to be journalists, so they can participate in the dialogue about criminal legal reform.  Will publish your articles, essays, poems, art and cartoons that incorporate firsthand observations and/or experiences. Our word count is 500 - 1,200 words (ideally 1,000 words or less). No more than ONE STORY or THREE POEMS per submission. Write for full submission guidelines and writing prompts before submitting original work. Expect at least 12 weeks for response.

Prison Legal News (PLN) is a project of the Human Rights Defense Center. It is a 72-page monthly journal covering prison related news, summaries of recent case-law decisions affecting prisoners, and analysis from across the country. A one-year subscription is $30 for prisoners, $35 for individuals and $90 for lawyers and institutions. Single copies of current or back issues are $5. PLN also sells many books related to prison issues, including The Habeas Citebook: Prosecutorial Misconduct, Prison Education Guide, The Disciplinary Self-Help Litigation Manual, The Habeas Citebook: Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, and Prisoners' Self Help Litigation Manual. Write for a copy of the book list.

The goal is to provide prisoners, prison staff, and prison volunteers with the most effective, proven tools for rehabilitation, self-transformation, and personal & professional development through mindfulness-based interventions (MBI’s). The Prison Dharma Network/Prison Mindfulness Institute (PMI) works with volunteers who offer meditation inside prisons. Its Books Behind Bars program will mail mindfulness, meditation, and Buddhist books to people inside prison. It also offers the Path of Freedom (Mindfulness-Based Emotional Intelligence) correspondence course. The Path of Freedom (and other courses by PMI) can also be found on the Edovo App (currently available in hundreds of US prisons).

Prisoner Express News is published every six months and sent free of charge to incarcerated individuals throughout the United States. They are also available for download online. PE also sends books and educational packets as available. Prisoner Express has ongoing programs in creative writing, chess, meditation, journaling and art. Sends to people nationally.

The Prisoner’s Rights Information System of Maryland (PRISM) assists current inmates of Maryland state prisons with their 8th Amendment rights, and offers representation or advice to state prisoners in civil rights matters and certain state habeas corpus or inmate grievance office cases. They also handle sentence calculation problems, lack of medical care or improper living conditions, violation of constitutional rights of religion, association, etc. PRISM will provide representation and legal assistance only in cases dealing with the status of conviction and actions under 42 U.S.C., Section 1983, to challenge conditions of confinement. This includes legal services for representation in select cases at Inmate Grievance Office hearings and appeals when the grievance involves a civil rights or constitutional issue, assistance with problems concerning prison conditions or administration (e.g., disciplinary actions, medical complaints, mistreatment, etc.), problems related to parole, and problems related to sentences such as sentence computation, diminution of confinement credits, etc. PRISM does not provide representation in criminal, domestic and civil court actions. To connect with PRISM, incarcerated peopele should mail the P.O. Box address. Serves Maryland only.

PLSNY provides free legal services to New York State prisoners - not serving those in jails or federal prison. Pre-release and re-entry program (PREP) assists clients with 6-18 months from their release date. Also publishes Pro Se newsletter six times per year, providing information and analysis on recent developments in NY prison law. To subscribe, send a subscription request with prisoner's name, DIN number, and facility to: Pro Se, 114 Prospect Street, Ithaca, NY 14850. Past issues are downloadable from their website. Offices in Albany, Buffalo, Ithica, and Newburgh - write or call for more info on your local office. Serves New York only.

Prisoners’ Legal Services provides legal representation and administrative advocacy in civil (non-criminal) matters related to prisoners’ treatment in Massachusetts prisons and jails, and upon release on parole. Serves current or former Mass prisoners in issues including inadequate medical or mental health care, assaults or violence by staff, unsafe or inhumane conditions in Mass jails or prisons, arbitrary use of isolation, and/or unfair denial or revocation of parole. Accepts letters to address listed and calls during intake hours on Monday (or Tuesday if Monday is a holiday) from 1:00pm – 4:00pm. Non-English speakers seeking assistance may also contact PLS - they will provide interpretation services. Serves people in Mass. only.

Project AVARY offers long-term support and enrichment for children and youth in the San Francisco Bay Area with a parent in prison or jail. The program services include a summer camp, monthly outings, leadership training, and family support. Also coordinates online group mentoring, available to anyone in the country. Write for further details.

Project Rebound is a program to help formerly incarcerated students prepare, apply, enroll and graduate with a degree from Cal State Fullerton. The program offers academic and financial counseling, peer mentoring and tutoring, and career placement. Serves released Californians only.

Project Rebound is a program to help formerly incarcerated students prepare, apply, enroll and graduate with a degree from CSU Bakersfield. The program offers academic and financial counseling, peer mentoring and tutoring, and career placement. Serves released Californians only.

Project Rebound is a program to help formerly incarcerated students prepare, apply, enroll and graduate with a degree from CSU San Marcos. The program offers academic and financial counseling, peer mentoring and tutoring, and career placement. Serves released Californians only.

Project Rebound is a program to help formerly incarcerated students prepare, apply, enroll and graduate with a degree from Fresno State University. The program offers academic and financial counseling, peer mentoring and tutoring, and career placement. Serves released Californians only.

Project Rebound is a program to help formerly incarcerated students prepare, apply, enroll and graduate with a degree from Long Beach State University. The program offers academic and financial counseling, peer mentoring and tutoring, and career placement. Serves released Californians only.

Project Rebound is a program to help formerly incarcerated students prepare, apply, enroll and graduate with a degree from CSU San Bernadino. The program offers academic and financial counseling, peer mentoring and tutoring, and career placement. Serves released Californians only.

Project Rebound is a program to help formerly incarcerated students prepare, apply, enroll and graduate with a degree from SF State University. The program offers academic and financial counseling, peer mentoring and tutoring, and career placement. Serves released Californians only.

Promise of Justice Initiative (PJI) is a New Orleans-based organization that stands at the forefront of the fight for the liberation, freedom, and autonomy of people targeted and touched by the criminal legal system and mass incarceration. PJI’s approach is multifaceted, including collective action, legislative advocacy, civil and criminal litigation, and reframing narrative discourse. PJI’s clients are currently incarcerated people and their families, as well as crime survivors, victims’ families, and communities outside of prisons that suffer from the impact of mass incarceration. Community organizing and policy work includes everyone, but litigation is limited to systemic claims on a selective basis. Serves Louisiana only.

Part of the Center for Transformative Action. Assists folks coming out of immigration detention in New York in securing structural, health/wellness, educational, legal, and emotional support and services.

Reconnect 2 Success provides services those formerly incarcerated and soon to be released inmates with skills, support and services needed to overcome barriers that interfere with reentry success. Reentry services focused on three core areas - education, job readiness, and personal development - include assistance in enrolling in educational programs, weekly job trainings and events in Omaha, and career assistance. Referrals come from Federal Probation, State Parole and Probation, County Jail and community partners. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (402)-934-4933 or fill out the contact box on their website. Serves Nebraska only.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Nevada, Wyoming or Utah; DNA and non-DNA cases; seven or more years left to serve on sentence; must be completely innocent; significant new evidence must be available to prove the prisoner’s innocence.

San Quentin News is a 20-page monthly newsletter written, edited, and produced by prisoners incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison. The SQ News encourages prisoners, staff, or others outside the institution to submit articles, poems, artwork and letters to the editor for possible inclusion. To receive a mailed copy of the SQ News, send $1.61 in postage. This process should be repeated every month for each new edition.

 Free books to individuals incarcerated in Georgia. Write for more info on resources available. Georgia only.

Publishes work by lesbians only - prose, poetry, essays, graphics, and book reviews. Will send free to women. Nationwide to women's prisons only.

SCHR provides legal representation to people facing the death penalty in Georgia and Alabama only, as well as in cases of unconstitutional conditions of confinement. SCHR also provides free access to a number of publications and handouts, including your free speech rights in prison and Georgia parole handbook. Serves people in Georgia and Alabama only.

Provides free legal services to released prisoners who are transgender, intersex, gender nonconforming people who are low-income, and/or people of color. They specialize in providing assistance on name changes, identity documents, public benefits, immigration, shelter and more. Operating remotely in January 2022 and will continue to do so for an undetermined period of time. They are still active during the pandemic but remote status may impact phone and writen responses. Serving individuals in New York area only.

Advocacy resources and information for people in county jails and their loved ones. Assists with intervention in acute medical and mental health crises, reporting medical neglect, disability and pregnancy related access and release, and families obtaining medical records release. Will assist in contacting your court-appointed attorney, complaints to the Texas State Bar if you are not receiving robust representation, and referrals to relevant agencies. To get in touch, write a letter or leave a voicemail. Serves Texans in jails only. 

The Alabama Prison Arts + Education Project at Auburn University APAEP offers access to educational opportunities to people currently and formerly incarcerated across the state. The APAEP community cultivates inclusive, student-centered spaces for creativity, exploration, and lifelong relationships with learning. We value respect, dignity, equity, compassion, and innovation. Serves Alabama only.

The Angolite is published and edited by prisoners at the Louisiana State Penitentiary in Angola, LA. Write for order form with costs for subscription.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in New York; DNA and non-DNA cases (specializes in non-DNA); no sentence requirements.

Insight Prison Project (IPP) offers transformational restorative justice based programs for incarcerated people designed to facilitate insight, accountability, integrity, responsibility, compassion, empathy and healing. IPP's Victim Offender Education Group (VOEG), a nationally recognised program, is a 52+ week in-person restorative justice curriculum that is currently offered in 7 prisons in California and 8 in Colorado. IPP does NOT offer correspondence courses.

The Law Library of Louisiana offers a robust free guide with information and resources on common legal issues faced by prisoners, former prisoners and their families. The guide covers post- conviction remedies, civil rights violations in prison, parole, family law issues, re-entry assistance and resources on the collateral consequences of conviction. Serves Louisiana only.

Support for Michigan lifers led by Willis X. Harris, found innocent after serving over 23 years in the Michigan prison system. Write for information about programming and support for lifers. Note there is no online presence, but they are easily reached by phone or mail. Serves people in MI specifically but also all across the US and Canada.

Osborne provides a wide range of direct services to individuals and families affected by the criminal legal system. Our evidence- and experience-based programs are designed to reduce reliance on incarceration, heal the damage and trauma of crime and incarceration, and offer opportunities for transformation for those affected by crime and incarceration. Write for a full list of programs and services. Osborne Association has six locations: in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Newburgh, Troy, and Westchester. Only Serves People in New York.

The Pathfinder Network’s mission is to provide justice system-impacted individuals and families the tools and support they need to be safe and thrive in our communities. We achieve this mission through holistic direct services in three counties and 9 correctional
facilities across the state of Oregon. We meet our participants right where they are, at every point of the criminal justice system and beyond. The Pathfinder Network has partnered with the Oregon Department of Corrections since 1993 to provide evidence-based,
leading-edge programming focused on rehabilitation and recidivism reduction.
At our Portland Center for Family Success, we provide community-based services including parenting classes, early childhood home visiting, enhanced visiting, parent advocacy, youth mentoring, reentry support, peer mentoring, school support clubs, and family
engagement. We also provide services to systems-impacted youth in Clackamas County.
At our three Resilience & Recovery Project locations across the state, we provide wraparound peer support and service navigation, including drop-in and mobile support, classes, groups, action planning, basic needs assistance, and parenting-specific peer support.
We provide our participants the opportunity to build individual, social, and community resources for long-term resilience and recovery.

SCHR is engaged in litigation, public education, advocacy, and works with other organizations and individuals to protect the civil and human rights of people prosecuted in the criminal courts – particularly those facing the death penalty – and confined in the prisons and jails of the South. They offer free guidebooks with tools on how to advocate for incarcerated loved ones and on re-entry services. Serves Georgia and the deep south.

We provide free, life and gender-affirming legal services to everyone on the gender spectrum regardless of financial status. Due to capacity, TJLP is currently focusing on name and gender marker changes. We especially prioritize folks who are low-income and street-based transgender and gender-nonconforming people targeted by the criminal legal system.  Serves Illinois only.

The Test Positive Aware Network. Publishes Positively Aware, a bimonthly magazine covering HIV/AIDS treatment, research, policy and lifestyle. Also offers articles on many HIV-related topics, including HIV and aging, prevention, and treatments. Offers free subscriptions to prisoners.

Miss Major Alexander L Lee TGIJP Black Trans Cultural Center (fka The TGI Justice Project) works primarily with Transgender, GNC, and Intersex (TGI) people who are in prison and formerly incarcerated in California. We will pause our individualized client advocacy support while we internally restructure and shift our legal department. This will include not providing any onsite legal lawyers, legal representation, or litigation; however, we will be sharing legal education which consists of sharing supporting cases and relevant laws for self-advocacy purposes. We will also continue to provide letters of support for parole, upcoming court hearings, legal name & gender change support, and providing our Melenie Eleneke Grassroots Re-entry/Socio-Economic Program. Miss Major Alexander L Lee Center supports TGI people in prison being released to the San Francisco Bay Area and is part of a broader movement fighting for racial and social justice. Some services nationwide but more services for Californians. Expect delays in response to letters.

Offers photocopies of case-law citations, law review articles, criminal procedures, etc. to prisoners incarcerated in Louisiana jails & parish or state prisons only. Requests should have specific case cites, docket numbers or article titles, and are limited to one per month and a maximum of 50 pages. Only serves people in LA state prisons or jails; no federal prisoner requests.

Published by Anti-Racist Action - Los Angeles/People Against Racist Terror (ARA-LA/PART) since 1988.  Issues released at least quarterly; 5-6 issues some years. Free to prisoners; subscriptions for non-prisoners are $12 for low income; $20 regular; $30 international/institutional; $50 sustainer. Payable to "Anti-Racist Action" at above address. Back issues may be available.

The University of Baltimore Innocence Project Clinic seeks to identify individuals who have been convicted in Maryland state courts of crimes they did not commit and to provide them with assistance in the investigation of their claims. In appropriate cases, representation will be provided in post-trial litigation efforts to secure exonerations. Accepts cases of actual innocence in Maryland; DNA and non-DNA cases. Serves Maryland only.

Upper Iowa University (UIU) offers a Self-Paced Degree Program, with courses in paper correspondence format that can be completed at a distance without technology. The Self-Paced paper format is structured around written assignments and proctored exams. UIU offers associate degrees in business administration, criminal justice, liberal arts, psychology, and bachelor’s degrees in business administration, criminal justice, psychology, and social science. Write for tuition costs ($990 per course 2024-25 academic year) and information packet. Serves students nationwide.

Utah Prisoner Advocate Network (UPAN) offers support to incarcerated individuals as well as friends and families through providing education and information about conditions of confinement including housing and medical, and monthly support meetings for families. UPAN does not provide legal support - do not send legal documents. It also publishes a monthly newsletter. The best way to receive the newsletter is to ask family or friends to get on the email list and then print and send you the newsletter directly. If you do not have any family or friends to support, contact UPAN directly. Serves Utah only.

In order to qualify for representation, a prisoner must: Be wrongly convicted of crimes in Washington; be unable to afford counsel; no longer have the right to appointed counsel; have completed the direct appeals process; have at least three years of prison time remaining to be served; have a claim of actual innocence that can be proven through DNA testing or other newly discovered evidence; and have no involvement in the crime whatsoever. Must have been convicted in Washington state to qualify.

Wisconsin Books to Prisoners is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that sends books free of charge to state prisoners in Wisconsin. Does not respond to email inquiries. Sends to Wisconsin only.

The Women's Prison Association (WPA) offers a range of services aimed at helping women in the New York City area. Their direct service network is organized in three broad areas; Residential and Family Services; Reentry Services; and neighborhood based services.  Provides transitional planning and education in NY women's prisons, as well as HIV counseling and testing. Serves women in New York state only.