Resources: Legal Resources
PARC corresponds with and mails a directory of these resources to prisoners, their friends and family members. We are often the first point of contact for people to connect with prisoners' rights organizations, community organizations, prison literature and arts projects, family and visiting resources, health care and legal resources, parole and pre-release resources, and the prison abolition movement.
Download a PDF copy of the November 2024 Edition here.
Please note recent updates since our last publication:
Compassion Works For All has closed (see listing in Religious Programs)
Missouri Prison Books: Now sending to Kansas, Illinois, and Indiana. Is banned in Missouri, since Sept 23, 2024
The Pathfinder Network: correct phone is 503-892-5396
Providence Books Through Bars c/o Paper Nautilus 19 S Angell Street Providence RI 02906
Women’s Book Project 3501 Aldrich Ave. S, Minneapolis MN 55408
PDX Books Through Bars: ships up to 3 books for free to anyone incarcerated in all states except Wisconsin. General topics/genres only. PO Box 11222; Portland OR, 97211
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Cooley Law School Innocence Project 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. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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Death Penalty Information Center DPIC focuses on disseminating studies and reports related to the death penalty to the news media and general public covering subjects such as race, innocence, politicization, costs of the death penalty, and more. Most of their publications are freely downloadable from their website, or available for a small fee in printed format. Request a copy of their “Resource Order Form,” and also a current list of their publications. |
Legal Resources, Death Penalty Resources |
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Disability Rights Texas 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. |
Legal Resources |
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Equal Justice Initiative 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. |
Legal Resources |
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Florida Justice Institute 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. |
Legal Resources |
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Florida Legal Services The Florida Institutional Legal Services Project at Florida Legal Services focuses on systemic reform litigation, community lawyering, and policy advocacy to protect the rights of adults and youth who are incarcerated in prisons, jails, and juvenile justice facilities throughout Florida. The FILS Project publishes the Florida Manual for Incarcerated Parents (2008), which may be downloaded from their website or obtained by writing to the above address. The FILS Project also has reentry information packets available for download that include a list of resources for each county in FL to assist individuals who are returning to their communities from institutions. Only serves people in Florida.
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Legal Resources |
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Forbidden Books Library, LLC 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. |
Legal Resources |
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Georgia Innocence Project Accepts cases of actual innocence in Georgia; DNA and non-DNA cases; you must have completed your direct appeal, and you must be currently incarcerated, or on the Georgia Sex Offender Registry. Serves Georgia Only. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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Great North Innocence Project Reviews wrongful convication cases where newly discovered evidence is identified and can provide clear and convincing proof of actual innocence. Actual innocence means the defendant played no role in the commission sof the crime. Serves Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota only. |
Legal Resources, Innocence Projects |
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Harvard Prison Legal Assistance Project 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. |
Legal Resources |