Resources

Take courses and earn a degree through print-based correspondence! ASU-PEP offers Associates's, Bachelor's, and Masters's degrees. Courses through ASU-PEP are $264 per credit hour and the MBA degree is $375 per credit hour. Print-based courses offered as part of the Paralegal I & II, and advanced Paralegal certificate programs have a tuition rate of $948 per course and are offered in collaboration with the Center of Legal Studies (CLS). Please note tuition rates do not include the cost of books. Write for course catalog and application information. Serves people nationally. ASU-PEP is approved to offer Pell grant courses only in select Colorado facilitites.

Publishes Survivors Manual: Surviving in Solitary, by Bonnie Kerness (2012, 94 pages), free to prisoners and $3 for all others. The book is a powerful collection of voices from solitary, as people currently or formerly held in isolation vividly describe their conditions and their daily lives. The collection also includes artwork and poetry. Also available is a free 6-page brochure entitled LGBTQ+ Prisoner Resource Guide (2017). Serves people nationwide.

Nonprofit public-interest law firm providing free legal assistance to people living with HIV and AIDS, including PA prisoners. Also has an office in New Jersey at 709 Haddonfield-Berlin Rd., Voorhees Township, NJ, 08043. English and Spanish spoken. Serves Pennsylvania and New Jersey only.

Run through the Burdock Book Collective, this program fulfills book requests for people incarcerated in Alabama prisons. LGBTQA friendly: "As queers and allies ourselves, we aim to provide a space for personal expression and communication free from homophobia and transphobia. Alabama only.

All cases for consideration by AKIP should be submitted by mail to the address above with a brief factual summary of the case and a list of the evidence which might be available to prove innocence. No other documents should be submitted for initial review. AKIP does not accept telephone or e-mail applications.

All of Us or None is a grassroots organizing project of Legal Services for Prisoners with Children. All of Us or None fights for the full restoration of our civil and human rights of formerly-and currently-incarcerated people and families. They are fighting against the discrimination that people face every day because of arrest or conviction history. The goal of All of Us or None is to strengthen the voices of people most affected by mass incarceration and the growth of the prison-industrial complex.

Compiles information regarding prison conditions such as the use of prolonged solitary confinement and other abuses in prison for advocacy purposes; also works on police accountability and ending the death penalty. May not respond to individual letters.

Do you, as a prisoner, feel that there must be some meaning in your prison experience that is still to be discovered? Or that you can give it meaning? If so, you might be interested in Anthroposophy — the path from the spirit in man to the spirit in the universe. Anthroposophy embraces a spiritual view of the human being and cosmos, but its emphasis is on knowing, not just faith. It is a path in which the human heart and hand, and especially our capacity for thinking, are essential. You may write to receive an initial package of literature containing a booklet titled Self-Development In The Penitentiary, as well as other articles and meditation exercises.

Accepts both DNA and non-DNA cases and represents indigent Arizona prisoners whose claims of innocence have gone unheeded. They also conduct post-conviction DNA testing in cases of forcible rape, murder, and non-negligent homicide cases, shaken baby syndrome and arson and other cases where the testing might demonstrate actual innocence. Also works on excessive sentencing cases. Serves Arizona only.

Ashland University Correctional Educational Program (AU-CEPT) partners with state Department of Corrections and local jails to offer online education experiences. Students can choose an associate degree or a bachelor's degree. There is also an online degree option for reentry students. Except in cases where the Department of Corrections issues the devices, Ashland University provides all technology, textbooks and instructional supplies at no cost. States where AU-CEP is operating inside facilities: Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, West Virginia, as well as Washington DC.

Athens Books to Prisoners is a volunteer-run organization that sends free books to prisoners in Ohio only.

Battling the Administration (David J. Meister, April 2014, 566 pages, $24.95 + $5 S&H) is a self-help manual that guides readers through the complex U.S. civil court system, teaches them how to pursue a lawsuit in the face of the constraints imposed by incarceration, and enables a successful outcome for the prisoner's civil rights lawsuit. The book includes extensive case-law citations and advice on organizing, investigating and prosecuting a case. Know your civil rights and how to defend them in court. Has not been updated since 2014, so research what the lower courts have said about the Supreme Court precedents listed; the advice on preparation and writing skills are still very relevant for any prison-based litigator.

Black and Pink is a national prison abolitionist organization dedicated to abolishing the criminal punishment system and liberating LGBTQIA2S+ people and people living with HIV/AIDS who are affected by that system through advocacy, support, and organizing.  It has 13 volunteer-led chapters, including in Albuquerque, Boston, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Missoula, New York City, and Portland OR. Sends newsletters. Write for more info and for local chapter information.

Blackstone’s accredited Paralegal Certificate Program enables students to learn about the law and the paralegal field by studying at their own pace and at their facility. It can be completed in less than a year and provides information that can be put into practice while incarcerated and once released. No computers, proctors, or facility instructors are required. Soft-covered books and materials are used for ease of entry into most institutions. Their Paralegal certificate program includes the 900 clock hours of coursework needed to sit for the Accredited Legal Professional (ALP) exam and/or the Professional Paralegal (PP) certification, or the Certified Legal Assistant/Certified Paralegal (CLA/CP) exam. The enrollment process is initiated by a sponsor on behalf of the student. Currently serves all states.

Serves people incarcerated in Virginia only.  Write with requests for up to three books per month.  They will do their best to fulfill all requests, but cannot guarantee specific title availability. 

Provides free reading materials to incarcerated individuals. Most books are used; limited access to new books. Write directly to request (no requests by email or phone). Serves people nationwide. Typical turnaround is 2+ months; people in short-term facilities should note in their request how long they anticipate being incarcerated.

CCWP is a grassroots abolitionist organization, with members inside and outside prison, that challenges the institutional violence imposed on women, transgender and non-binary people, and communities of color by the prison industrial complex (PIC). CCWP visits incarcerated people in CA women's prisons, offers a writing correspondence programs, and produces a newsletter, “The Fire Inside,” free to incarcerated people. Primarily works with individuals in California but mails the newsletter to people around the country. L.A. Chapter – PO Box 291585, Los Angeles, CA 90029

Accepts cases only where the conviction occurred in the following Southern California counties: Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura (for all other CA counties, see the Northern California Innocence Project). In addition to DNA cases, they also review cases that may involve witness recantations, changes in science, government misconduct, or ineffective assistance of counsel – so long as there is evidence of innocence to support the claim. Serves people convicted in Southern California counties only.

Non-profit legal and educational organization committed to the creative use of law as a positive force for social change and dedicated to advancing and protecting constitutional rights. CCR recently litigated the Ashker v Governor challenge to solitary confinement in CA. Publishes Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook with National Lawyers Guild. See PARC RECOMMENDED BOOKS at the end of this Directory for more info. Last updated in 2021. To receive a paperbound copy, mail a request to the above address and wait at least 2 months for return. Download chapter, or get an order form to request a Handbook at https://www.jailhouselaw.org/

Accepts cases of actual innocence in the United States, both DNA and non-DNA Cases. Will consider arson and shaken baby syndrome cases. No sentence requirements. All requests must come directly from the person seeking representation.

Serves: women’s state prisons in AZ, AL, AR, CA, CT, FL, IL, IN, KY, MS, TN, VT, WA; all women in Federal prisons, and trans women being housed in men’s prisons everywhere.

The University of Minnesota Law School’s Clemency Project advocates for individuals serving disproportionately long prison sentences, with the primary goal of obtaining reductions in these sentences. It is an integrated program, involving individual representation, impact litigation, advocacy and research aimed at connecting law students directly to the human realities of mass incarceration. Serves Minnesota only.

CCJRC publishes a free quarterly newsletter, and a 250-page reentry guide for parolees in Colorado titled Getting On After Getting Out: A Re-entry Guide for Colorado ("Go Guide").  This book provides extensive information to help people prepare for release and successfully reintegrate back into their families and communities.  The cost is $10 + $3.50 S&H. Serves individuals in Colorado only. 

The Institutions Project represents people confined in Washington's jails, prisons, juvenile detention facilities, mental health facilities, and facilities for people with developmental disabilities. This work has focused on conditions of confinement, discrimination, sentencing and placement, alternatives to institutionalization, and access to courts, as well as issues related to rehabilitation, re-entry, and reductions in recidivism. Serves people in Washington state only.

Social justice bookstore offering discounts to folks behind bars on all titles with an emphasis on collective liberation and new decolonial creative works.  This is a collective made up of members of workers collectives, #blacklivesmatter, no border and New Sancturary movements, anticapitalist arts organizations, antiwar actions, climate justice camps and the Palestinian Solidarity Movement.
Discounts are available for folks being bars, on all our titles.

Compassion Prison Project (CPP) creates trauma-informed prisons and communities. We do this through trauma-awareness education and programming. CPP’s Trauma-to-Transformation day-long workshop kicks off a powerful 16-week compassion-based curriculum titled Trauma Talks. Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) are addressed and tools are given to support the healing process.

For those with access to Edovo on their tablet, please be sure to watch our podcasts featuring the top trauma experts in the world, thought leaders and motivational speakers. Our evidenced-based Trauma Talks 16-week curriculum will be available to all learners in the Fall of 2024. Stay tuned for more content in the near future!

Write for information if you want to support getting our Trauma Talks program into your facility (especially if you don’t have Edovo) or if you’d simply like to get on a waiting list for a non-romantic pen friend who can provide support and encouragement.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Connecticut; DNA and non-DNA cases. Sentence must include at least a ten year period of incarceration and be no less than five years from estimated release date. There must be some new evidence in the case which would establish innocence. Serves Connecticut only. 

The Cornell Prison Education Program brings together Cornell faculty and graduate students to teach a free college-level liberal arts curriculum to a select group of incarcerated at several correctional facilities near Cornell University. New York State only. 

CR seeks to build an international movement to end the Prison Industrial Complex by challenging the belief that caging and controlling people makes everyone safe. CR also publishes “The Abolitionist," twice a year, printed in both English and Spanish, which is free to prisoners and can be subscribed to on their website. Previous editions of The Abolitionist are available online at: https://criticalresistance.org/abolitionist/

We carry FREE books on many topics (please request by topic, not title or author) and specialize in the following:  History (world), Black, Latino Native American and Asian Studies, Women’s studies / feminism, Labor studies / unionism, Philosophy, Sociology, and Literary Classics. We serve nationally and send 3-6 books at a time.

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.

Services for individuals with disabilities in Florida only.  Can only support with issues directly related to your disabilities - no other legal advice or support available. Florida only.

Formed in 2007 as a prison abolitionist, anti-authoritarian collective. Write to receive a catalog of anarchist, decolonial, queer liberation, anti-capitalist, black, brown and indigenous-oriented literature (zines), sent free to prisoners in any state. También enviamos literatura gratuita en español.

Update: expect long delays. Vendor of overstock and bargain books, some hardbound and
others paperbound (type of binding listed in catalogs). Sends out
FREE book catalogs, organized by the following subject areas: Arts
& Education; Fiction; Healthy Living; History; Home & Garden;
Biography; Cookbooks; Military History; Craft/Needlecrafts; Science
& Nature; New Arrivals; and Bargain Books. Serves people
nationally. 

The 16-page Ex-Offender Re-Entry Services Guide (last updated 1/2020) has been designed to enhance and expand services to ex-offenders in Idaho, and assist in their re-entry into the State's work force. Contains local office information for Idaho Dept. of Labor. Available for download. Only serves people in Idaho. 

Florida Cares Charity is dedicated to improving the lives of the incarcerated through programs, advocacy, education and visitation. The organization offers education on how to effectively communicate with the Florida Department of Corrections Administration. Serves Floridians only.

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. 

Foreverfamily is a nonprofit organization committed to empowering children and families impacted by parental incarceration throughout the state of Georgia. Our programs and services focus on fostering positive parent-child relationships and meeting the unique needs of these individuals. We offer comprehensive case management, family strengthening initiatives, and provide a family visitation program to facilitate monthly visits between children and their incarcerated mothers. Serves Georgia only.

This 196-page Mississippi Reentry Guide is intended to provide essential information and resources about services to ex-offenders and those that support them. Their goal is to ensure that those leaving incarceration will have an easier and more successful transition back into their community. The directory includes national, state, and local resources organized by county, region and topic. Available in full online. Serves Mississippi only.

Quaker-founded group that advocates and lobbies for CA state laws that are just, compassionate, and respectful of the inherent worth of every person. Staff can answer questions about legislative matters by phone or letter.  Serves Californians only.

Friends Outside provides services and support to inmates and visitors at each California State Prison. Offers reentry planning for inmates near release and prosocial skill building education.  For those visiting loved ones, Friends Outside contracts to run Visitor Centers. Visitor Centers provide childcare, transportation for visitors to the prison from area bus and train stations, information and resources, and a restful and welcoming place to stop for a moment before and after visits. Does not usually respond to letters. California only.

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.

 Magazine subscription services with years of experience servicing inmates. Send SASE for more information. Order any five (5) magazine subscriptions and get one (1) year magazine subscription for free from specially marked list with (*). Serves people nationwide.

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 non-profit clinic accepts applications from anyone who has been convicted of a crime occurring in Hawai'i AND is factually innocent of that crime. Applications can be downloaded from the website or can be mailed to you. Serves Hawaii only.

Haymarket Books is a nonprofit, radical book distributor and publisher based in Chicago. They believe that activists need to take ideas, history, and politics into the many struggles for social justice today. The books they offer reflect their values and are mostly non-fiction. Write to request free books on themes around Black liberation, radical history, women’s liberation, and poetry. Serves people nationally.

HEARD is a cross-disability abolitionist organization that supports deaf/disabled incarcerated people through grassroots advocacy, community organizing, peer support, mutual aid, education, and research. HEARD provides limited direct advocacy support to deaf/disabled incarcerated people, including deaf/disabled defendants who have not yet been convicted. We also provide limited re-entry support for deaf/disabled people returning home from incarceration. HEARD created and maintains the only national database of deaf/disabled incarcerated people. We use this information to guide our advocacy efforts and educate our communities about the urgent concerns that deaf/disabled people face in our legal system, prisons, and with coming home. We are a very small organization and may not respond quickly to letters. Nationwide.

Mission is to support incarcerated mothers and their children. Provides resources and services outside and inside New York state prisons only. Also provides services in Spanish (también ofrece servicios en español). Only provides services to New York state prisons.

Hudson Link empowers currently and formerly incarcerated people to realize their academic and economic potential by managing degree-granting college programs and providing essential re-entry support. Established in 1998, Hudson Link has transformed over a thousand lives, helping incarcerated people make a positive impact on their own lives, their families, and communities, resulting in lower rates of recidivism, incarceration, and poverty. Working with nine college partners, Hudson Link provides funding, management, and organizational support for academic programs leading to college degrees at six correctional facilities, including Greene, Green Haven, Shawangunk, Sing Sing, Sullivan, and Taconic. Hudson Link also provides released students with ongoing alumni services, as well as transitional housing through our New Beginnings housing program.

The Human Rights Coalition (HRC) is a network of currently and formerly incarcerated people and their advocates. They are fighting for the abolishment of solitary confinement in Pennsylvania prisons. They also publish the HRC Legal Pamphlet Series, other pamphlets and information letters, and the “PA Prison Directory Action Guide” (2009) (too many pages for them to print & mail, but available for download on their website). The Movement magazine is published quarterly and available online, accepting submissions two pages max. Responds to letters. Serves Pennsylvania only.

Idaho Justice Project elevates system-involved persons in partnership with citizens, nonprofits, justice stakeholders, and government officials to improve Idaho’s justice system using organizing, public education, collaboration, and advocacy. They are focused on reducing the amount of incarcerated people in Idaho and reinvesting the funds to social services that target mental health and drug addiction services. They also support rehabilitation services in prison using evidence-based programs and empower returning citizens to succeed with achievable probation and parole requirements. Serves Idaho only. 

Through advocacy, public education, and direct representation of thousands of needlessly incarcerated people, the Illinois Prison Project brings hope to and fights in community with incarcerated people and their loved ones for a brighter, more humane, more just system for us all. They provide direct representation to people in the Illinois Department of Corrections, train and support attorneys who provide direct representation, and empower incarcerated people and their families to advocate for themselves.

Impartial is a US criminal justice non-profits that serves people who want to make a criminal justice impact. The way we do that is through our programs. One of those programs is working with prisoner artwork and/or stories about their artwork. To the extent that the inmate/third party is allowed to receive compensation or donate their artwork, we offer ways to auction, exhibit or other means to optimize artwork. Artwork starts conversations in a unique way. Knowing your artwork story often enhances the viewer's experience. Write directly to Impartial for more information about sharing your artwork. We serve everyone in the US.

Cases accepted: Cases of actual innocence in North Carolina; DNA and non-DNA cases; no sentence requirements. Serves North Carolina only.

Evaluates cases of wrongful convictions if three criteria are met: (1) the inmate must have been convicted of a crime in Virginia, (2) the conviction must be final, and (3) the inmate is actually innocent of the crime of which he or she was convicted. Decision is based on the likelihood of being able to prove innocence, the availability of legal remedies, and capacity. To be considered, send a letter requesting their application packet. Serves Virginia only.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Florida; DNA and Non-DNA cases. Does not accept federal cases or cases on direct appeal. Also provides transitional and aftercare services to exonerees. Serves Florida only.

Sends free books and literature to prisoners in Texas only. Also sends a very informative prisoner resource guide free to prisoners in all states. Please no SASE. Serves people in Texas prisons only.

Iowa CURE is a multi-issue, membership-based organization which brings individuals concerned about the correctional system together to work for change both inside and outside prison walls in order to promote healing or restorative justice within the community. Serves Iowa only.

ISNA's vision is to be an exemplary and unifying Islamic organization in North America that contributes to the betterment of the Muslim community and society at large. Sends Qurans and other introductory books on Islamic study to prison libraries and inmates. Ability to send books depends on the prison’s policies. Also publishes a bi-monthly magazine, Islamic Horizons for $24/year. Serves people nationwide.

The Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook: How to Bring a Federal Lawsuit to Challenge Violations of Your Rights in Prison

Published jointly by the National Lawyers Guild and the Center for Constitutional Rights, explains how a prisoner can start a lawsuit in federal court to fight against mistreatment and bad conditions in prison. This handbook is a free resource for people in prison who wish to file a federal lawsuit addressing poor conditions in prison or abuse by prison staff. It also contains limited general information about the United States legal system. Has excellent explanation of the Prison Litigation Reform Act. Essential resource for any jailhouse lawyer.  Last updated in 2021.  To receive a paperbound copy, mail a request to the above address and wait at least 2 months for return.  Requests are bundled and sent only several times per year.  If no response after 3 months, write to the National NLG Prison Law Project for a copy: P.O. Box 1266; New York, NY, 10009.

The Handbook is also available downloaded from their website (http://jailhouselaw.org/) Request an outside source to print and mail it to you. List of chapter headings: (1) How to Use the JLH; (2) Overview of Types of Lawsuits and the Prison Litigation Reform Act' 3) Your Rights in Prison; (4) Who to Sue and What to Ask for; (5) How to Start Your Lawsuit; (6) What Happens After You File Your Suit; (7) The Legal System and Legal Research; and Appendices A-N.

JDI is a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse and exploitation in all forms of detention. It publishes a Resource Guide listing service providers in all 50 states that can help incarcerated survivors, as well as a Survivor Packet, which includes Hope for Healing, with contact information for local rape crisis centers and legal aid organizations; and a letter of hope from another prisoner rape survivor. Prisoners may communicate confidentially with JDI using legal mail at the listed address to Cynthia Totten. Serves people nationally.

Offers group work, courses and programing in California prisons in English and Spanish. Provides assistance in preparing for upcoming parole suitability hearings. Also offers restorative re-entry services. Serves California only.

Lambda Legal carries out its legal work principally through test cases selected for the likelihood of their success in establishing positive legal precedents that will affect LGBT people and those affected by HIV. Lambda Legal recently represented a trans prisoner successfully in a lawsuit against the Texas prison system.

The Prisoner’s Rights Project (PRP) protects and enforces the legal rights of New York City and New York State prisoners through litigation, advice, and assistance to individual prisoners. PRP does not deal with criminal cases or sentences or matters related to parole. Request help by phone at (212-577-3300), or their Helpline (888-663-6680) which is staffed Mon-Fri 10am-3pm. Serves New York only.

LSPC publishes manuals, reports, fact sheets and pamphlets for CA prisoners in the following areas: Family Matters (guardianship, visitation, pregnancy); Reentry Services; Prison Conditions (isolation and other), and Divorce Issues. Provides limited individualized legal advice and representation to incarcerated and formerly incarcerated parents. Serves Californians only.

Level distributes job training and educational material to over 950 federal, state, county and military prisons across the country. Topics include entrepreneurship, computer science, internet technology, restaurant job training, meditation and personal development. Family and friends of people in prison can use Level's website to enroll a person in prison.

Volunteer-run organization that sends books and other educational materials, free of charge, to LGBT-identified people in prison across the US (except those in TX). Will send books in Spanish (enviar libros en Español). Sends one package of books per year.  Prefers requests by topic/genre, but can occasionally fulfill specific requests. Serves all states except Texas.

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

Books to prisoners program serving Washington and Alaska only. Send with general requests by genre and/or topic.

Dedicated to the exoneration of the wrongfully convicted. If a true claim of innocence is provable, clinic students will help draft a habeas petition. Must have case for factual innocence, have exhausted all their appeals, and are no longer represented by an attorney. Serves California only. Expect delays in the summer.

Maoist Internationalist Ministry of Prisons, MIM(Prisons), is a revolutionary anti-imperialist group fighting criminal injustice, helping prisoners to organize and educate themselves. Sends books to prisoners, and offers prisoners a free subscription to their newspaper. Write to MIM(Prisons) for a free prisoner subscription and to get involved in revolutionary organizing and education projects.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in Michigan; non-DNA cases only; no sentence requirements. Only accepts cases after a person has exhausted their direct appeals. The prisoner must not be currently represented by counsel and the crime and conviction must have occurred in Michigan.

Middle Ground Prison Reform has been working for Arizona's prisoners and their families since 1983. Their main areas of activity are: 1) public education about the need for criminal justice reform; 2) legislative advocacy on behalf of prisoners and their visitors; 3) litigation to protect and define the rights and responsibilities of prisoners and their supporters; 4) referral to community resources for ex-offenders. They do not publish a hard copy newsletter. Instead, they encourage friends and family of prisoners to visit their website and download and mail copies of pertinent information inside to prisoners. Serves Arizona only. 

Accepts cases of actual innocence in AR, IA, KS, MO, and NE; applicants must have more than 10 years left to serve on their sentence; cannot be currently represented by another attorney except for Iowa applicants; must have exhausted all appeals. Also reviews death penalty cases.

The MPRC is a group of formerly incarcerated people, families with loved-ones in prison, advocacy organizations, and concerned residents demanding that the state of Mississippi immediately reduce the prison population, remove harmful conditions, policies and practices, and restore humanity. Serves Mississippi only.

Missouri Prison Reform is a nonprofit organization that advocates for Missouri’s incarcerated and their families by elevating their voices, advocating for their needs, and exposing harmful policies that undermine our overall goal of harm reduction, healing, and rehabilitation. Their primary focus is on humantarian rights, health care and sentence reform. You can use their online form to let them know of issues you or your loved one has regarding a Missouri Department of Corrections facility, or send a letter to their PO Box. Serves Missouri only.

Wiccan clergy are available to counsel, teach, provide information, and answer questions, by mail and sometimes in person, to incarcerated individuals. We provide assistance to inmates wishing to make Wicca their official religion. Copies of the book, Enchantment Encumbered, are available for $20 (including shipping, and we accept stamps as payment).

NA publishes a wide variety of materials concerning drug addiction and recovery, some of which are expressly produced for persons currently incarcerated, including Behind the Walls. Offers services in many different languages. También ofrece literatura en español, incluyendo Entre Rejas. Has many pamphlets and booklets available for free download from the internet. Ask friends or family to print and send to you directly. If you are looking for meeting locations for parole plans, ask a friend or family member to look on website for listings: http://www.na.org. Provides information nationally. Expect delays due to covid.

Provides sentencing advocacy, capital case mitigation services, parole release advocacy, institutional designation and transfer, and release planning. Will research questions and provide advice regarding the Bureau of Prisons, the administrative remedy process, intensive confinement, RDAP, pre-release programming, home confinement and related issues. Serves federal prisoners nationwide.

The NHCN serves as a hub of resources and information about hepatitis C in prisons and jails, including publishing resources about Hep C treatment in prison and producing educational materials for incarcerated people about hepatitis. The NHCN is a program of the Hepatitis Education Project (HEP), a nonprofit organization based in Seattle, WA. Serves people nationally.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, and  VT in which the prisoner has a claim of factual innocence; no time requirement DNA and non-DNA cases; will consider arson and shaken baby syndrome cases; may consider child abuse cases. Serves New England states, except New York.

Accepts cases of actual innocence in North Carolina and South Carolina; DNA and non-DNA cases; will consider arson and shaken baby syndrome cases, and may consider child abuse cases; typically limited to those in custody or with post-conviction restrictions, but exceptions are made. Serves NC and SC only.

NCPLS provides legal assistance to people in state prison and county jails ranging from advice about prisoner’s legal rights, inadequate medical care, and free speech issues to representation in court around such issues. They do not provide information on legal topics outside post-conviction or civil rights issues. The organization is divided into three teams: Post-Conviction, Civil, and Jail Support Services. Serves people in North Carolina only.

Write for free books from a large assortment of fiction and non-fiction, including political and history books, and other educational books. Does not send religious texts. Fills requests from all states except AL, FL, LA, MA, MI, MS, NC, PA, OH, and WI. Priority for New York prisoners.

Ohio Justice and Policy Center supports directly impacted communities through advocacy projects, education and community outreach. Main programs include Second Chance, to help with record expungement; Beyond Guilt, for unfairly sentenced individuals whose minimum sentence must be 20 years or greater and at least 5 years are remaining on their sentence; and Human Rights in Prison for individuals who have experienced inhumane conditions inside - In order for OJPC to investigate your case, you must exhaust all internal grievance processes within the ODRC institution. Incarcerated indivduals must apply themselves for consideration for the Beyond Guilt or Human Rights projects. If you do not have access to a printer, please email humanrights@ohiojpc.org with your name, ODRC #, and institution. OJPC will mail one application to the incarcerated individual. Serves Ohio only.

The Oklahoma Innocence Project accepts cases of actual innocence in Oklahoma; DNA and non-DNA cases; no sentence requirements. Must have credible evidence of factual innocence and be convicted in Oklahoma state court (no federal convictions). Serves Oklahoma only.

Focuses on claims of actual innocence or contentions of serious injustice in the criminal process exist. Must have at least 3 years left on sentence; conviction/appeals are final; and new evidence of innocence, such as DNA evidence, key trial witness recantation (e.g. change in testimony), or other credible evidence substantially affecting the case result. Serves South Carolina only.

Pathway to Freedom, Inc. seeks to address the transformation of prisoners' lives through an 18-month pre-release residential program. The program continues for an additional 12 months of mentoring and support once the inmate has returned to the community. Through a holistic service they provide "educational, values-based, pre-release services to prisoners on a voluntary and non-compulsory basis, while preparing them to reintegrate into society and become productive citizens through the use of new and improved pro-social and life skills that will enhance family and social relationships, moral and spiritual development, and employment opportunities." Serves Arkansas only. 

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.