Prisoner Support

  • The Action Committee for Women in Prison - Advocates for the humane and compassionate treatment of all incarcerated women; Collaborates with other organizations dedicated to reforming the criminal justice system; Works for the release of individual women prisoners who pose no danger to society; Informs and educates the public; Promotes a shift of focus from punishment to rehabilitation and restorative justice.

  • Canadian Correctional Chaplaincy - The Chaplaincy Program helps the Correctional Service of Canada to meet national and international commitments with respect to the promotion of religious rights and obligations of offenders. The Program is administered by CSC's Chaplaincy Division, which serves as liaison between CSC and the various faith communities in Canada that are represented on the Interfaith committee on Chaplaincy.

  • Correctional Association of New York - 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 and a more just and equitable society. CA has three working projects: the Women in Prison Project, the Prison Visiting Project, and the Juvenile Justice Project.

  • Derechos.org - Work includes the socialization of human rights related information and analysis through the internet and other media, the promotion of prosecutions of human rights violators and the support of local human rights NGOs and activists.

  • Education Justice Project - The mission of the Education Justice Project (EJG) is to build a model college-in-prison program that demonstrates the positive impacts of higher education upon incarcerated people, their families, the communities from which they come, and society as a whole. EJP offers education programs to students incarcerated at Danville Correctional Center.

  • Human Rights Watch - BEYOND REASON: The Death Penalty and Offenders with Mental Retardation.

  • Inside Circle Foundation - ICF, a not-for-profit organization created by inmates and ex-convicts, is dedicated to the personal growth of men in prison. The immediate goal is a reduction of prison violence and lower recidivism when inmates parole. The long-term goal is to let these men heal, and achieve meaningful lives. Contributions to ICF are deductible for US and California tax purposes.

  • Jubilee Campaign - Jubilee Campaign USA promotes the human rights and religious liberty of ethnic and religious minorities in countries which imprison, terrorize or otherwise oppress them. We advocate the release of prisoners of conscience and the change of laws as necessary to effect these purposes. Jubilee also advocates against the exploitation of children, paying particular attention to the sex industry in Asia.

  • The Legal Action Center - The only non-profit law and policy organization in the United States whose sole mission is to fight discrimination against people with histories of addiction, HIV/AIDS, or criminal records, and to advocate for sound public policies in these areas.

  • Middle Ground Prison Reform - Working for Arizona's prisoners and their families since 1983. 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. Spanish-speaking volunteers available.

  • The NAACP Legal Defense Fund - The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund is America's legal counsel on issues of race. Through advocacy and litigation, LDF focuses on issues of education, voter protection, economic justice and criminal justice. We encourage students to embark on careers in the public interest through scholarship and internship programs. LDF pursues racial justice to move our nation toward a society that fulfills the promise of equality for all Americans.

  • Native American Rights Fund - Founded in 1970, the Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is the oldest and largest nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide.

  • The National Alliance for the Mentally Ill - NAMI is a nonprofit, grassroots, self-help, support and advocacy organization of consumers, families, and friends of people with severe mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, major depression, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anxiety disorders.

  • The National Coalition to Free the Angola 3 - The National Coalition to Free the Angola 3 was formed in 1998 to find justice for three innocent and wrongfully convicted men locked down at Angola, the Louisiana State Penitentiary, for nearly three decades.

  • Nevada C.U.R.E. - We are a support and advocacy group of individuals whose life has been negatively affected by Nevada's criminal justice system. We offer compassionate caring and information to help inmates, their families, and friends navigate the system.

  • The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice - The New Jersey Institute for Social Justice is a Newark-based urban research and advocacy organization dedicated to the advancement of New Jersey's urban areas and residents. The programs of the Institute are concentrated in four areas: 1) Expanding access to economic opportunity for low-income and minority residents of Newark and other urban areas in the state; 2) Promoting local, regional and state government that is effective, equitable and accountable to the concerns of urban residents and their communities; 3) Ensuring the civil rights and other basic entitlements of minorities and low-income individuals in the state; and 4) Highlighting the interdependence between urban and suburban areas as a means to produce more effective and sustainable public policies.

  • New York State Prisoner Justice Coalition - Publishes the New York State Prisoner Justice Network Directory, a free 16 page directory of New York justice and prisoner support organizations.  

  • NJ Office of the Corrections Ombudsman - The Office of the Corrections Ombudsman provides a mechanism for the continuing resolution of issues, problems or complaints of state sentenced prisoners within New Jersey's Correctional System regarding their living conditions and treatment.

  • Ohio University College Program for the Incarcerated - Degrees offered: Associates in Arts, Science, Applied Business, and Individualized Studies; Bachelor of Specialized Studies. Programs Offered: Two study formats are currently available for CPI students: Correspondence Courses and Course Credit by Examination. Offered to inmates in the following Ohio institutions: Rush City, Moose Lake, Lino Lakes, and St. Cloud.

  • P.A.T.R.I.C.K. Crusade - The People Aligned to Replace Injustice and Cruelty with Knowledge (PATRICK) Crusade is a human rights organization dedicated to the protection of human rights for all people. We believe human rights should be real for everyone simply because they are human beings. The PATRICK Crusade consists of a group of people committed to making a peaceful change in the policies and procedures that direct the actions of those responsible for operating our courts and our State and Federal prison systems. Our efforts are directed at educating those who are unaware of the injustices and human rights abuses that occur in these systems everyday all across the country. The PATRICK CRUSADE is aware, from firsthand experience, of the extent and viciousness of these abuses.

  • Partnership for Safety & Justice - Advocacy group focused on changing public safety policy in Oregon only. Publishes newsletter and Prisoner Support Directory for Oregon prisoners.

  • The Pennsylvania Prison Society - Founded in 1787, The Pennsylvania Prison Society is a social justice organization that advocates on behalf of prisoners, formerly incarcerated individuals and their families. Headquartered in Philadelphia, The Pennsylvania Prison Society operates through a network of statewide chapters.

  • Political Prisoners - A Blog for Inmates - This blog is a place where inmates can express themselves and communicate in some fashion with the outside world. Please use this site as a reference for people to find inmates to write to, as all of these entries are genuine and unedited.

  • Prison Activist Resource Center - PARC is a prison abolitionist group committed to exposing and challenging the institutionalized racism of the prison industrial complex. We are also committed to developing and practicing anti-oppression as individuals and in our organization. PARC believes in strategies and tactics that build safety in oppressed communities without reliance on the police or the PIC. We produce a directory that is free to prisoners upon request, and seek to work in solidarity with prisoners, formerly incarcerated people, their friends and families. We also work with teachers and activists on prison issues. This work includes building action networks and materials that expose human rights violations.

  • The Prison Arts Coalition - The Prison Arts Coalition (PAC) is an independent space providing information and resources for people creating art in and around the American criminal justice system.

  • Prisoner Express - The Prisoner Express program, sponsored by the Durland Alternatives Library, promotes rehabilitation by offering inmates information, education and the opportunity for creative self-expression in a public forum. Participation in this program fosters self-exploration, enrichment and knowledge. The Durland Alternatives Library has a number of ongoing programs as parts of its Prisoners Express project. Incarceration is an expensive proposition for taxpayers. Since the prison system is lacking the tools to ensure the effective rehabilitation of inmates, our program is designed to aid men and women wishing to improve themselves and to offer an outlet for their creativity.

  • Prisoner Visitation and Support - Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS) is a nationwide visitation that has 300 volunteers across the U.S. who visit federal and military prisoners. Their goal is to visit any prisoner who wishes to receive a visit and has access to all prisons and prisoners in the federal and military prison systems. The PVS volunteers visit once a month, with limited visiting services for Spanish-speaking prisoners.

  • Prison Fellowship - Prison Fellowship partners with local churches across the country to minister to prisoners, ex-prisoners, and their families. Publishes a variety of prisoner support literature including their Guide to Prison Survival.

  • Prison Justice: Brotherhood Report - Since 2001, this has been the website for a report on racism at a medium-security prison in Indiana: "The Brotherhood: Racism and Intimidation among Prison Staff at the Indiana Correctional Facility-Putnamville." By clicking on the  Brotherhood Report link, you can read the entire report, including the epilogue and appendices. We are now in the process of building a new website devoted to oversight of the Indiana prison system.

  • Prison of Peace - Prison of Peace is a non-profit organization, established in 2010, in order to reduce violence and promote peaceful conflict resolution among prison inmates. Peacemaking, mediating, mentoring, training.

  • Project Return - Project Return equips former offenders with the education, coaching, and support services necessary to gain employment and begin a new life. Pre-Release Program: Project Return conducts pre-release programs in correctional facilities to prepare inmates for their release dates. Through these programs, participants learn about Project Return's services and begin job readiness training. Reentry Program: Project Return conducts a 3-day training every week that prepares prisoners to return to their communities.

  • Unchained Books - Unchained Books is a small group in Fort Collins, Colorado committed to prisoner support. Our primary focus is collecting donated books and making them available free to people imprisoned in Colorado. In addition to our book project, we also write letters to political prisoners and work on periodic individual prisoner support in the form of fundraising, outreach, and building community awareness about specific legal struggles. Below is a list of prisons in Colorado that currently accept books sent to inmates from Unchained Books: Colorado Territorial Correctional Facility (state); Crowley County Correctional Facility (private); Federal Correctional Institution at Florence (federal); Federal Correctional Institution at Englewood (federal); High Plains Correctional Facility (state); Kit Carson Correctional Center (private); La Vista Correctional Facility (state); Rifle Correctional Center (state); and San Carlos Correctional Facility (state).

Conpals Home