PA Prison Resource Guide 2007
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Welcome to the 2007 Edition of the Pennsylvania Prison Directory Action ! A super huge THANKS A MILLION goes to the people who helped us put together the info for this guide. Jerome Coffey, Terry Harper, Michale Anderson, Mark Stephenson, Theresa Battles, Avis Lee, Robert X. Holbrook. The Books to Prisoner Crew in Cincinnati for doing a great resource and also for the censorship pamphlet that copied into here. Sam Waite and Melissa Minnich, fact checkers, info seekers and lay outers. Thanks to all the artists in prison who donated the artwork you see throughout this guide to us. Please let us know of information that may be outdated, incorrect or any additions or suggestions. Your Participation is Important! This edition was funded by a benefit zine called Beneath the Bumrush which featured Pittsburgh Poets as well as people incarcerated in Pennsylvania and Virginia. It was also funded by the Brunch Fundraisers, an idea borrowed from people in Philly where every week there is brunch made at a house, it’s three dollars for a healthy meal and $1 for coffee. 3 weeks out of the month the money is donated to Book ‘Em and Book ‘Em chose to ear mark that money for a mass run of this resource guide! So thanks Spat Cannon and the Beneath the Bumrush Crew and the Brunch Volunteers who cooked and cleaned and zined, for raising money for this! Also, madlove to the Thomas Merton Center for providing the space and resources! The Pennsylvania Prison Directory Action is a project of Book ‘Em and is Free on Request if you are in PA or you have an incarcerated friend or loved one in PA. Otherwise please send $1 Computer versions of this guide are available if you want.If you want to make a donation make checks out to Book ‘Em and send below. Write: Pennsylvania Prison Directory Action c/oBook ‘Em PO Box 71357 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 call 412 802-8575 bookem@keromail.com Hoping to link the arms of those inside and outside of prison fighting for a more just and caring world. Table of contents 2 Prisoner Advocacy Groups - local 5 Prisoner Advocacy Groups – national 7 Transportation, Visitors and Virtual Visits 9 Death Penalty, local & national 11 Resources for Lifers 13 Prisoner Organizations within the Prisons 14 Pen Pals 15 Political Prisoners 17 Innocence Projects 19 Queer 21 Women, local & national 24 Parents and Children 27 Health, local 28 Health, national 30 Websites 31 Restorative Justice Programs, local & national 34 Religion, local and national 37 Newsletters, Newspapers, Distro’s, local & national 35 Education on the Inside 35 Books! 36 Resource Guides 39 Art! 41 Favorite books of the Western Prison Project 42 Pro Bono Services, local & national 43 Local Legal Programs 45 National Legal Projects 47 Law Book Recommendations 50 Pre- Release/ Re-Entry 52 Job Help – from the National Hire Network 59 Federal Occupational Restrictions for Criminal Record 61 Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole 62 Superior, Supreme, Commonwealth State Courts 63 Calendar for 2007, 2008, 2009 63 Prison Contact Information 65 County Court Contact Information !ATTENTION PEOPLE IN PRISON! Local Death Penalty Pennsylvanians for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (used to be PA Abolitionists against the Death Penalty) MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS LISTED HAVE A LOT OF INFORMATION ON WEBSITES. IF YOU HAVE THE RESOURCES PLEASE ASK A FAMILY MEMBER OR SUPPORT PERSON TO PLEASE DOWNLOAD AND PRINT STUFF OFF THE INTERNET AND SEND TO YOU AS TO HELP ORGANIZATIONS OUT. ALSO! Please participate in the following TWO informal RESEARCH PROJECTS: Transitional/ReEntry programs and services in PA. Have you been through reentry programs in PA? what are their strengths? Weakness’? How can they be changed? Racism within the Prisons Stories of how prisons perpetuate racism, stories of how racism affects your daily life in prison. What’s really going on? For example, I have met many white prisoners who have had no choice but to associate with the Aryan brotherhood or devise extremely creative ways to not be associated with them. Stories stories stories send us stories. Send stories or comments on above topics to Etta Cetera at 5125 Penn Ave Pgh, PA 15224 Post Office Box 605 Harrisburg, PA 17108 Phone: 717-236-4840 Fax: 717-236-4850 Southeast Pennsylvania Chapter southeast @pa-abolitionists.org Pittsburgh Chapter or (412) 241-8154 pittsburgh@pa-abolitionists.org Erie Chapter Dave Martin at davemartin@usachoice.net, (814) 354-2386 or Mike Jones at mike@paxchristiusa.org, (814) 453-4955 x228 Central Pennsylvanians to Abolish the Death Penalty (717) 514-2747 CPADP 315 Peffer Street Harrisburg, PA 17102 info@cpadp.org, www.cpadp.org The Central Pennsylvania Abolitionist blog www.cpa-abolitionist.blogspot.com Lehigh Valley Committee Against State Killing davidrose52@hotmail.com National Death Penalty Citizens United for Alternatives to the Death Penalty (800) 973-6548 PMB 335 2603 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Hwy Gainesville, FL 32609 cuadp@cuadp.org http://www.cuadp.org/contact.html Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Project c/o Criminal Justice Program American Friends Service Committee 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215)241-7130 fax(215) 241-7119 information@deathpenaltyreligious.org www.deathpenaltyreligious.org The Religious Organizing Against the Death Penalty Project seeks to build a powerful coalition of faithbased activists. Nationally, it works with official religious bodies to develop strategies and to promote anti-death penalty activism within each faith tradition. At the grassroots level, the Project links with individuals and faith communities, establishing "covenant" relationships to foster local abolition efforts. Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation, Inc. 877-896-4702 MVFR 2100 M St NW., Suite 170-296 Washington, DC 20037 Political Prisoners and Prisoner of War Founded in 1976 by Marie Deans of Charlottesville, Virginia, MVFR is a national organization of family members of both homicide and state killings who oppose the death penalty in all cases. The following definitions were adopted at the International Tribunal on the Violation of Human Rights of Political Prisoners in U.S Prisons and Jails, December 1990 American Bar Association Death Penalty Moratorium Implementation Project Phone: (202) 662-1595 740 15th Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20005-1022 moratorium@abanet.org Fax: (202) 662-1032 Political Prisoner: a person incarcerated for actions carried out in support of legitimate struggles for self determination or for opposing the illegal policies of the government and/or its political subdivisions. also has lots of resources for lawyers dealing with death penalty http://www.abanet.org/moratorium/assessmentproject/pennsylvania.html Prisoner of War: those combatants struggling against colonial and alien The Death Penalty Information Center 202.289.2275 1101 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite 701 Washington, DC 20005 http://www.deathpenaltyinfo.org/ Fax 202.289.7336 (Visitors to the DPIC offices are encouraged to make an appointment.) If incarcerated, try to get outside support to print stuff out off the site before contacting center.The Death Penalty Information Center is a non-profit organization serving the media and the public with analysis and information on issues concerning capital punishment. The Center was founded in 1990 and prepares in-depth reports, issues press releases, conducts briefings for journalists, and serves as a resource to those working on this issue. The Center is widely quoted and consulted by all those concerned with the death penalty. The Moratorium Campaign 586 Harding Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA 70807 Contact us at info@moratoriumcampaign.org National Coaltion to Abolish the Death Penalty NCADP 202-331-4090 1717 K St. NW, Suite 510 Washington, D.C. 20036 info@ncadp.org fax-202-331-4099 http://www.ncadp.org/contact_us.html National Death Row Assistance Network(NDRAN) 1888-255-6196 Claudia Whitman, 6 Tolman Road, Peaks Island ME 04108 Compassion St. Rose Peace & Justice 140 Boundary St. Perrysburg, OH 43551 Written by death row prisoners. Free to death row inmates, $25 for others. Death Row Support Project Box 600 Dept. A Liberty Mills, IN 46946 Death row inmates only. domination and racist regimes, captured as prisoners are to be accorded the status of prisoner of war and their treatment should be in accordance with the provisions of the Geneva Conventions Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War of 12 august 1949 (General Assembly Resolution 3103) Jericho is a movement with the defined goal of gaining recognition of the fact that political prisoners and prisoners of war exist inside of the United States despite the United States’ government’s continued denial ... and winning amnesty and freedom for these political prisoners. National Jericho Movement – (718) 949-3937. P.O. Box 340084 Jamaica, NY 11434 nationaljericho@gmail.com info@thejerichomovement. www.thejerichomovement.com New York City Jericho Movement • P.O. Box 774 • Bronx, NY 10458 http://www.jerichony.org/ nycjericho@riseup.net Philadelphia Jericho Movement: 215-748-6428 c/o FCU PO Box 9476 Philadelphia, PA 19139 PhillyJericho@riseup.net The Anarchist Black Cross Network and the Anarchist Black Cross Federation are two support political support networks. One member describes the difference between the two: ABCF deals with Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War and ABCN deals with wider prison issues along with PP/POW The ABCN is a loose network, each chapter doing their own thing and ABCF is united around the support for PP/POW. Anarchist Black Cross Federation P.O. Box 42129 Phila, PA 19101 timABCF@aol.com www.abcf.net Anarchist Black Cross Network - philly_abc@riseup.net International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu Jamal 215 476 8812 icffmaj@aol. com MOVE Organization 610 499 0979 onamovellja@ aol.com. Both Mumia and MOVE organizations use P.O. Box 19709, Phila, PA 19143 Pittsburg Organizing Group – pog@mutualaid.com (As of 2007 January Thomas Manning #10373-016 USP-Hazelton P.O. Box 2000 Bruceton Mills , WV 26525 (recently moved to WV close to PA) writes letters too and on behalf of PP’s and POW’s one night a month) Out of Control Lesbian Committee to Support Women Political Prisoners3543 - 18th Street, Box 30 San Francisco, CA, 94110 www.prisonactivist.org/ooc/ OOC has been working on behalf of the 25 women political prisoners in the U.S. since 1986. This all volunteer group puts on an annual educational and cultural event, Sparks Fly and produces a newsletter called Out of Time, which is free to prisoners. Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War Held in Pennsylvania The Move 9: Debbie Sims Africa #006307, Janet Holloway Africa #006308, Janine Phillips Africa #006309 are held at: SCI-Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton avenue, Cambridge Springs, PA16403-1238 Michael Davis Africa #AM 4973, Charles Sims Africa #AM 4975 Are held at: SCI-Graterford, P.O. Box 244, Graterford, pa 19426-0244 Edward Goodman Africa #AM 4974 SCI-Mahanoy, 301 Morea rd., Frackville, PA 17932 William Phillips Africa #AM 4984, Delbert Orr Africa #AM 4985 are at: SCI-Dallas, 1000 follies rd, Dallas, pa 18612-0286 Mumia Abu Jamal #AM 8335 SCI-Greene, 175 progress drive, Waynesburg, pa 15370 Leonard Peltier #89637-132 USP Lewisburg P.O. Box 1000 Lewisburg, PA 178371 Joseph “Joe Joe” Bowen #AM-4272 1 Kelley Drive Coal Township, PA 17866-1021 Russel Maroon Shoats #AF-3855 175 Progress Dr. Waynesburg, PA 15370 Sundiata Acoli (C. Squire) USP Allenwood #39794-066 P.O. Box 3000 White Deer, PA 17887 Transportation to prisons Visitors and virtual visitation Economical Family Service 215-843-6935 Box 29636 Philadelphia, PA 19114 Reunification Transportation Service – 215-324-1751 4414 Germantown Avenue, Suite 3B Philadelphia, PA 19140 http://rtsphilly.tripod.com/mission.html $50 for adult round trip bus leaves from progress plaza at broad and oxford streets. Huntingdon /Smithfield The Bus Ministry 215-765-3853 (From Philly to Graterford only) Fisher Transportation Services (215) 747-2533 P.O. Box 19115 Philadelphia. PA 19143 A fee-based, door-to-door transportation service, bringing families and friends together for those who are incarcerated. Please give a day or two of advance notice for reservation. At that time, clients will be notified of cost and time the van will arrive the morning of the trip. Families Outside 412-661-1670 x.603 921 Penn Avenue 4th Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Provides low-cost transportation for prison visitors, video-visiting, case management, support groups, re-entry assistance, counseling and family therapy.. Also just started offering teleconference phone calls or virtual phonecalls where you can see your loved one in prison. It’s 15$ for 15 minutes I think. The Prison Society's Family Transportation Services Program offers affordable bus transportation services from Philadelphia to twentythree state correctional institutions. Family Transportation Coordinator (215) 564-4775, ext. 400 (see advocacy section for additional contact info)The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections provides the funding for this program. We travel to each institution once every other month and tickets are currently twenty-five dollars ($25.00) per person round trip. To obtain tickets, you must request a reservation for seat(s) via email or by telephone. Unfortunately, the request for seats normally far outnumbers the number of seats available so those selected to travel on their requested trip will be contacted to come into our offices and pay for their tickets at that time. We try to give priority to those individuals that will be traveling with us for the first time. If you have used the service in the past and you were not able to obtain a ticket for a particular trip, you may request a 'Standby Ticket'. Having a standby ticket DOES NOT guarantee a seat on the bus. Immediately prior to departure the bus driver will fill any empty seats with people on standby. Only, ten standybys are available on each trip. Family Virtual Visitation program The Prison Society in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections and a grant from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD) provides some inmates at 8 state prisons the opportunity to visit 'virtually' with their families in Philadelphia through our Family Virtual Visitation program. Ebonee Allen Family Virtual Visitation Coordinator(215) 564-4775, ext. 103 Philadelphia Society for Services to Children 215-875-3400 415 S. 15th Street Philadelphia, PA 19146 E-mail: brich@pssckids.org www.pssc@libertynet.org Prisoner Visitation and Support NATIONAL PROGRAM 215 241-7117 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 Fax (215) 241-7227 PVS@afsc.org www.prisonervisitation.org Services: The only national organization with complete access to all federal and military prisons in the U.S. Our volunteers visit once a month to see prisoners who don't receive visits. Official Vistitors of The Pennsylvania Prison Society -(215) 564-6005 245 N. Broad Street, Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19107 Official Visitors are advocates for just and humane treatment of prisoners. Official Visitors, members of the Society, monitor prison conditions and visit prisoners to assist them with issues ranging from serious medical concerns to re-connecting with family members. In fact, by Act of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Prison Society Official Visitors are guaranteed access to all Pennsylvania correctional facilities. To become an Official Visit or receive an official visit please contact the PPS. Local Prisoner Advocacy/family support The Pennsylvania Prison Society, (PPS) (215) 564-6005 245 N. Broad Street, Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19107 Programs and Direct services office -(215) 564-4775 toll free (800) 2272307 fax- (215) 564-7926 geninfo@prisonsociety.org www.prisonsociety.org To become a member via the mail send us a check in the amount corresponding to your membership level to the address shown below. Please include the following information with your check: Full Name, Address, Telephone Number and Email Address for member questions Call:215-564-6005, ext. 106 $40 Regular Member, $5 Prisoner, $10Family of Prisoner/Student Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (PA CURE) Ph: 717 692-2180 P.O. Box 125, Millersburg, PA 17061-1125 Fax 717 692-5603 dlhdh@pa.net Website: www.curenational.org Services: Support to inmates and families via letters, calls, faxes and Emails. Testifying and attending legislative hearings regarding prison issues. Education about prison issues, legislation, through visits to prisons and via PA CURE newsletter. Meeting with D.O.C., legislations, regarding policies, inmate and family concerns. High cost of inmate phone calls Elimination of PCN-TV from new Texas cable Being a “Principal” in the Lobbyist Coalition, who has hired Ernest D. Preate, Jr., to be our lobbyist regarding prison issues – accompanying Ernie when he speaks at prisons. Holding an Annual PA CURE Rally in Harrisburg. Cooperating and networking with and supporting other prison advocacy organizations. Survivors Of Incarcerated Loved Ones (S.I.L.O.) 215-331-7796 P.O. Box 52139 Philadelphia, PA 19115 forsilo@erols.com http://www.geocities.com/forsilo/forsilo_support American Friends Service Committee 215-241-7130 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102 www.afsc.org They have a big prison focus.. New Afrikan Liberation Front c/o FCU P.O Box 9476 Philadelphia, Pa 19139 White Panther Organization- P.O. Box 4362 Allentown, PA 18105 Billy Johnson #322385 P.O. Box 549 Whiteville, TN 38075 (can receive correspondence from other inmates) Write for manifesto along with details for membership. The purpose of the WPO is to provide a Panther based means through which white brothers and sisters can uphold the tradition of revolutionary abolitionist John Brown in standing against whit supremacy and racism, stand in the struggle of national liberation for Black’s, Latino’s and other oppressed minorities. Human Rights Coalition 215-496-9661 1213 Race St. Phila PA 19107 info@hrcoalition.com www.hrcoalition.com The HRC is a group of prisoners’ families and loved ones, ex-prisoners, prisoners and sympathetic individuals. We work on supporting prisoners’ struggles, as well as improving the conditions they serve time under, raise awareness about their situation and give voice to prisoner’s families, who are a whole section of victims never talked about by the criminal justice system. JOIN US! Crime Watch 412.321.0242 P.O. Box 275 Latrobe, PA 15650 Services: Provides a newsletter, pen-pal program and prison visits. Advocates against abusive conditions within padoc. Also contact regarding abuse, Ron Wanless 412-321-3203 3727 Perrysville Ave. Pgh, PA 15214 CentrePeace, Inc. (814) 353-9081 3013 Benner Pike Bellefonte, PA 16823 (Fax) (814) 353-9083 Email: dircentrepeace@centrepeace.org Website: www.centrepeace.org Services: Promotes a restorative justice system by modeling programs within our communities and correctional facilities that are based on healing brokenness rather than on vengeance— centering on peace rather than on fear— and offering avenues of accountability rather than alienation. Conflict Resolution Training is available for corrections personnel, inmates and victims’ groups. This course presents nonviolent problem solving, mediation and reconciliation (statewide). Christmas Cards for Inmates enables children artists to put their artwork on Christmas Cards for Pennsylvania inmates. The cards are screened by CentrePeace and sent to approximately 19,000 inmates each year (statewide). Criminal Justice Advocacy and Support Directory is compiled by CentrePeace every three years; it is published and distributed free of charge by the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project. This directory provides listings of services for Pennsylvania inmates, victims and their families. Mentor Program provides pre-and-post release mentoring for Centre County Prison inmates (statewide). Prayer-Mate Program matches inmates with community prayer partners (statewide). Prison Visitation and Training in Rockview. This volunteer group visits the "Special Treatment Needs" cellblock each week. Project Restore provides Centre County Prison inmates with socialization and job-skills training in a community setting. A weekly sale at the Used Household and Furniture Outlet provides recycling of items donated by the community and restored by inmate trainees. Rockview Family Transportation Assistance Program is available to families of Rockview inmates with limited resources. Speakers Bureau, Advisory and Referral. CentrePeace responds to all requests for training and speakers, leadership and advisors for churches, volunteer groups, inmates and victims groups (statewide). Recent emphasis is on presentations on Restorative Justice. Valentine Cards for Children enables inmates to put their artwork on Valentine Cards as a thank you to the children for their Christmas cards. The cards are screened by CentrePeace and sent to hundreds of children's groups Mary Mother of Captives (215) 698-7656 P.O. Box 52416 Philadelphia, PA 19115 mmocsprtgp@aol.com www.marymotherofcaptivessupportgroup.org Services: A Support Group for family and friends who have a loved one in prison, on trial or about to be sentenced to prison. MMOC meets in various locations in Philadelphia and Delaware County, ministering to the frustrated, forgotten and innocent victims (the inmate's family). MMOC is open to all regardless of race, creed, color or national origin and is free of any dues. ALL INFORMATION IS STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL. Our aim is to eventually have support groups in all sections of Philadelphia and the suburbs. Together we can overcome an antiquated and failed system. Numbers are the only way change can happen. Change is needed in the manner in which the incarcerated and their loved ones are treated by the Department of Corrections. Gray Panthers Of Graterford (Originally known as Concerned Seniors) 3141 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19104 fax: 215.895.1333 Services: Originally known as The Concerned Seniors is the first and only prisonbased chapter of the Gray Panthers, an international, inter-generational advocacy organization. Provides information on health care, employment, housing, and benefits for seniors who are returning to the community. For institutionalized seniors, the group provides fellowship, advocacy for seniors' interests and issues, information and contact with community services and benefits that incarcerated seniors can access. The group is limited to those 50 years and older; however, they sponsor an Intergenerational Dialogue whereby seniors can mentor younger offenders in a positive manner. Red Heart Warrior Society Tom BigWarrior (610)437-2971 P.O. Box 4362 Allentown, PA 18105 tomw@iwon.com (works with native American prisoners also see under newsletter) Sagewriters 610-328-6101 Box215 Swarthmore, PA 19081 info@sagewriters.org www.SAGEWRITERS.com SageWriters is a community of free and imprisoned writers, artists, musicians, filmmakers, playwrights and activists working together to give an artistic voice to movements for justice, healing, reawakening compassion in our elected officials, creating a community love ethic, supporting effective re-entry programs, ending prisons as we know them and developing community-based Houses of Healing. Jerome Coffey Support Committee (JFSC) 215-684-0443 c/o Daisy Coffey 2421 N. Marshall St. Philadelphia, PA 19133 National Prison Advocacy Groups The Sentencing Project Phone: 202-628-0871 514 Tenth Street, NW Suite 1000 Washington DC 20004 Fax: 202-628-1091 www.sentencingproject.org The Sentencing Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization which promotes reduced reliance on incarceration and increased use of more effective and humane alternatives to deal with crime. It is a nationally recognized source of criminal justice policy analysis, data, and program information. Its reports, publications, and staff are relied upon by the public, policymakers and the media. Critical Resistance National phone: 510.444.0484 1904 Franklin St., Suite 504 Oakland, CA 94612 fax: 510.444.2177 crnational@criticalresistance.org www.criticalresistance.org Critical Resistance works to build an international movement to end the Prison Industrial Complex by challenging the belief that caging and controlling people makes us safe. If you are not already familiar with this group, you should check ‘em out. They are doing awesome work. Critical Resistance NYC Phone: 212.462.4382 451 West Street New York NY 10014 Fax: 212.462.4570 crnyc@criticalresistance.org http://www.criticalresistance.org/crnyc Critical Resistance – Southern Regional Office (reopened) 504-304-3784 P.O. Box 71553 New Orleans, LA 70172 crsouth@criticalresistace.org Human Rights Watch 202-612-4321 1630 Connecticut Avenue N.W. Suite 500 Washington, D.C. 20009 usa hrwdc@hrw.org main office - 350 Fifth Avenue, 34th floor, NY,NY 101183299 www.hrw.org Stands with victims and activist to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. Investigates and exposes human rights violations and hold abusers accountable, challenges governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect to International Human Rights Law. They work on a variety of prison issues. Chicano Mexicano Prison Project/Union del Barrio – 619-696-9224 P.O. Box 620095 San Diego, CA 92162 www.uniondelbarrio.org CMPP is committed to continue the struggle for the human righs of prisoners and the liberation of the Mexicano Indigenous people. National Alliance of Black Panthers 202-413-0255 or 202-271-0031 339 Elm Street NW Washington DC, 20001 n_a_b_p@yahoo.com www.nabp.zoomshare.com Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) 510-893-4648 P.O. Box 339 Berkely, CA 94701 parc@prisonactivist.org www.prisonactivist.org Free prison resource list. GREAT RESOURCE! Amnesty International, USA 212-807-8400 phone: (212) 807-8400 5 Penn Plaza, NY 10001 fax: (212) 627-1451 Online Support: email: aimember@aiusa.org Amnesty Mid-Atlantic Regional Office phone: (202) 544-0200 600 Penn. Ave., SE 5th Floor Washington, DC 20003 fax: (202) 546-7142 aiusama@aiusa.org http://www.amnestyusa.org Families Against Mandatory Minimums(FAMM) 202-822-6700 1612 K Street NW Suite 700 Washington, D.C. 20006 famm@famm.org www.famm.org fax: 202-822-6704 Stop Prisoner Rape 3325 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 340 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 384-1400 Fax: (213) 384-1411 Email: info@spr.org http://www.spr.org/ Seeks to end sexual violence committed against men, women, and youth in all forms of detention. NAACP National Prison Project – 4805 Mt. Hope Drive Baltimore, MD 21215 http://naacp.org/programs/prison/ Prisoners Action Coaltion – P.O. Box 151 Fenimore, WI 53809 paction@tds.net www.prisonerationcoaltion.blogspot.com –good contact for prison issues in Wisconsin had experience dealing with supermax issues. See newsletter section – The New Abolitionist Arab American Anti Discrimination Committee 202-244-2990 1732 Wisconsin Ave, NW Washington, D.C. 20007 www.adc.org fax: 202-244-7968 Provides advice, referrals, full time staff attorneys to help defend interest of the community also serves as a vital clearing house of accurate information on Arab culture and history for education and school systems The November Coalition, 282 West Astor, Colville, WA 99114 moreinfo@november.org http://www.november.org/join.html focus on the drug war, great resource on the web, also have a newsletter Innocence Projects – working for those wrongly convicted Innocence Institute of Western Pennsylvania (412) 765-3164 (412) 392-3917 392 xt.3416 4730 201 Wood Street Pittsburgh, PA 15222 bmoushey@pointpark.edu innocence@pointpark.edu http://www.pointpark.edu/default.aspx?id=902 Services: We are a non-profit entity that probes into and writes about allegations of wrongful convictions based on actual innocence claims. Innocence Denied P.O. Box 18477 Pittsburgh, PA 15236 IDnewsletter@innocencedenied.com www.innocencedenied.com Bi-monthly newsletter on issues of Innocence. Innocence Project (National) 100 Fifth Avenue 3rd Floor New York, NY 10011 www.innocenceproject.org Only handles cases where post-conviction DNA testing of evidence can yield conclusive evidence of innocence Innocence Project - at the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in New York. Handles only cases of actual innocence provable by DNA testing. For guidelines and a consideration form write: Innocence Project Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law 55 5th Avenue, 11th Floor New York, NY 10003 Foundation For Innocence 1050 Bishop Street, Ste 508 Honolulu, HI 96813 foundationforinnocence@yahoo.com http://www.foundationforinnocence.com (Cases Accepted Nationwide - DNA evidence of innocence not required) False Accusations of Sexual Abuse Website: http://falseallegations.com Contact: Law Office of Barbara C. Johnson 925-256-4600 6 Appletree Lane Andover, MA 01810-4102 Innocence Project For Justice ( (New Jersey Cases) Rutgers University School Of Law Constitutional Litigation Clinic 123 Washington St. Newark, NJ 07102 Innocent! 533 32nd SE Grand Rapids, MI 49548 http://www.aboutinnocent.org (An operation of support for the wrongly convicted) INNOCENT!, a Christian-based non-profit organization, refers prison inmates and their families to a national network of Innocence organizations following receipt and review of claims of wrongful conviction. Utilizing expertise in the media and in community organization, INNOCENT increases public awareness of legitimate claims of innocence and problems associated with wrongful convictions. (Founded by an innocent who was released in 2004 after fighting 10 years.) Life After Exoneration Program PO Box 10208 Berkeley, CA 94709 Dedicated to info@exonerated.org http://www.exonerated.org/ helping survivors of wrongful conviction re-enter society and rebuild their life. Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project (District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia University - Washington College Of Law 4801 Massachusetts Ave., NW Washington, D.C. 20016 202-274-4199 Fax: 202-730-4733 Or email: innocenceproject@wcl.american.edu http://www.wcl.american.edu/innocenceproject/index.html Justice Denied- magazine for the wrongly convicted - PO Box 68911 Seattle, WA 98168 6 Issues for a Prisoner $10 (U.S. address) 6 Issues for a Non- Cases) American Prisoner $20 (U.S. address) $3 sample issue. JD is published bi-monthly by The Justice Institute. Justice Denied is the only magazine in the world exclusively devoted to publicizing cases of wrongful conviction and how they occur. Centurion Ministries, Inc.- 221 Witherspoon Street Princeton, New Jersey 08542-3215 - is a private non-profit organization that will ONLY consider cases of wrongful conviction in the U.S. and Canada that involve a sentence of life in prison or death. CM does NOT consider self-defense or accidental death cases. Do not call or email, ONLY submit a written summary of the facts of a case and the facts supporting your innocence. All letters are responded to. Submit a case for consideration to For submission procedures and guidelines: http://www.centurionministries.org/criteria.html The Center on Wrongful Convictions Center on Wrongful Convictions Northwestern University School of Law 357 East Chicago Avenue Chicago, Illinois 60611 CWC will consider cases containing the following characteristics: Claim of Actual Innocence(The Center on Wrongful Convictions at present is restricted to handling only cases of persons who assert that they were in no way involved in the crimes for which they were convicted. A DNA case (a claim of innocence which is supported by testable biological evidence.), A Minimum of 10 Years Remaining on a Prison Sentence (for a non-DNA case) If your case contains these characteristics and you would like to have it reviewed by the Center on Wrongful Convictions for possible representation, please send us a letter with details of the case Penn State Criminal Justice Project Penn State University, Dickinson School of Law 150 S. College Street Carlisle, PA 17013 Innocence Projects in the U.S. and other countries - are listed with contact information contact@forejustice.org More Innocence Resources on Internet http://forejustice.org/wc/wrongful_conviction_websites.htm Education On the Inside Prison Literacy Project (215) 627-7195 4700 Wissahickon Ave., Suite 126 Philadelphia, PA 19144 Services: Provides literacy tutoring for prison residents in the 0-4th grade reading level. Volunteer tutors are prison inmates, college students, community members, etc. Over 150 tutors have been trained, and 350 student tutors. Handbook, newsletter, readers, and videos are available. PA Association for Learning Alternatives- P.O. Box 201 Quakertown, PA 18951 Int’l Correspondance School (ICS) Newport/Pacific Highschool 925 Oak Street Scranton, PA 18515 Provides prisoners with G.E.D. test info on request. PEN Writing Program for Prisoners 212-334-1660 568 Broadway NY, NY 10012 prisonwriting@pen.org Offers FREE a great resource booklet for prison writers, and a separate list of fifty nine correspondence courses leading to either high school, college, or paralegal diploma, certificate or degree programs. Also sponsors an annual writing contest for prisoners. Thresholds In Delaware County Phone: 610-459-9384 P. O. Box 114 Thornton, PA 19373 Decision@ThresholdsDelco.org http://www.thresholdsdelco.org Volunteers from the community are trained to teach decision making skills in a one on one situation with volunteer prison inmates at Chester County Prison outside of West Chester PA. Blackstone School of Law P.O. Box 899 Emmaus, PA 18049-0899 tel610967-3323 Services: Offers a well known correspondence program. They can also be reached for free at 1 800 826 9228 Books! The Books through Bars 215-727-8170 4722 Baltimore Ave.Philadelphia, PA 19143 www.booksthroughbars.org Sends progressive political and educational materials at no charge to state and federal prisoners in all states except MI. and OR. Donates books directly to county jail libraries but does not accept individual requests from county jail prisoners. Request books by topic. No catalog. Donations including artwork and stamps greatly appreciated. Book ‘Em 412-361-3022 P.O.Box 71357 Pittsburgh, PA 15213 bookem@keromail.com Book ‘Em sends books and educational materials to prisoners free of charge. We like to focus on PA but we send everywhere except for Texas and Oregon. Please request by subject rather than specific title or author and we will do what we can to find you something suitable to your interests. Coal Township and Frackville will not accept our materials. If you are in an institution like Graterford, that does not accept donated materials, consider sending us a check for 25 cents or 1 dollar with your requests and we will try to get materials to you that way, as you will have paid for it. Black Ice Print, PO Box 13074, Philadelphia, PA 19143. blackiceprint@riseup.net Anarchist/Anti-Oppression/etc books and pamphlets, as well as resource guides. Free to any prisoners in PA, NY and NJ, as well as women and transgender prisoners throughout the US. Stamps or donations are appreciated, but not necessary. Write for a catalog. directory provides listings of services for Pennsylvania inmates, victims and their families. It’s free but it cost 4 dollars to mail. It’s huge! They have it available on their website www.naljor.com internet resource Local Newsletters, Newspapers, Distro’s (oh my!) GraterFriends – 215-565-6005 x-112 fax: 215-564-7926 245 N. Broad Street, Suite 300 Philly, PA 19107 fax: 215-564-7926 graterfriends@prisonsociety.org. A publication of the Pennsylvania Prison Society $3 for prisoners or stamp equivalent per year $15 non prisoners per year/ make check payable to Pennsylvania Prison Society Books Through Bars—NYC c/o Bluestockings Bookstore 172 Allen Street New York, NY 10002 Grapevine –P.O. Box 256 Wellsboro, PA 16901 $3 prisoners $8 non prisoners Resource Guides Red Heart Warrior Society Newsletter of the Red Heart Warrior Society P.O. Box 4362 Allentown, PA 18105 Leviathon – Newsletter of the Black Brigade P.O. Box 4362 Allentown, PA 18105 Innocence Denied P.O. Box 18477 Pittsburgh, PA 15236 $5 for prisoners or stamps per year $15 for outsiders www.innocencedenied.com HumanRightsCoalition Newsletter 215-496-9661 1213 Race St., Philadelphia PA 19107 info@hrcoalition.com Inside Out Resource Guide for the Incarcerated-The Books 4 Prisoners Crew, P.O.B. 19065, Cincinnati, OH, 45219 email - bpcrew@hotmail.com http://www.freewebs.com/books4prisoners/resourceguide.htm The Books 4 Prisoners Crew puts out a great national resource guide for the incarcerated. It costs 60 cents, in postage, embossed envelope or money order made out to Books for Prisoners. They will not honor your request if you don’t prepay for the postage and it is well worth the 60 cents. Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) 510-893-4648 P.O. Box 339 Berkely, CA 94701 parc@prisonactivist.org www.prisonactivist.org Free prison resource list. Freedom Within - www.thecentering.org/freedom_within.html Resources for those following a contemplative path inside jails and prison printable resource guide on website. (ask someone on the outside if they could print for you. (Budda, Meditation, Dharma…) Locked Out –c/o Prison Book Project P.O. Box 396 Amherst, MA 01004 Resource list for queer – lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans - prisoners in U.S. The New Abolitionist – P.O. Box 151 Fenimore, WI 53809 paction@tds.net Newsletter of Prisoners Action Coalition –good contact for prison issues in Wisconsin has experience dealing with supermax issues. Criminal Justice Advocacy and Support Directory (814) 353-9081 CentrePeace, Inc. 3013 Benner Pike Bellefonte, PA 16823 (814) 353-9083 (Fax) Email: dircentrepeace@centrepeace.org Website: www.centrepeace.org Criminal Justice Advocacy and Support Directory is compiled by CentrePeace every three years; it is published and distributed free of charge by the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project. This $12 groups (postage stamp equivalent accepted) A publication that focus on lifers, families, volunteers and people who care http://www.prisoners.com/dallashome.html www.hrcoalition.com writings by prisoners, ex-prisoners, and families and friends of prisoners. Free on request. The New People – 412-361-3022 5125 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15224 Monthly Newspaper of the Thomas Merton Center, Pittsburgh’s activist resource center. Often prints articles about and by prisoners. info@thomasmertoncenter.org Deadlines 15th of every month National Newsletters, Newspapers, Distro’s (oh my!) Boston ABC PO Box 230182 Boston, MA 02123-0182 A group of prison abolitionists dedicated to supporting those on the inside. Corresponds with prisoners, provides literature free of charge (self-published zines/articles only. No books!) Not a lawyer group aid and cannot offer legal advice though may be able to help research a topic. Covers all regions and types of prisoners. No fees required though donations of stamps/money always help. Off the Hook –P.O.Box 872 Kirksville, MO 63501 – free to prisoners The Newsletter of the Missouri Prisoner Labor Union Allied Resistance!c/o Kansas Mutual Aid785-865-1374 P.O. Box 442438 Lawrence, KS 66044 alliedresistance@mutualaid.org www.justicewatchinc.org Works to eliminate classism and racism from prisons. Allied Resistance publishes a monthly newsletter of writings by, for, and about prisoners involved in the struggle for social liberation. Prisoners can receive monthly issues for free,Non-prisoners can receive copies for sliding scale $1-$5 per issue. Send a check or money order to the above address. South Chicago ABC Zine Distro – P.O. Box 721 Homewood, Il 60430 Distributes lots of writings by political prisoners Socialist Worker PO Box 16085, Chicago IL 60616. Newsletter free to prisoners ART Prisoners can request a free subscription to this newsletter The Fortune News 212.691.7554 tel. 212.255.4948 fax 53 West 23rd Street, 8th Floor New York, NY 10010 http://www.fortunesociety.org/ General Information Fortune News is sent free of charge to inmates and contributing members. Fortune News is the publication of The Fortune Society, a not-for-profit community-based organization dedicated to educating the public about prisons, criminal justice issues, and the root causes of crime, and to helping former prison-ers and at-risk youth break the cycle of crime and incarceration through a broad range of services. Alice S. Grant Publications INC. 414-543-5616 P.O. Box 28812, Greenfield, WI 53228 “Alice offers reduced rates on many magazine and newspaper subscriptions. Prisoner friendly.” Send SASE to find out more. Recommended by Innocence Denied Newsletter. Coalition For Prisoner's Rights Newsletter Box 1911 Sante Fe, NM 87504-1911 National Criminal Justice Reference Service (800) 851-3420 P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 askncjrs@ncjrs.org www.ncjrs.org (301) 519-5212 (Fax) Services: Publication and information clearinghouse. Sojourner: The Women’s Forum 42 Seaverns Ave. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 offers women in prison fee subscriptions to feminist paper, penpal ads and resource guide for women in prison ACLU National Prison Project 733 15th Street, NW Suite 620 Washington, DC 20005 offers prisoners assistance directory it’s 30 bucks tho. They have a journal that’s a $2 subscription for prisoners. $30 for outsiders. Tarantula 818 SW 3rd Ave PMB 1237 Portland, OR 97204 tarantula@socialwar.net www.socialwar.net/tarantula Great radical distro. Not sure what they offer for prisoners anymore. It looks like they have expanded. Still looks awesome. I would inquire. Used to offer stuff free to prisoners, write for catalogue. The Angolite Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, LA 70712 A paper produced by prisoners of Angola prison in Louisiana. It is considered excellent prison journalism. Subs are $20 a year http://www.corrections.state.la.us/LSP/angolite.htm Justice Watch 513-241-0490 1120 Garden St. Cincinnati OH 45214-2123 fax: 513-241-6850 Contexts Art Project 215-727-8170 #5. 4722 Baltimore Ave. Phila. PA USA 19143 contexts@booksthroughbars.org The Contexts Collective hoped to represent to the public through the artwork of prisoners some of the realities of prison life; instill in the artist the sense of accomplishment and pride evoked by an exhibit of their own art; and raise money for Books Through Bars. California Prison Focus 415-252-9211 2940 16th Street #B-5 San Francisco, CA 94103 contact@prisons.org Fax: 415-252-9311 www.prisons.org/ working to stop human rights violations, improve medical care and end long-term isolation in California's prisons. People from all over like the newsletter, it has a lot of art. I believe its free to people in solitary in CA and there is a fee if your out of state. Inquire above. Prison Poster Project 412-802-8575 P.O. Box 71357 Pgh, PA 15213 prisonposter@riseup.net Looking for incarcerated Illustrators – apply until end of August 2007The Prison Poster Project (PPP) working group, in collaboration with incarcerated illustrators across the country, is designing a reproducible, portable, mural-like graphic to be used as a teaching tool to raise awareness about the personal and political manifestations of the prisonindustrial complex. www.massartillery.com – Art by Kevin Rashid Johnson all proceeds go to the movement Art Behind Bars (305) 304-4772 P.O. Box 2034 Key West, FL 33045 Fax: (305) 294-7345http://www.artbehindbars.org/ An art-based community service program for inmates in the Monroe County Detention Center in Key West, FL in which inmates contribute to society through the donation of artwork to non-profit organizations, locally and nationwide. Prison Performing Arts (314) 727-5355 630 Trinity Ave. St. Louis, MO 63130 http://prisonartsstl.org/ A nonprofit multi-discipline, literacy and performing arts program that serves incarcerated adults and children at St. Louis City Juvenile Detention Center, City Workhouse, City Justice Center, County Jail, Hogan Street Regional Youth Center, Northeastern Correctional Center (NECC) in Bowling Green, MO and Women's Eastern Reception, Diagnostic and Correctional Center (WERDCC) in Vandalia, MO. PEN American Center (212) 334-1660 588 Broadway, Suite 303 New York, NY 10012 fax: (212) 334-2181 pen@pen.org www.pen.org PEN American Center is the largest of the 141 centers of International PEN, a human rights organization and literary organization. International PEN was founded in 1921 to dispel national, ethnic, and racial hatreds and to promote understanding among all countries. PEN American Center, founded a year later, works to advance literature, to defend free expression, and to foster international literary fellowship. In addition to defending writers in prison or in danger of imprisonment for their work, PEN American Center sponsors public literary programs and forums on current issues, sends prominent authors to inner-city schools to encourage reading and writing, administers literary prizes, promotes international literature that might otherwise go unread in the United States, and offers grants and loans to writers facing financial or medical emergencies. Thousand Kites 91 Madison Avenue Whitesburg, KY 41858 Phone: 606-633-0108 Email: amelia@thousandkites.org Website: www.thousandkites.org Cooperative storytelling project. Send your story to them and they will incorporate it into a performance. Ongoing Project! Arts in Criminal Justice (215) 685-0759 info@www.artsincriminaljustice.org www.artsincriminaljustice.org Community Arts Network http://www.communityarts.net/links/archivefiles/corrections_all/index.php List of internet resources related to community art programs affiliated with correctional facilities. Women and Prison: A Site for Resistance (773) 973-2280 7013 N. Glenwood Ave. Chicago, IL 60626 fax: (773) 973-3367 info@womenandprison.org www.womenandprison.org “Women and Prison: A Site for Resistance makes visible women's experiences in the criminal justice system. Documenting these stories is integral to this project of resistance. The stories are supported by a collection of resources, such as organizations, reports, essays, and links to a wide range of information on women and prison. The contents of this website are fluid and constantly changing. We expect to add stories, articles and resources on a regular basis. Your feedback and contributions are welcome. This site serves as a dedicated space for prisoners, those previously incarcerated, activists, students, academics, and everyone who strives for social justice. Through the use of this website, we hope to promote strategies and actions that challenge the system and the ways that it reproduces all forms of discrimination, violence, and social injustice in the treatment of women and their families.” RESTORATIVE JUSTICE PROGRAMS (Restorative Justice is a way of solving conflicts so that both sides of the conflict participate in making things right. In some cases one can bypass the courts all together by utilizing mediation projects or restorative justice centers. Restorative Justice is a good answer to the question, “Well if you don’t believe in prisons, then what?” I’m just learning about it, but is seems a well thought out step into creating healthy communities.) USA / INTERNATIONAL CENTER P.O. Box 229 Bethlehem, PA 18016 (610) 807-9221 fax (610) 807-0423 usa@realjustice.org http://www.realjustice.org The International Institute for Restorative Practices provides education, consulting and research in support of the development of restorative practices around the world. Bruderhof Communities New Meadow Run, P.O. Box 240 Farmington, PA 15437-0240 (724) 329-8573 (724) 329-8674 (Fax) Center for Alternatives in Community Justice 411 South Burrowes Street State College, PA 16801 (814) 234-1059 (814) 234-0915 (Fax) cacj@chilitech.com Services: A pre-trial supervision program is offered to defendants prior to sentencing as an alternative to high monetary bail (presence at trial dates is ensured); human resource referrals are available to defendants and their families; mediation service is provided for any two people or groups of people with a dispute, where both parties are willing to work together to reach an agreement and education and referral is available to community members who are in need of information on the criminal justice system. Community Service Treatment Program 501 Howard Avenue, Building C, Suite 200 Altoona, PA 16601 (814) 946-7866 (814) 946-7954 (Fax) Services: Individuals are sentenced by the criminal justice system to perform community service hours. We monitor the progress of the community service offender, issue reminders or warnings to the offenders, arrange placement changes and assist placement agencies in working with offenders. Considering information supplied by the placement agencies, program staffs make periodic reports to judges, probation officers and other members of the justice system. Pittsburgh Mediation Center 100 Sheridan Square, second floor Pittsburgh, PA 15206 3019 412-365-0400x208 fax 412 365-0600 inquiry@pittsburgh-mediation.org has victim offender program, restorative justice in schools program York County Juvenile Probation Department 45 North George Street, 3rd floor York, PA 17401 phone: 717-771-9567 fax: 717-852-4925 http://www.york-county.org/departments/courts/jprob01.htm Services: Supervises juvenile offenders, including aftercare services. Also operates an EARN-IT restitution program utilizing volunteer staff and a community service program. School Board Probation, JUMP (Juvenile Probation United with Mental Health Programming), Juvenile Drug Court, Victim services, BALANCED and Restoration Justice Coordination. Montgomery County Mediation Center 26 West Main Street Norristown, PA 19401 (610) 277-8909 (610) 277-5126 (Fax) mcmcpeace@verizon.net Website: www.mediation-services.org Services: The Montgomery County Mediation Center is a non-profit agency that provides mediation, training, facilitation and conflict resolution education. Stepping Stone Transitional Living Program 334 South Burrowes Street State College, PA 16801. (814) 234-2632 (814) 234-2470 (Fax) Email: sstlp@ccysb.com http://www.ccysb.com/steppingstone.htm Services: Community; restorative justice (involved in our treatment plans when applicable); housing. An adolescent program serving individuals 16-21 years of age. Center for Peacemaking and Conflict Studies Fresno Pacific University 1717 South Chestnut Avenue • Fresno, California 93702-4709 rjp@fresno.edu 800 909 8677 http://peace.fresno.edu/ Lot’s of resources on Web! Alternatives to Violence Project AVP/USA 1050 Selby Ave. St. Paul, MN 55104 877-926-8287 (Toll-Free) avp@avpusa.org www.avpusa.org Workshops in conflict resolution and alternative ways to respond to and recognise our own violence, for prisons, community groups, and schools. The Prison Society created the resources below to assist others as they apply and practice restorative justice in prison in an effort to share what we have learned. While these resources were originally written for incarcerated individuals to promote their leadership in restorative justice efforts, the materials are also useful for community restorative justice practitioners, prison staff and others who work in prison. We encourage you to print and share these documents with incarcerated men and women, as many will not have internet access. www.prisonsociety.org Inmate Family Services Manager215-564-4775, ext. 120 Critical Issues in Restorative JusticeEdited by Howard Zehr and Barb Toews Restorative Justice: Rebuilding Your Web of Relationships, A Collection of Reflections for People in Prison This collection of restorative justice reflections is useful for individuals wishing to do personal reflection on their own or as a resource for group assignments in workshops and classes. An appendix includes suggestions for changing the reflections into group activities. Restorative Justice: Rebuilding the Web of Relationships, Resources for Restorative Justice Education in Prison This collection of educational resources provides restorative justice educators with basic materials to create and facilitate restorative justice workshops geared for an incarcerated audience. The collection includes information about agenda planning and activities, facilitation and resources to use as texts. Day of Responsibility Organizing Manual A Day of Responsibility, a prisoner organized event, is a day-long seminar in which community members and incarcerated individuals together explore the impact of crime and discuss the possibilities for personal accountability and community responsibility. This manual provides basic information that incarcerated organizers, prison staff and community organizations need to organize a Day. Creating Prison-Based Restorative Justice Projects: A Prisoners' Guide for Getting StartedThis guide offers tools, reflection questions and suggestions for incarcerated individuals and groups to use in creating their own restorative justice projects. The guide assumes that the reader is already knowledgeable about restorative justice. The Little Book for Restorative Justice for People in Prison(Good Books, 2006), written by Barb Toews, of the Prison Society, complements each of these resources and can serve as background information for a variety of prison-based restorative projects. The book is available from Good Books or any major online book seller. Barb Toews Also see Centre Peace under prison advocacy groups. Favorite books of the Western Prison Project Are Prisons Obsolete? Angela Davis Seven Stories Press 2003 Instead of Prisons, Prison Research Action Project Safer Society Press 1986 Criminal Injustice: Confronting the Prison Crisis Elihu Rosenblatt Editor South End Press 1996 Live From Death Row Mumia Abu Jamal Avon Paperbacks 1996 Lockdown America: Police and Prisons in the Age of Crisis Christian Parenti Verso Books 1999 No More Prisons William Upski Wimsatt Soft Skull Press 1999 The Perpetual Prisoner Machine: How America Profits from Crime Joel Dyer Westview Press 1999 Prison Writing: My Life is My Sundance Leonard Peltier St. Martins Press 1999 The Prisoner’s Wife: A Memoir Asha Bandele Pocket Books 2000 Gates of Injustice: The Crisis in America’s Prisons Alan Elsner Prentice Hall 2004 New Jack: Guarding Sing Sing Ted Conover Vintage Books 2000 Invisible Punishment: The Collateral Consequences of Mass Imprisonment Marc Mauer and Mada Chesney-Lind Editors The New Press 2002 The Crime Drop in America Alfred Blumstein and Joel Wallman Editors Cambridge University Press 2000 The American Gulag marc Dow University of California Press 2004 Prison Nation Tara Heriel and Paul Wright Editors Routledge Press 2003 Pedagogy of the Oppressed Paolo Friere Continuum Press 2000 Race to Incarcerate Marc Mauer/The Sentencing Project The New Press 1999 The Real War on Crime: The Report of the National Criminal Justice System Steven R. Donziger Editor Harper Perennial 1996 Search and Destroy: African American Males in the Criminal Justice System Gerome G. Miller Cambridge University Press 1996 READ THIS! COLOR OF VIOLENCE: THE INCITE! ANTHOLOGY! 0-89608-762-X | paper | South End Press | 336 pages | $20 INCITE! announces the launch of an anthology of critical writings demanding that we address violence against women of color in all its forms, including interpersonal violence, such as sexual and domestic violence, and state violence, such as police brutality, militarism, attacks on immigrants and Indian treaty rights, the proliferation of prisons, economic neo-colonialism, and violence from the medical industry.You may also mail your order to South End Press. Send a check or money order to: South End Press 7 Brookline Street #1 Cambridge MA 02139-4146 Call 1-800-533-8478 to place an order by phone. Call anytime. A machine will take your message after business hours. All orders require shipping and handling: $3.50 for the first book Websites www.prisoners.com is a nonprofit corporation of education, information and charity. Our mission is to benefit the 100,000+ state, local and federal prisoners in Pennsylvania, their families and loved ones. Further, we aim to assist prisoners everywhere. http://www.actionpa.org/prisons/ has statistics and info on pa prisons. Don’t think it’s been updated in a couple of years but still good resource. http://www.prisonactivist.org/pps+pows/pplist-alpha.shtml List of political prisoners http://www.prisonsucks.com Prisonsucks.com is a clearinghouse for useful, verifiable statistics about the crime control industry. Too often prison activists use statistics that are out of date, provided without citation or simply wrong. One of these days the public will start listening to prison activists, so let's be prepared to win without being sidetracked by arguments over defective statistics. http://www.prisontalk.com Prison Talk Online is a huge and most comprehensive database of Prison/er Support on the Internet. It has chat rooms and forums and internet newspapers. Boasts over 40,000 members. http://www.prisonwall.org/ -no longer updated. But resources and articles on lots of stuff. www.prisonersolidarity.org – Contribute letters, articles, artwork or educational materials to this website P.O. Box 422 The Plains, OH 45780 Prisoner Solidarity is an internet site that serves as a catalyst for communication between prisoners and the outside. Incorporates national/international issues around prisons. www.certaindays.org - makes beautiful calendar pro-seeds prison justice orgs. www.prisonjustice.ca www.activesolidarity.org www.womenprisoners.org www.freedomarchives.org www.indymedia.org www.supermaxed.com www.prisonpolicy.org convicted as juveniles for criminal homicide and are serving life sentences without parole throughout Pennsylvania, and aim to educate the public, so that, We, Together, can motivate PA legislators to examine the plight of the over 330 juvenile lifers in PA. Resources for Lifers Fight For Lifers Inc-Philly Chapter215- 223- 8180 P.O. Box 7691 Philadelphia, PA 19101 rec2ffl@aol.com Public Meetings for the Philly Chapter are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 6:30pm at the America Friends Service Committee 1501 Cherry Street in Philadelphia Office Location: 1808 W. Tioga Fight For Lifers West – Pittsburgh Chapter 724-206-0907 P.O. Box 4683 Pittsburgh, PA 15206 fightforliferswest@yahoo.com http://fightforliferswest.mysite.com Public Meetings the 3rd Saturday of each month from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 noon. There is a Support Group Meeting from 12:30 until 1:30 on the same day. Meetings are held at The Thomas Merton Center 5125 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224 (Garfield section of Pittsburgh) Thomas Merton Center’s # is 412-361-3022 LIFE-LONG CURE - P.O. Box 8331 Falls Church, VA 22041 Organized lifers, practical lifers & loved one (editors note: Don’t know much about this organization if anyone contacts them and gathers any info, please let us know) Lifers Union Advocacy Group -- PO Box 88537, Steilacoom, WA 98388, deniseashley@lifersunion.com www.lifersunion.com publishes a 36-page bulletin whose goal is to "provide updates on laws and case-law regarding the death penalty; civil commitment; life or indefinite sentencing schemes; recidivist schemes, and; studies, reviews and other information. Grapevine -- (570) 376-2489 PO Box 256, Wellsboro, PA 16901 www.prisoners.com/dallashome.html Advocating for a second chance for lifers, Grapevine is a "publication for prisoners, specifically lifers, and their families, volunteers and people who care." For information on subscription rates and other matters End Violence Project (610)-527-2821 please contact: Mahin Bina, End Violence Project, Inc., P.O. Box 1395, Bryn Mawr PA 19010 ... Committed to The Campaign for Youth Justice (C4YJ) 202.558.3580 1012 14th Street, NW, Suite 610 Washington, DC, 20005 www.campaign4youthjustice.org Fax: 202.386.9807 C4YJ is a national campaign dedicated to ending the practice of trying, sentencing and incarcerating children (under 18) in the adult criminal justice system. May be helpful to Juvenile Lifers JuvenileLifers.org is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to juveniles in the state of Pennsylvania and across the country who are serving sentences of life without parole. Our purpose is to educate the public and legislators and to reach out to juveniles and their families. Write to us: Juvenile Lifers P.O. Box 8077 Pittsburgh, PA 15216 E-Mail: juvenilelifers@gmail.com www.juvenilelifers.org The following website articles we've published relating to lifers and life sentences. If you have your own stories about lifers for publication email them to. lifex@prisoners.com. http://www.prisoners.com/life.html#life Lifer’s United http://www.lifers.talkspot.com Pennsylvania has over 4,300 lifers and we want to see more of their lives profiled on this site. Friends and family of lifers need to have these stories told of what got their loved ones in prison, what have they done since their arrest to better themselves and their environment, and how would society benefit upon their release. For those who don't know, life in Pennsylvania means for the rest of their life. So push Pennsylvania's lifers to share their stories. You'd be surprised to hear what they have to say. Ideally the profiles should not exceed 3 pages. One does not have to go into specific details of their crimes, admit guilt or identify victims. Also include a small photo. Once these are scanned they will be returned along with a print out of how it looks. This is all FREE. You will NEVER be charged. All info can be sent to me directly at the address below or email to lifers-pa@hotmail.com or Dale Gardner BI 5107 Route 26, Box A Bellefonte PA 16823-0820 USA ending violence without violence (This group has worked with PA Lifers in the past) http://www.prisoners.com/scislife.html A website written By The Life Prisoners At Smithfield Prison Juvenile Lifers for Justice – contact Joan Porter, PPS 245 N. Broad Street Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19107 email – Jep@tradenet.net or Erik VanZant #BE-3343 or Victor Scott #AY 6871 at P.O. Box 244 Graterford, PA 19426 – 0244 The Juvenile Lifers for Justice are prisoners who were Also Health Section for Prison Society’s Program for Elders in Prison. Age 50 and up. Ave. Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238 Incarcerated Citizens Council Richard Carter 310 Morea Road Frackville, PA 17932 Addresses for Lifers’ Organizations within the Institutions Located in the State of Pennsylvania as well as other inmate organizations NATIONAL PRO BONO SERVICES PA Lifers Association Attn: Gary Jones AY 7024 SCI- Huntingdon 1100 Pike Street Huntingdon, PA 16654 PA Lifers Association Staff Liaison Charles Bradley CAS Attn: Tyrone Wets AF 6337 SCI Graterford PO Box 244 Graterford, PA 19426 Lifers, INC-Public Safety Initiative- Life Sentenced prisoners at SCIGraterford who have taken a public stand against the anti-social behavior plaguing our communities. Contact Woodie Marcus, CAS PO Box 244 Graterford, PA 19426 6104894151 ext. 2297 phone 610-489-4151 ext.2297 PA Lifers Association Staff Liaison Attn: Gary Mobley #AM 4256 SCI Rockview PO Box A Bellefonte, PA 16823 L.I.F.E. Association Thomas Rovinski CAM Attn: Michael Moore #AY 5139 SCI-Dallas 1000 Follies Road Dallas, PA 18612 Muncy Inmate Coordinator Mr. Campbell Staff Liaison ATTN: Tanya Dacri (MIO President) PO Box 180 Muncy, PA 17756 David Popson CDO Staff Coordinator SCI-Retreat 660 State Route #11 Hunlock Creek, PA 18621-3136 www.probono.net The following institutions do no have recognized Lifers Organizations; you can contact the following individuals: Anthony B. Mays #AS 0681 SCI-Albion Unit 1/A 10745 Route 18 Albion PA 16475 Michael Lyons #AY 7639 SCI-Chester 500 E. 4th Street Chester, PA 19013 Robert X. Holbrook #BL 5140 SCI- Greene 175 Progress Drive Waynesburg, PA 15370 Donald S. Massey #AK 2646 SCI-Fayette P.O. Box 9999 Labelle, PA 15450-0999 Edward Omar Sistrunk #AF 0614 P.O. Box 1000 Houtzdale, PA 16698-1000 Charmaine Pfender #OO 7423 451 Fullerton Ave. Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238 George Rahsaan Brooks-Bey #AP 4884 Unit/Side: E/A 10745, Route 18 Albion, PA 16475-0002 The Phoenix Group Pres. Edward Patterson CW 5166 RD 10, Box 10 Route 119 South Greensburg, PA 15601-8999 The Phoenix Group c/o Heather Albaugh, Activities Mgr. 451 Fullerton A forum for public defenders. (does not provide names of lawyers or legal advice) Pine Tree Legal Assistance http://www.ptla.org/probono.htm Provides a list of organizations that “provide referrals to private attorneys who may be able to provide legal services for free or substantially reduced fees. Other organizations provide support for pro bono lawyers or information about pro bono services generally.” American Bar Association321 N. Clark St.Chicago, IL 60610 (800) 285-2221 www.findlegalhelp.org Allows site-users to search for a list of resources available in their state, including pro bono or inexpensive lawyers, help in dealing with lawyers, legal information, and self-help materials. University of Virginia School of Law probono@law.virginia.edu http://www.law.virginia.edu/html/publicserv/probono.htm All law students are required to volunteer at least 25 hours of pro bono work annually. In order to count, the work must be unpaid, law-related, and supervised by a licensed attorney or a law school faculty member. Pro Bono Institute 600 New Jersey Ave. NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 662-9699 Fax: (202) 662-9683 www.probonoinst.org probono@probonoinst.org A small non-profit organization at Georgetown University Law Center that administers projects that “support, guide, and inspire legal institutions to enhance access to justice.” They do not provide direct legal services themselves. They do, however, hold an annual seminar that focuses on pro bono legal work and the issues contained therein. Justice Deniedwww.justicedenied.org/probono.htm Compilation of attorneys who take cases on a pro bono basis. LOCAL PRO BONO SERVICES www.paprobono.net A forum for public defenders in PA. (does not provide names of lawyers or legal advice) Philly VIP 42 S. 15th St., 4th floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 (215) 523-9550 Fax: (215) 564-0845 www.phillyvip.org Refers indigent individuals to volunteer lawyers, paralegals, and others who provide legal services free of charge. Local Legal Projects Organization for Parole Relief P.O. Box 15 Zionhill, PA 18981 Phone: (215) 536-9098 Fax: (215) 538-9779 Contact: Bob Frantz Services: Our goal is working for inmates/families concerning issues of parole, medical, abuse and more. We work with Lifers Org. and families concerning parole and a second chance. We write to the Governor, Legislators, DOC, PBPP and others as necessary. Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project Philadelphia Office: 24 Cherry Street, Suite 523 Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: (215) 925-2966 Fax: (215) 925-5337 Email: arlpilp@earthlink.net Contact: Angus Love Lewisburg Office: P.O. Box 128 Lewisburg, PA 17827-0128 Phone: (570) 523-1104 Contact: David Glassman, Esq. Pittsburgh Office: 1705 Allegheny Building Pittsburgh, PA 15219 Phone: (412) 232-0276 Website: www.pailp.org Mary Walsh Services: Provides civil legal services to income-eligible clients residing in prisons or jails. Lewisburg Prison Project P.O. Box 128 Lewisburg, PA 17837-0128 Phone: (717) 523-1104 Email: prisonproject@chilitech.net Website: www.eg.bucknell.edu/~mligare/LPP.html Contact: Attny. David Glassman Services: Civil Rights Law Firm (non-profit); Legal Bulletins and Materials provider; serving the middle district of PA. Northwestern Legal Services 1001 State St. Suite 1200 Erie, PA 16501 (800) 665-6957 (new clients); (814) 452-6957 (new clients in Erie) Email: roakley@nwls.org Website: www.nwls.org Services: This program cannot represent a prisoner in any litigation or court proceedings. Civil legal services in areas of family, health, education, and employment. Government benefits and housing in the counties of Erie, Elk, Cameron, Forest, Venango, Mercer, McKean, Potter, Crawford, and Warren. Telephone advice is offered in areas of landlord/tenant, debt collection, sheriff sale, school suspensions and some custody advice. th Women’s Law Project 345 4 Ave. Suite 904 Pittsburgh, PA 15222 412227-0301 Website: www.womenslawproject.org Pennsylvania Bar Association 100 South Street P.O. Box 186 Harrisburg, PA 17108 Phone: (717) 238-6715 Fax: (717) 238-1204 Email: info@pabar.org Services: Provides telephone referrals to private attorneys; first half-hour consultation at a reduced rate. For counties without a local service, use the above address, American Civil Liberties Union ACLU- Philadelphia Office P.O. Box 1161 Philadelphia, PA 19105 Phone: (215) 592-1513 Email: info@aclupa.org Pittsburgh Office 313 Atwood St. Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Phone: (412) 681-7736 Email: info@aclupgh.org Harrisburg Office P.O. Box 11761 Harrisburg, PA 17108 717.238.2258 Through advocacy, education and litigation, our attorneys, advocates and volunteers work to preserve and promote civil liberties including the freedom of speech, the right to privacy, reproductive freedom, and equal treatment under the law. We stand in defense of the rights of women and minorities, workers, students, immigrants, gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, and others who have seen bias and bigotry threaten the rights afforded to all of us in this country by the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. In Pennsylvania, the ACLU has 10,000 members with offices in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh and volunteer chapters reaching all areas of the state. Pennsylvania Legal Services 118 Locust St. Harrisburg, PA 17101-1414 717-236-9486 717-233-4088 fax www.palegalservices.org Pennsylvania Post-Conviction Defender Organization 437 Chestnut Street Suite 501 Philadelphia, PA 19106 Pepper Hamilton, LLP 3000 Two Logan Square Philadelphia, PA 19103 phone: 215-981-4000 fax: 215-981-4750 eMail: phinfo@pepperlaw.com DEFENDER ASSOCIATION OF PHILADELPHIA, CAP. HABEAS437 Chestnut Street, Suite 501 Philadelphia, PA 19106 Tel: 215 - 928 – 0520 Fax: 215 - 928 – 0826 DEFENDER ASSOCIATION OF PHILADELPHIA, CAP. DEFENDER 121 North Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 Tel: 215 - 557 – 4961 Fax: 215 - 557 – 4920 AIDS Law Project of Pennsylvania 1211 Chestnut ST. #1200 Philadelphia, PA 19107 phone- 215-587-9377 Blackstone School of Law P.O. Box 899 Emmaus, PA 18049-0899 tel610967-3323 Services: Offers a well known correspondence program. They can also be reached for free at 1 800 826 9228 International Legal Defense Counsel 1429 Walnut St. 8th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19102 tel- 215-977-9982 Services: Advocacy agency for American citizens incarcerated overseas. Center for Constituitional Rights c/o Unviversity of Pittsburgh Law School 3900 Forbes Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15260 1412-648-1375 Community Legal Services, Inc. 3638 N. Broad St. Philadelphia, PA 19140 215-227-2400 Provides wide variety of services to low-income individuals in Philadelphia. http://lawcrawler.findlaw.com/ Real good legal research website. Free! http://www.richiemarra.com/In Pennsylvania, there is no possibility for parole for life-sentenced prisoners. The only way for to be released would be to have the governor commute a life sentence. This website has good info about the commutation process. National Legal Projects Prison Legal News 2400 N.W. 80th Street #148 Seattle, WA – 98117 http://www.prisonlegalnews.org Prison Legal News is an independent 40 page monthly publication that reports, reviews, and analyzes court rulings and news related to prisoner rights and prison issues. PLN has a national (U.S.) focus on both state and federal prison issues, with international coverage as well. Send $1 for sample issue. National Lawyers Guild, National Office 143 Madison Ave 4th Fl., New York NY 10016 phone 212 679-5100 fax 212 679-2811 nlgno@nlg.org National Lawyers Guild-– Philadelphia Nadia Hewka nhewka@clsphila.org The National Lawyers Guild is dedicated to the need for basic and progressive change in the structure of our political and economic system. Through its members--lawyers, law students, jailhouse lawyers and legal workers united in chapters and committees--the Guild works locally, nationally and internationally as an effective political and social force in the service of the people. Our aims: to eliminate racism; to safeguard and strengthen the rights of workers, women, farmers and minority groups, upon whom the welfare of the entire nation depends; to maintain and protect our civil rights and liberties in the face of persistent attacks upon them; to use the law as an instrument for the protection of the people, rather than for their repression. ACLU National Prison Project 733 15th Street, NW Suite 620 Washington, DC 20005 (202) 393-4930 Fax (202) 393-4931 The National Prison Project seeks to create constitutional conditions of confinement and strengthen prisoners’ rights through class action litigation and public education. Our policy priorities include reducing prison overcrowding, improving prisoner medical care, eliminating violence and maltreatment in prisons and jails, and minimizing the reliance on incarceration as a criminal justice sanction. The Project also publishes a quarterly Journal, coordinates a nationwide network of litigators, conducts training and public education conferences, and provides expert advice and technical assistance to local community groups and lawyers throughout the country. The NPP is a tax exempt foundation funded project of the ACLU Foundation. National Legal Aid and Defender Association- 1625 K Street NW Suite 800 Washington Dc 20006-1604 www.nlada.org Has national listings of free legal services. Prisoner Self-Help Legal Clinic – P.O. Box 798 Newark, NJ 07101 Volunteer organization comprised of attorneys, former prisoner paralegals, law students, civil rights activists and other members of the community who provide legal assistance to prisoners with pr se litigation. Publishes self help legal pamphlets and the Bridge Newsletter NAACP Legal Defense Fund – 99 Hudson St. Suite 600 NY, NY 10013 Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund – National Headquarters 634 S. Spring Street, 11th Floor Los Angeles, Ca 90014 www.maldef.org Prisoner’s Rights Research Project University of Illinois College of Law 504 E Pennsylvania Avenue Champaign IL 61820 Researches legal topics sent to them. Law students give good advice on your issues, support it with case law, and reveal any contrary rulings. The School of Paralegal Studies Professional Career Development Institute 6065 Roswell Road NE, Suite 3118 Atlanta, GA 30328 Offers a correspondence course. Disabiltiy Rights Education Defense Fund 2212 6th St. Berkeley, CA 94710 Phone: 510-644-2555 Fax: 510-841-8645 dred@dredf.org www.dredf.org Provides legal referrals for prisoners with disability issues. Law book recommendations by your friendly incarcerated law librarian! Protecting Your Health and Safety: Prisoner's Rights Designed to help inmates who are not represented by an attorney, Protecting Your Health & Safety explains the legal rights inmates have regarding health and safety – including the right to medical care and to be free from inhumane treatment free down load available http://www.splcenter.org/legal/publications/pub.jsp You may also purchase a bound copy of the complete 328-page manual for $10 (which includes shipping and handling). Purchases may be made by check, money order, or credit card (VISA or Mastercard). Please mail your request along with your payment of $10 to: Protecting Your Health & Safety / Southern Poverty Law Center P. O. Box 548 Montgomery, Alabama 36101-0548 Prisoner's Self-Help Litigation Manual - 3rd Edition this book is no longer available from the publisher. It is well sought after and can be found used places but the online book stores seem really pricey! Contains outline of Federal and State legal systems and relevant terminology. Aids a prisoner in handling the grievance process.. maybe if enough people write they will publish it again. For information or to order write: Oceana Publications, 75 Main St., Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522-1601. Or call: 914-693-8100. (like is said, I’ve tried to get this book and it is unavailable from publisher) the judicial process, and guides them through the complex array of procedures and legal vocabulary which make up this system. The JLM also instructs prisoners in techniques of legal research and explains the need to take note of important legal developments. With the JLM, prisoners can learn to use effectively the resources available in prison law libraries. Since publication of the first edition in 1978, A Jailhouse Lawyer's Manual has been used by tens of thousands of prisoners in institutions across the country. Prisoners have used the book to become informed of their rights and to address specific problems related to their treatment in prison or their convictions. For prisoners: The JLM Sixth Edition is $25 per volume, or $45 for both volumes purchased together. We highly recommend that both books be used together. However, because inmates’ finances may be limited, you may purchase them separately. Standard shipping is included in the price. If you would like your books faster, include $5 per book for first class shipping, or $10 for both volumes. The Spanish JLM is $15. Standard shipping is included in the price; however, you may include $5 for first class shipping. See the pricing chart on the JLM order form. Prices and availability may be subject to change. For non-prisoners, organizations, or institutions: The JLM Sixth Edition is $90 for a two volume set. Institutions may not purchase volumes separately. The Spanish JLM is $30. Standard shipping is included in the price; however, you may include $5 per volume for first class shipping. If you are ordering for a prisoner, follow the instructions for prisoner pricing. See the pricing chart on the JLM order form. Prices and availability may be subject to change. To Place an Order for the JLM Law Dictionary by Barron’s or the Blacks Law Dictionary Are also good, if you can get your hands on ‘em. Complete and send the order form (link to JLM and SJLM Order Form) (formulario para su orden) with a check or money order, payable to Columbia Human Rights Law Review to: Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual - is a handbook of legal rights and procedures designed for use by people in prison. Prisoners are often indigent and therefore lack access to legal counsel while in prison. The JLM informs prisoners of their legal rights, shows them how to secure these rights through Columbia Human Rights Law Review Attn: JLM Order 435 W. 116th St. New York , NY 10027 If you send a money order, keep the receipt in case there is a problem with your order. We do not accept postage stamps as payment and also do not accept credit cards. Due to the nature of the institutional mail systems, we request that you allow up to eight weeks from the date of your order. Because our office is student run, your order may not be processed as quickly over school breaks. Orders to be sent to facilities in Michigan must be sent first class. Also, please inform us on this form of any restrictions on incoming mail that your facility may have (for example, no padded envelopes or first class mail only). Health local Prison Health News c/o Philadelphia Fight 1233 Locust Street, 5th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 “better health care while you are in and when you get http://www.columbia.edu/cu/hrlr/jlm.html#Order out” Prison Health News is free on request, will answer health questions, and help get better health care within your facility. Jail House Lawyers Handbook Women's Appendix (PDF) - The JHL Appendix for women is a free resource geared specifically to women prisoners and their family members who wish to learn about legal options to challenge mistreatment in prison. Philadelphia Fight 1233 Locust Street, 5th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/legal/justice/docs/jailhouselawyershandbook.pdf http://www.ccr-ny.org/v2/pub_resources/pub_resources_contents.asp#books_pham Provides case management,medical care and support services for people when they get out of prison. Specialize in care for people with HIV Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania(MHASP) 1211 Chestnut Street, 11th floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 MHASPhas a prison community project which will provide education and support groups while people are incarcerated in the Philadelphia prison system as well as discharge planning and transitional case management when folks are released Mental Health Association of Allegheny County 1945 Fifth Avenue 3rd Floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219-5543 (412) 391-3820 (877) 391-3820 (Toll Free) (412) 391-3825 (Fax) Email: mha@mhaac.net Services: Advocacy and education for offenders and exoffenders with special needs in the mental health, drug, and alcohol abuse areas; for inmates whose home address is in Allegheny County. Allegheny County Forensic 542 Forbes Avenue Pittsburgh, Pa. 15219 (412) 350-4425 (412) 350-3861 (Fax) Services: The Forensic Diversion Program provides direct and indirect services for clients who have mental disorders and are involved in the criminal justice system. The Forensic State Support Program provides support and services for inmates returning to Allegheny County who have a mental illness. Critical Path AIDS Project 2062 Lombard Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146 Detailed newsletter for treatment issues, sent to inmates free of charge Hotline for inmates that accepts collect calls 215-545-2212 One Day at a Time 425 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19147-1126 215-545-8436 Drug and alcohol recovery service organization that publishes an informative newsletter called “alive and kicking” Health National th Prism Optical INC 10992 NW 7 Ave Miama , FL 33168 18006374104 Prisoner friendly company that provides affordable eyewear to prisoners nationwide Offers first time buyers and referral credits. Write for catalog National Health Prison Project 32 Greenwood Ave. Quincy, MA 02170 2620 Covers wide range of topics. Will answer personal questions. Free Infectious Disease in Corrections Report, Brown University Box G-B-4 Providence, Rhode Island 02912 ww.idcronline.org IDCR@corrections.net 146 Clifford St., Providence, RI 02903 phone: 401-453-2068 fax: 401-272-7562 National Commission on Correctional Health Care 1145 W. Diversey Parkway Chicago, Ill 60614 www.ncchc.org info@ncchc.org phone: 773-880-1460 fax: 773-880-2424 subscription to prisoners. National Prison Hospice Association P.O. Box 58 Boulder, CO 80306 Hospice care programs for dying prisoners and their families. The Wrongful Death Institute Phone: 816.941.0087 Fax: 270.294.8795 deathinstitute@aol.com The Institute conducts research on a National Prison Hospice Association PO Box 4623 Boulder, CO 80306 npha@npha.org www.npha.org/ multitude of issues within each of its departments. It performs case analysis on wrongful death and forensic science issues, and aggressively pursues issues of prison medical malpractice and negligence nationwide. The common denominator of all divisions is accountability and responsibility of those individuals who perform duties that involve the public trust. The Institute implements the team approach. All of our efforts are directed toward factually and efficiently applying investigative and scientific evidence to law. Aims for better care for terminally ill inmates. The National Hepatitis C Prison Coalition Released Prisoner Hotline 1866-HEPINFO (1-866-437-4636) Phyllis Beck, Director PO Box 41803 Eugene, OR 97404 Tel: 541.607.5725 FAX: 541.607.5684 Email: Pkbeckinor@aol.com Offers free newsletters AIDS Project of LA 1313 N. Vine Street, Los Angeles, CA 90028 Develops AIDS awareness among people of color. Resource guide for inmates living with AIDS called "Be Good to Yourself" that discusses nutrition, exercise and self-massage for people incarcerated, free to inmates Centerforce 64 Main Street, San Quentin, CA 94964 Community-based organization providing HIV-related education for inmates. CorrectHelp 1223 Wilshire Boulevard, #905, Santa Monica, CA 90403, 310.399.8324 Legal AID and advocacy for inmates with HIV/AIDS and their families. National AIDS Hotline en Espanola – 1-800-344-SIDA Jeff Dicks Medical CoalitionP.O. Box 343 Beechgrove, TN 37018 Prisoners with AIDS Rights Advocacy Group P.O. Box 2161 Jonesboro, GA 30237 Provides practical and political support for prisoners with HIV/AIDS. National Minority AIDS Council 1931 13th St. NW Washington, DC 20009 info@nmac.org www.nmac.org Hidalgo 45 La Buena Vista Wimberly, TX 78676 Inexpensive glasses. Services to Elder Prisoners, Pennsylvania Prison Society 245 N. Broad St., Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: 570-477-2688 Email: dalbertson@prisonsociety.org Contact: Douglas Albertson Assists older inmates in adjusting to prison life. WOMEN LOCAL AND NATIONAL National Clearing House for the Defense of Battered Women 125 S.9th Street #302 Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-351-0010 or 800-9030111 ext. 3 We provide assistance and information to battered women charged Advocacy for prisoners who need, and are not receiving, appropriate medical care. with crimes and to their defense teams. We do not provide direct legal representation. Women in prison can subscribe to our newsletter, DoubleTime, for free. National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project (NATAP) 580 Broadway #1010, New York, NY 10012 Lydia’s Place 711 Penn Avenue, Suite 706, Pittsburgh, PA 15222 Phone: 412-471-3410 FAX: 412-471-3492 e-mail: lydiasplaceinc@aol.com is a Will mail Hepatitis C and Hepatitis C Co-InfectionHandbook. faith-based organization dedicated to helping female offenders and their dependent children to rebuild their lives and become productive members of society American Correctional Association 206 North Washington Street, Suite 200 Alexandria, VA 22314 1-800-ACA-JOIN www.aca.org Institute for Criminal Justice Healthcare 1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 110 Alexandria, VA 22314 phone: 703-836-0024 fax: 703-836-0025 www.ichj.org Atkins House 313 E. King Street York, PA 17403 (717) 848-5454 (717) 852-9416 (Fax) Email: atkinshouse@desupernet.net Website: www.atkinshouse.org Services: Atkins House, located in York, PA, is a residential and outpatient treatment center for women offenders - providing counseling for drug, alcohol and sexual abuse as well as victim awareness, life skills and mother - child transition after incarceration. Atkins House is a non-profit service organization. YWCA of Greater Harrisburg 1101 Market St. Harrisburg, PA (717) 2387273 (717) 238-4533 (Fax) Email: jcooper@ywcahbg.org Services: Legal advocacy and attorney representation at all scheduled hearings; Ongoing legal assistance through continuances, settlement negotiations and contested hearings; Drafting court documents and subpoenaing witnesses, photographs and medical records, when appropriate; Legal options counseling; Legal advocacy and accompaniments to domestic violence-related criminal and civil court proceedings; Community outreach and educational programs. Violence Intervention and Prevention Program Services: 24 hour Hotline for Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Crisis situations; Domestic Violence Shelter for Women and Children; Court accompaniments; Victim Witness accompaniments; Hospital accompaniments; Police accompaniments; Support Groups; Individual counseling; Employment services for victims of Domestic Violence; Domestic Violence Legal Clinic; Supervised Visitation Services; Prevention Education programs; Latin American/Vietnamese Domestic Violence Outreach; Two satellite offices – Elizabethville and New Bloomfield; Referral information. Residence Program: Emergency Shelter; Permanent Women Against Abuse Legal Center Philadelphia 100 S. Broad St., 5th Floor Philadelphia, PA 19110 (215) 386-7777 (Hotline) Website: www.dvresources.org/legalctr.html Montgomery County Legal Aid Norristown: (610) 275-5400 Pottstown: (610) 326-8280 Services: Provides services to victims of domestic violence and their children, including 24-hour hotline, emergency shelter, counseling, legal representation and advocacy. The legal center offers court advocacy and attorney representation for protection from abuse orders and in a limited number of cases for child support and custody, telephone counseling, options counseling and safety planning. The legal center also provides supportive services through the Self-Defense Program to battered women in situations where they have defended themselves and/or their children and have been arrested. U.S. Department of Justice, Violence Against Women Office 810 7th Street, NW Washington, DC 20531 (202) 307-6026 (202) 307-3911 (Fax) Email: askocpa@ojp.usdoj.gov The U.S. Department of Justice, through its Violence Against Women Office, enforces federal criminal statutes, assists the Attorney General in formulating policy related to civil and criminal justice for women, and administers more than $270 million a year in grants to help states, tribes, and local communities transform the way in which criminal justice systems respond to crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Families of Offenders 5100 Peach Street, 2nd floor Erie, PA 16509 (814) 864-0605 Services: The Families of Offenders is a support program designed to meet the needs of children, families, and friends of prisoners. Services offered: support group for families and friends of prisoners (adult), support group for kids with incarcerated parents, information and education on the criminal justice system and corrections system, individual and family counseling, and low cost transportation to state correctional institutions Program for Female Offenders 1515 Derry Street Harrisburg, PA17104 717-238-9950 717-236-3585 fax E-Mail: program@epix.net Web Site: www.stophiv.com/details.asp?id=2074 Sojourner: The Women’s Forum 42 Seaverns Ave. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 offers women in prison fee subscriptions to feminist paper, penpal ads and resource guide for women in prison California Coalition for Women Prisoners 1540 Market St., Suite 490 San Francisco, CA 94102 (415) 255-7036 ext. 4 (415) 552-3150 info@womenprisoners.org The CCWP publishes, The Fire Inside, a quarterly publication dedicated to providing a space for women prisoners and their supporters to communicate with each other and the broader public about the issues and experiences women prisoners face through articles, art and poetry. (I’m not sure if it’s free or not but it’s a real great newsletter. Women’s Prison Book Project c/o Arise Bookstore 2441 Lyndale Ave. S, Minneapolis, MN 55405 This program is for women prisoners only. Unable to send books to Oregon prisoners. Women Organized to Respond to Life Threatening Diseases 414 13th St., 2nd Floor Oakland, CA 19102 info@womenhiv.org www.womenhiv.org Provides free HIV/AIDS information. The Action Committee for Women in Prison 626-710-7543 www.acwip.net Advocates for humane treatment of incarcerated women. Free Battered Women 1540 Market St., Suite 490 San Francisco, CA 94102 Phone: 415-255-7036 x320 Fax: 415-552-3150 info@freebatteredwomen.org Advocates for legal rights of imprisoned victims of domestic violence. The Unitarian Church of Harrisburg 1280 Clover Lane Harrisburg, PA 17113 Phone 717-564-4761 Fax: 717-564-4780 office@uchuua.org Hosts The Program for Female Offenders. Offers employment assistance and life skills classes. The Working Group to Enhance Services for Incarcerated Women, Pennsylvania Prison Society 215-564-4775 x107 Contact: Naima Black project of The Prison Society, is a coalition of community-based service providers who offer information and services to women incarcerated in Philadelphia and to women recently released from correctional facilities into the greater Philadelphia area. Family advocacy, parental rights, resource directory, classes, reentry, housing, welfare, support groups child care etc.! this program sounds great for women. Parents and children ParentWlSE, Inc. 409 Coulter Avenue, Suite 2 Greensburg, PA 15601 (724) 837-5410 (800) 544-0227 (Helpline) (724) 837-1555 (Helpline) (724) 837-8828 (Fax) Email: pwise@parentwiseinc.comWebsite: www.parentwiseinc.com Services: Basic parenting classes for male and female inmates; support groups and other education available once they are released; help line for spouses and other family members to call about parenting issues. Project IMPACT SCI-Muncy P.O. Box 180 Muncy, PA 17756-0180 (570) 546-3171 Email: information@project-impact.org Services: Formed to strengthen the relationship between inmate parents and their children through positive interaction. Special children's center activities include Christmas and birthday gift giving. A play yard is also available for supervised outside activities. Various training and education programs include activity workshops, parental education and individual conferences; also a Baby Think It Over Program and a Parenting Teens Program website: www.centreconnect.org/county/drs Services: Prepares petitions for support to establish support obligations owed by absent parents. Provides services to establish paternity for children born out of wedlock. Recommendations as to the appropriate amount of support and upon entry of a court order and enforcement services to collect monies are available. Services are available to anyone who has custody of a child with an absent parent, any party seeking spousal support or alimony “pendente lite” or individuals seeking medical support. Persons applying for or receiving TANF benefits automatically receive support services. Parties pay certain costs. Bethesda Family Services Foundation Telephone: 570-568-2373 Address: P.O. Box 210 West Milton, PA 17886 Email: staff@bfsf.org Web site: www.bfsf.org Contact: Max Harrison, Executive Director Dominic Herbst, President Area Served: USA Established: 1995 Publications: Bad Dads - video of group and family sessions at Lewisburg federal prison, $15. Parenting programs and family healing seminars for inmates and families. The model focuses on relational healing in the lives of all family members. Participants are taken on a journey through The Four Steps to Emotional Healing leading them to victory over their pain and allowing them to restore broken relationships. Additional parenting skills training is also provided. National Incarcerated Parents and Families Network Telephone: 717-657-0982 Address: P.O. Box 6745 Harrisburg, PA 17112 E-mail: cstuart@incarceratedparents.org Web site: www.incarceratedparents.org Amachi Pittsburgh- Pittsburgh Leadership Program 100 Ross Street 4th floor Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-281-3752 www.plf.org Mentoring program Provides training, technical assistance and public information on parent education programs aimed at incarcerated adults and juveniles. The program model supports positive family involvement during incarceration and after release. for children of incarcerated parents, children of promise. Pennsylvania Department of Corrections/ Parent Organization: Pennsylvania State Government Telephone: 717-731-6538 Address: P.O. Box 598 Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598 E-mail: jabell@state.pa.us Web site: www.cor.state.pa.us Center for Family Life, Inc.125 N. 5th Street Indiana, PA 15701 (724) 463-8595 (724) 463-8598 (Fax) Email: cf1125@ptd.net Website: www.centerforfamilylife.com Services: Parent training, supervised visits and parent self help groups. Child abuse prevention treatment helps families to reunite after separation. Centre County Children and Youth Services Willowbank Office Building 420 Holmes Street Bellefonte, PA 16823 (814) 355-6755 (814) 355-6939 (Fax) (800) 479-0050 (After Hours-Emergencies) Services: Protect children and, whenever possible, keep families intact while ensuring the safety of the children. Information and referral, intake, in-home services, placement services and adoption. Fees are charged for some services, based on income. Centre County Domestic Relations Section Willowbank Building 420 Holmes Street Bellefonte, PA 16823 (814) 355-6741 (814) 355-6708 (Fax) Publications: I Love You This Much - booklets for parents of children ages 3-5 and 6-12, order from Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Correctional Industries. Provides parent education, transportation for prison visits, self-help support groups, family literacy, video-visiting, mentoring children of prisoners, family financial education, family violence prevention training, information and referrals. Philadelphia Society for Services to Children Telephone: 215-875-3400 Address: 415 S. 15th Street Philadelphia, PA 19146 E-mail: brich@pssckids.org Web site: www.pssc@libertynet.org Contact: Brenda Rich Program Director Kids'n'Kin Helen Dennis, Executive Director Provides home visitor support and workshops to caregivers. Provides family therapy, legal assistance and support groups for children. Provides clients with transportation for prison visits. Riverside Correctional Facility Telephone: 215-685-6972 Address: 8151 State Road Philadelphia, PA 19111 E-mail: dawn.middleton-bryant@prisons.phila.gov Area Served: Philadelphia County Jail for Women Parent Organization: Philadelphia Prison System Provides gifts for children, enhanced visiting environment, case management, support for communication between prison and home, counseling, re-entry support, self-help support group, information and referrals. Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents (National) P.O. Box 41-286 Eagle Rock, CA 90041 (626) 449-8796 (626) 449-9001 (Fax) Email: ccip@earthlink.org Website: www.e-ccip.org Services: The mission of the center is to reduce or prevent inter-generational crime and incarceration. The development of new documentation on children of prisoners and other offenders and the demonstration of model services for these families are the center's goals. The program has four components: information, education, family reunification and therapeutic services. Legal Services for Prisoners with Children 1540 Market St. #490 San Francisco, CA 94102 info@prisonerswithchildren.org www.prisonerswithchildren.org Provides referrals for incarcerated parents. Family and Corrections Network 32 Oak Grove Rd. Palmyra, VA 22963 fcn@fcnetwork.org www.fcnetwork.org Provides publications full of information for incarcerated parents. Families United P.O. Box 9476 Philadelphia, PA 19139 Phone: 215-6041759 For children with a loved one incarcerated. After-school and other programs for kids. Parenting Skills Class, Pennsylvania Prison Society Phone: 215-5644775 x120 Contact: Ann Schwartzman Provides 12-week parenting skills classes to incarcerated men and women at SCI Camp Hill, SCI Chester, SCI Graterford, SCI Greensburg, SCI Pine Grove, SCI Mercer and SCI Waymart. Support for Kids with Incarcerated Parents, Philadelphia Prison Society Phone: 215-564-4775 x123 Contact: Ted Enoch helps children with incarcerated parents build their self-esteem and cope with their parents' incarceration. Religion local and national Red Heart Warrior Society P.O. Box 4362 Allentown, PA 18105 (Native Americans) Native American Indian Inmate Support Project 8 Dallas Drive. Grantville, Pa 17208 National group that supports introduction of Native American religious ceremonies into prisons. Native American Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Research Project 2848 Paddock Lane, Villa Hills, KY 41017 Offers many services for Native American prisoners, including legal and spiritual support, tribal and cultural programs, and direct contact with prison administrators. Jewish Prisoner Services International PO BOX 85840, Seattle, WA 98145-1840 (206) 985-0577 (206) 985-0479 (FAX) Emergency Collect Phone: 206-528-0363 Email: jewishprisonerservices@msn.com Website: www.jewishprisonerservices.org Liberation Prison Project P.O. Box 31527 San Francisco,CA 94131 – 0527 www.fpmt.org The prison project offers free Buddhist boks, prayers and practice booklets, practice items, Mandala subscriptions and video and audio tapes of teachings to individuals and Buddhist study groups in over a hundred prisons in the United States. Office of Prison Ministry Archdiocese of Philadelphia 7340 Jackson Street Philadelphia, PA 19136 (215) 331-3640 (215) 624-9197 (Fax) Email: Irucinski@adphila.org Website: www.archdiocese-phl.org/laity/prisonministry.htm Services: Provides pastoral and spiritual care to inmates incarcerated at the Philadelphia Prison System, and support for their families. Coordinates tutoring in reading for inmates. U.S. Mennonite Central Committee/Office of Criminal Justice P.O. Box 500 Akron, PA 17501-0500 www.mcc.org Offers many publications concerning crime and religion. Most are free to prisoners. Logos Prison Book Ministry PO Box 91 Norco, CA 92860-0091 Offers free Christian materials. Islamic Council of Greater Pittsburgh Anti-Discrimination Committee 412-654-6047 Ipadpa@yahoo.com www.freewebs.com/ipad Prison Fellowship P.O. Box 10613 Pittsburgh, PA 15235 Phone: 412829-0299 Fax: 412-829-0325 Paul_Mabin@pfm.org Mission is to exhort, equip, and assist the Church in its ministry to prisoners, exprisoners, victims, and their families, and to promote biblical standards of justice in the criminal justice system. Provides programs in more than 1,200 prisons, involving more than 50,000 volunteers across the United States. PenPals Pre- Release New Beginnings P.O. Box 25 Westby, WI 54667 For gay prisoners, free add or Lycoming County Pre-Release Center 546 County Farm Road Montoursville, PA 17754 (570) 433-3280 (570) 433-4713 (Fax) 10 stamps to get list Iron House Drums P.O. Box 9545 Bend, OR 97708 Native American Pen Pal Service Reaching Beyond The Walls P.O. Box 6905 Rutland, VT 05702 prisonpenpal.tripod.com/ Women friendly, Gay Friendly, Displays inmate art and poetry, e-mail forwarding, Free(Donations, send SASE) Prison Pen Pals P.O. Box 235 East Berlin, PA 17316 www.prisonpenpals.com Moderately priced. Prisoner Writes P.O. Box 78 Mt. Holly Springs, PA 17065 Surviving the System, Inc. P.O. Box 1860 Ridgeland, MS 39158 TIG Prisoner Penpal Project P.O. Box 1122 Portland, OR 97221 Penpals for transgender/transsexual, intersex, and gender questioning prisoners. Services: A community corrections center located in Lycoming County. 96-bed facility houses county minimumsecurity inmates. The county has a contract with the Federal Bureau of Prisons to accept pre-release and parole referrals. All referrals must be approved by Federal and State Community Corrections and Director of Treatment. Referrals must be from Lycoming Project Blanket- Helps male and female prisoners with history of substance abuse make the transition from prison to the community. Contact Rev. Harvey at 412-244-0329 (Pittsburgh) Operation Outward Reach, Inc. 227 South Sixth Street Youngwood, PA 15697 (724) 925-2419 (800) 253-5719 (724) 925-3885(Fax) Email: oor72@westol.com Website: www.operationoutwardreach.org Services: Skill development and vocational training for resident offenders of five state penal institutions: Greensburg, Huntingdon, Mercer, Cresson, and Somerset. We take trainees into the community to teach carpentry and masonry by providing low-cost construction to senior citizens, other economically disadvantaged and nonprofit agencies. Juvenile Day Treatment is provided in the Westmoreland County area for out-of-school young men ages 15 through 21. Purpose of this training is to provide onthe- job construction learning, G.E.D., drug & alcohol education, life skills, job skills, and adolescent fatherhood components. Allegheny County Department of Aging 441 Smithfield Street Building Pittsburgh, PA 15222 (412) 350-6905 (800) 344-4319 (412) 350-2727 TDD Email: SeniorLine@dhs.county.allegheny.pa.us Services: A broad range of human services for persons over age 60, the handicapped and the needy. Information and referral, care management, senior center-based services, senior employment program, home help, congregate/home delivered meals and emergency housing assistance. Former inmates, victims and families living in Allegheny County may obtain additional program information and assistance in accessing services by contacting the Department of Aging. Atkins House 313 E. King Street York, PA 17403 (717) 848-5454 (717) 852-9416 (Fax) Email: atkinshouse@desupernet.net Website: www.atkinshouse.org Services: Atkins House, located in York, PA, is a residential and outpatient treatment center for women offenders - providing counseling for drug, alcohol and sexual abuse as well as victim awareness, life skills and mother - child transition after incarceration. Atkins House is a non-profit service organization Legal Action Center 153 Waverly Place. New York, NY 10014 Publications about looking for work when you have a criminal record. Career Work Force Development East 7135 Fluery Way Pittsburgh, PA 15208 412-241-2811 contact Corena Pope Dress for Success 3820 Walnut St. Suite 2 Harrisburg, PA 17109 Phone: 717-657-3333 Fax: 717-657-3222 Email: southcentralpa@dressforsuccess.org Provides professional attire and career support services to disadvantaged women. Re-Entry Services, Philadelphia Prison Society 245 N. Broad St., Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19107 Phone: 215-564-4775 Email: geninfo@prisonsociety.org Contact: Betty-Ann Soiefer Izenman Offers life skills classes aimed at helping prisoners attain self-sufficiency. Legal Action Center 225 Varick St. New York, NY 10014 Phone: 1800-223-40444 Email: lacinfo@lac.org Website: www.lac.org Publications about finding work with a criminal record. ExOffenderReentry Website www.exoffenderreentry.com “your one-stop resource center for corrections and re-entry success” This site had lots of books and resources for ex-offenders, how to search for a job, write resumes etc. all geared to ex offenders. All info must be bought in the form of books. They also have videos, posters, and other educational tools. Not sure how good they are. Free GED Prep Class Online http://www.gedforfree.com/index.html. Here you will find a complete, free GED online preparation course and practice tests, which can help you pass your GED exams and take the next step toward college or a new career. Developed by expert instructors, this 150-page course covers all of the aspects of the GED. Designed for adults with a ninth-grade education or higher, the course provides a solid preparation and training program in the test topics, and includes many helpful tips and strategies and other useful information. Special attention is paid to GED math. The online class is available to anyone who is ready to put in a bit of time and energy preparing for the GED test. Whether a career or college bound individual, a home school student, or just someone interested in review content or practice exams, this is the place for you! Queer Lesbian and Gay Rights and AIDS Projects American Civil Liberties Union 125 Broad Street, 18th Fl. New York, NY 10004 Helps prisoners who are facing discrimination because they are transgender, lesbian, gay, bisexual or they have HIV. Transsexual Inmates Attn: Jessie Shafer GIC of Colorado Inc. 1401 Saulsbury St. Suite G-9Lakewood, CO 80214 Write for free copy of Prison Journal Newsletter Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders phone: 617-426-1350 gladlaw@glad.org www.glad.org Brothers Behind Bars c/o RFD magazine (Radical Faerie Digest) P.O. Box 68 Liberty, TN 37095A quarterly list of gay/bi/trans male inmates produced and distributed upon request by RFD magazine. A donation of #3-10 is requested for the list. At no charge to the inmate, ads are placed once per year. Each list contains between 200 and 300 ads. Inmates are also offered a special $10.00 per year subscription rate to RFD magazine. Fanorama Society Publisher and Prisoner Zine Distro 109 Arnold Ave. Cranston, RI 02905 Publishes zines created by people in prison and provides these zines to other prisoners. Several are queer/trans. Payments may be made in cash, state money orders, or postage. Write for list. Gender Mutiny Collective P.O. Box 0494 Chapel Hill, NC 26514 A radical transgender activist group engaged in supporting trans and queer prisoners through a growing pen pal program. If you are queer or trans and looking for a pen pal, write for details. Jason Lydonc/o Community Church of Boston 565 Boylston St Boston, MA 02116 Jason is the Congregational Director t the Community Church and works to do direct support and advocacy for queer prisoners. Sinister Wisdom Magazine P.O. Box 3252 Berkeley, CA 94703 www.sinisterwisdom.org Publishes prose, poetry, essays, graphics, and book reviews by lesbians only. Free to women in prison. Sylvia Rivera Law Project 322 8th Ave., 3rd floor New York, NY 10001 Works to guarantee that all people are free to self-determine their gender identity and expression, regardless of income or race, and without facing harassment, discrimination, or violence. T.I.P. Journal c/o Gender Identity Center of Colorado, Inc. 3895 Upham St., Suite 40 Wheat Ridge, CO 80033 A newsletter for transgender prisoners. Write for details. Transgender, Gender Variant, and Intersex Justice Project (TGIJP) & Trans/Gender Variant in Prison Committee (TIP) Attn: Alex Lee, Attorney at Law 1322 Webster St, Suite 210 Oakland, CA 94612 TGIJP provides legal advice to transgender, gender variant, and intersex (TGI) people in California prisons and beyond. TIP is a community organizing and advocacy group working to end discrimination, medical neglect. Abuse, and violence experienced by transgender and gender variant people in California prisons. TIP Prisoner Penpal Project P.O. Box 1122 Portland, OR 97211 Accepting requests only from transgender/transsexual, intersex, and gender questioning prisoners who would like a pen pal. Requests must include a brief paragraph about yourself and your interests and what kind of pen pal you are interested in. Free. Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole Philadelphia 1400 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19130 Phone 215-560-2452 Pittsburgh 300 Liberty Ave. #301 Pittsburgh, PA 152221210 Phone - 412-565-5054 Lycoming County 450 Little League Blvd. Williamsport, PA 17701 Phone - 717-327-3575 Greensburg, Westmoreland County Old Route 30 Plaza Greensburg, PA 15601 Phone 724-832-5370 You can contact the following divisions of probation and parole at the address of the main Harrisburg office: Executive Offices 1101 South Front Street, Suite 5100 Harrisburg, PA 17104-2517 Phone - 717-787-5699 (Central Office Mailing Addresses, Chairman, Board Members, Chief Counsel, Communications and Legislative Affairs Office, Office of Professional Responsibility) Office of Victim Advocates - Suite 5200 Board of Secretary’s Office – Suite 5300 (Board Secretary, Case Analysis Division, Case Management Division, Hearing Officers Division, File Room) Office of Probation and Parole – Suite 5400 (Special Projects, Bureau of Probation Services, County Firearms, Training Division) Bureau of Human Resoures – Suite 5600 (Personnel, Equal Employment Opportunity office, Training Division) Sexual Offender Assessment Board – Suite 5700 Interstate Services Division – Suite 5700 State courts Superior Court Prothonotary The Fulton Building 200 North Third Street - Ninth Floor Harrisburg, PA 17101 Commonwealth Court Prothonotary 624 Irvis Office Building Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-255-1650 Contact the prothonotary of the appellate court where the case is pending for the status of the case. Supreme Court 215-560-6370 Superior Court 215-560-5800 Commonwealth Court 717-255-1600 Job Help – from the National Hire Network (Some of the info in this section is repeated throughout the guide, but I thought the National Hire Networks little blurbs seemed rather helpful, so ‘scuze the redundancy, oh and the names on the contacts might be outdated) Johnny L. Butler, Secretary Labor and Industry Bldg., Room 1700 7th and Forster Streets Harrisburg, PA 17120 7177875279 Web Site: www.dli.state.pa.us Information about State Department of Labor resources may be of interest to: • potential employers looking for incentives to hire individuals with criminal histories; • service providers and individuals with criminal histories who are looking for assistance in finding employment; and • researchers and policy makers looking at current programs to ascertain what programs are effective and serve their intended purpose. A. Federal Bonding Program The Federal Bonding Program provides fidelity bonding insurance coverage to individuals with criminal histories and other high-risk job applicants who are qualified, but fail to get jobs because regular commercial bonding is denied due to their backgrounds. Raymond Patackis, Bonding Services Coordinator Pennsylvania Bureau of Workforce Investment Labor and Industry Bldg., 12th Floor 7th and Forster Streets Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-787-6915 717-772-5478 fax E-Mail: rpatackis@dli.state.pa.us Web Site: www.dli.state.pa.us/andi/cwp/view.asp?a=129&Q=61085 B. Tax Credits The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is a federal tax credit to reduce the federal tax liability of private for profit employers to be used as an incentive for employers to hire individuals from eight different targeted groups: TANF recipients, veterans, ex-felons, high risk youth, summer youth, Food Stamp recipients, SSI recipients, and vocational rehabilitation referrals. Barbara Zullinger, WOTC Coordinator Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, 12th Floor Labor and Industry Bldg. 7th and Forster Streets Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-783-3676 717-787-5785 fax E-Mail: bzullinger@dli.state.pa.us Web Site: www.dli.state.pa.us/ C. Unemployment Insurance Office Unemployment compensation is a social insurance program designed to provide benefits to most individuals out of work, generally through no fault of their own, for periods between jobs. In order to be eligible for benefits, jobless workers must demonstrate that they have worked, usually measured by amount of wages and/or weeks of work, and must be able and available for work. The unemployment compensation program is based upon federal law, but administered by states under state law. Unemployment compensation is a social insurance program designed to provide benefits to most individuals outof work, generally through no fault of their own, for periods between jobs. In order to be eligible for benefits, jobless workers must demonstrate that they ahve worked, usually measured by amount of wages and/or weeks of work, and must be able and available for work. The unemployment compensation program is based upon federal law, but administered by states under state law. Forms and information may be obtained at any local Resource Center and via the internet at the web site below. (See also Section VII of this site "Local Service Providers.") Claims Information Center Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Labor and Industry Bldg., 6th Floor 7th and Forster Streets Harrisburg, PA 17121 888-313-7284 717-783-3734 fax Web Site: www.dli.state.pa.us/ II. Criminal Record Repository This is the agency individuals may contact to obtain a copy of their state rap sheet and learn about the process of sealing, expunging or cleaning it up. The criminal record repository can also tell the individual who else is legally entitled to have access to his or her record. To obtain a copy of a criminal record, a "Request for Criminal Record Check" (Form SP4164) must be sent to the contact address below, along with a certified check or money order int he amount of $10. Bureau of Records and Information Services Pennsylvania State Police 1800 Elmerton Ave. Harrisburg, PA 17110 717-783-5588 717-772-3681 fax III. State Attorney General Employers and service providers may obtain information from the state attorney general regarding occupational bars, the licensing of individuals with criminal records in certain jobs, and whether the state has laws that limit what employers may ask job applicants or protections against employment discrimination based on a criminal record. Mike Fisher, Attorney General Office of the Attorney General Strawberry Square Harrisburg, PA 17120 717-787-3391 717-783-1107 fax E-Mail: info@attorneygeneral.gov Web Site: www.attorneygeneral.gov IV. State Department of Corrections New Organization Name Pennsylvania Correctional Industries (PCI) aims to maximize inmate employment while providing vocational training and work experience. The program provides inmates withjob skills that are marketable in high-level production and manufacturing occupations. Inmates are trained in 115 different job titles, including machine and equipment operators, laundry workers, cannery workers, shipping and receiving clerks, painters, meat cutters, bookkeepers and optical lab technicians. To qualify for the program, inmates must be in good standing and able to read at a fifth grade level. Pennsylvania Department of Corrections Bureau of Correctional Industries 717-731-7135 Web Site: http://www.cor.sta4te.pa.us/ci.pdf Community Orientation Reintegration Program The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections recently began a new pre-release program, the Community Orientation Reintegration program. The first phase begins five weeks before an inmate is released to parole. The inmate is taken out of all other programs and given a “booster shot” of programs, which includes such elements as drug and alcohol programs and anger management. In Phase II, inmates are released to a community corrections center/halfway house, where they receive social services and job assistance and continue drug and alcohol treatment and relapse prevention. If an inmate has not received drug and alcohol treatment during incarceration, he or she is placed in a residential treatment program under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for 30 to 90 days. Inmates who have received treatment during incarceration attend day treatment at the community corrections center. Once inmates find a job they are allowed to leave the center and enter regular parole. A description of the program can be found at: http://www.cor.state.pa.us/COR%20Presentation%20Final.pdf Jeannine Christ, COR Program Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 2520 Lisburn Road P.O. Box 598 Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598 717-730-2704 Web Site: www.cor.state.pa.us V. Office of Probation and Parole Services Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole The Office of Probation and Parole Services does not offer any specific program for employment assistance. Services are offered on an individual level by agents, either by bringing together unemployed parolees and probationers under their supervision to provide them with relevant information or by telling them about openings and other necessary information on an individual level. government agencies and community-based organizations that assist with employment, education or vocational training. Researchers and policy makers may find this information useful in identifying agencies and service providers in order to evaluate the effectiveness of these programs. Contact: Office of Probation and Parole Services Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole 1101 South Front St., Suite 5100 Harrisburg, PA 17104-2517 717-787-5699 E-Mail: pubinfo@pbpp.state.pa.us Philadelphia Youth Network VI. Legal Assistance Free or low-cost legal resources, both in civil and criminal law, are helpful to individuals with criminal histories in learning about relevant state laws governing the expungement or sealing of criminal histories or addressing other legal issues resulting from having a criminal history. A. State Public Defender Contact: George Shultz Public Defender Association of Pennsylvania 115 State St. Harrisburg, PA 17101 717-234-7403 717-234-7462 fax B. Legal Services Contact: Pennsylvania Legal Services 118 Locust St. Harrisburg, PA 17101-1414 717-236-9486 717-233-4088 fax Web Site: www.palegalservices.org Community Legal Services, Inc.has experience with a wide variety of criminal records and employment issues, including filing EEOC charges and community education on pardons, expungements, and employment rights. Contact: Sharon Dietrich Community Legal Services, Inc. 1424 Chestnut St. Philadelphia, PA 19102 215-981-3700 E-Mail: sdietrich@clsphila.org C. State Bar Association Contact: Pennsylvania Bar Association 100 South St. P.O. Box 186 Harrisburg, PA 17108 717-238-6715 717-238-1204 fax E-Mail: info@pabar.org Web Site: www.pabar.org VII. Local Service Providers Community agencies are available to assist individuals with criminal records find employment. This information will inform individuals with criminal records about The Philadelphia Youth Network runs Youth Opportunity (YO) centers for out-of-school youth under the age of 21 living in the Empowerment Zone. The centers offer services to youths with criminal records and work with the juvenile justice system. However, there are no specialized services directed towards this population, and there are no focused efforts to gather specific information on clients with records. The centers provide a number of services including re-engagement, job readiness, education services, and referrals to other needed services. Clients receive follow-up services two years following job placement. Melissa Orner, Chief of Staff Philadelphia Youth Network John F. Kennedy Center, Room 681 734 Schuylkill Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19146 215-875-3823 215-875-5740 fax E-Mail: mjorner@phila.k12.pa.us Metropolitan Career Center/STRIVE Philadelphia Metropolitan Career Center (MCC) is a private, non-profit accredited school that serves under-skilled and economically disadvantaged Philadelphia youth and adults, enabling them to find and keep jobs. The Center offers five roads to employment, ranging from STRIVE, a four-week quick "attachment to the workforce" program, to a 60-week training course in computer hardware and software support that confers an Associate Degree in Specialized Technology Training and is provided free of charge to qualified students. MCC/STRIVE is an intensive four-week program. The program stresses the development of interpersonal skills, team building, and employment readiness. Through structured classes and group interaction, students develop job application skills, including resume writing, interviewing, and telephone usage. Students also receive individual counseling to help them address personal and family issues or other barriers. Referrals to outside agencies for assistance with housing, childcare, and other needs are made as necessary. Formal collaborations have been developed with Children’s Aid Society of Pennsylvania and the Tenant Action Group to facilitate students’ easy access to these supplemental services. Additionally, STRIVE staff maintain an active job bank and refer students to appropriate interviews. After students graduate from STRIVE, they can take advantage of these services and participate in Job Club activities until they are employed. In addition, MCC instituted a pilot program in 2002, an enhancement to STRIVE called Employment Plus in which STRIVE graduates receive more intensive follow-up and support services for 12 months after graduation to encourage and support long-term job retention and skill upgrading. These services focus on helping participants to overcome problems in the workplace and in their personal lives that could lead to their termination or resignation. Lastly, GED and computer classes offered on Saturdays are geared toward helping graduates gain advancement in the workplace. Patricia Fountain Slowe, MCC/STRIVE Program Manager 162 West Chelten Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19144 215-843-6615 215-843-7661 fax Web Site: www.strivecentral.com/sites/national/mcc.htm month follow-up period following successful job placement, in which full services, including any vocational training, continue to be available. Joann Lippock, Program Director Methodist Union of Social Agencies 131 East 9th Ave. Homestead, PA 15120 412-461-1800 Web Site: www.musa.org Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh Southwestern Pennsylvania Reentry Project Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh runs one of the Team Pennsylvania Career Link sites, which provide computer skills and job search services to the public. Any further services require that the individual be recommended to the organization and that the recommending party provide payment. However, these services are provided to all types of people, including those with criminal records and other significant barriers to employment including developmental and other disabilities. These further services begin with a one to four-day assessment, depending on needs, in which the individual is evaluated for skill level, job interests, and other necessary information. Participants are then given job training, educational assistance, computer-based training, driver training, on-the-job paid work training and placement in the community. Goodwill also offers different workshops focused on employment and provides referrals for any other requirements. Goodwill offers 18 months of follow-up services, including intervention at job sites and other support services. Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh 2600 East Carson St. Pittsburgh, PA 15203 412-390-2327 Web Site: www.goodwillpitt.org A coalition of non-profit organizations (including MUSA and the Mon Valley Initiative) formed in 2001-2002, aims to provide a whole range of services, including job readiness preparation, as well as trying to organize a smooth transition from incarceration back into the community, by making people coming out aware of the resources available to them. The coalition has begun forming relationships with local correctional institutions (FEI Pittsburgh, a nearby state institution has a representative on the coalition’s committee and a demonstration program has been set up with 50 inmates at the Allegheny County Jail to assess inmate needs and begin job readiness services). Coalition members plan to offer a matrix of services to anyone in the local area with a criminal record, including housing opportunities, drug and alcohol treatment, mental health services, transportation, child care, family support, etc. People coming out of prison or jail can come to any member organization and will then be referred to other agencies that can provide needed services not provided by that organization. Jeff Brooks, Work Force Director Mon Valley Initiative 303 East 8th Ave. Homestead, PA 15120 412-464-4000 E-Mail: jbrooks@monvalleyinitiative.com Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh The Carnegie Library provides generalized employment preparation and job-finding services, but does not provide any specialized services for individuals with criminal records. Among the services provided is assistance with resume preparation, GED and other educational assistance, guidance in selecting a college, providing test booklets for test preparation, descriptions of the various types of jobs available, assistance with setting up e-mail accounts, and classes on internet and computer program use. Job & Career Education Center Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh 4400 Forbes Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15213 412-622-3133 412-622-3136 fax E-Mail: jcec@carnegielibrary.org Web Site: www.carnegielibrary.org/locations/jcec Methodist Union of Social Agencies Methodist Union of Social Agencies (MUSA) runs a program for single parents that provides job readiness, life skills, job search, job placement, and job retention assistance and other follow-up services to clients from Homestead, the Steel Valley, and Pittsburgh (95 percent of whom are people with criminal records) through a Welfare-to-Work grant from the county and the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Clients begin by undergoing a full one-on-one assessment to determine their needs. There is also a six- Ramsey Education and Development Institute Ramsey Education and Development Institute (REDI) provides a number of educational and job-preparation services to any Pennsylvania resident over the age of 18. (Approximately 25 percent of clients served have criminal records.) The services provided include GED classes at a variety of levels, basic and advanced computer skills classes, assistance in preparing job applications and a Welfare-to-Work program for unemployed and underemployed mothers. REDI also has a network of referrals to address clients’ other needs. Ramsey Education and Development Institute 17 West Airy Norristown, PA 19401 610-279-0301 Reading-Berks Emergency Shelter Reading-Berks Emergency Shelter (RBES) provides a number of services, including: around-the-clock childcare services; job-readiness and placement through RBES Job Quest; primary health care services through the Reading Health Dispensary; shelter services that include case management, goal-planning, life skills instruction and aftercare services as well as a safe place to sleep, eat and shower for families and individuals; and transitional and permanent housing programs for families and individuals. RBES Job Quest is a three-week intensive training course focused on attitudinal and behavioral change to help chronically unemployed members of the community find and maintain fulltime employment. RBES Job Quest is a replication of the STRIVE program in New York City. The program is targeted toward men and women age 18 and up to overcome employment barriers such as childhood abuse, lack of formal education, inconsistent work histories, substance abuse and criminal histories. Also, the new Soft Skills program teaches basic skills needed to find and maintain entry-level employment. The program includes a free three-week workshop, interviews skills training, resume and cover letter writing classes, basic computer skills, and two years of active support and follow-up for both the graduate and his or her new employer to encourage long-term success. Lynn Evans-Santana, Director RBES Job Quest 430 N. 2nd St. Reading, PA 19601 610-374-4696 610-374-3165 fax E-Mail: jnaugle@rbes.org Web Site: www.rbes.org/default.asp The Jewish Employment and Vocational Service (JEVS) is a not-for-profit social service agency that focuses on enhancing the employability and self-sufficiency of clients through a broad range of education, training, health and rehabilitation programs. JEVS’ Prison Program provides vocational training and vocational assessment services to the inmates of the Philadelphia prison system by offering hands-on skills training to increase employability once individuals return to society. Inmates may participate in a wide range of vocational classes, including: welding; building maintenance; horticulture; word processing; desktop publishing; and environmental maintenance. In addition, the "World of Work" program emphasizes the steps involved in seeking and retaining employment, including completing job applications, writing resumes, preparing for job interviews, coping with pressure of the workplace and achieving a positive work ethic. JEVS works in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Prison Society to provide re-entry and other services to the prison population, as well as the growing Adopt-a-Program where public/private sector partnerships are established to help prisoners secure employment or appropriate programs upon their re-entry to the community. John Lieb JEVS Prison Program Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center 8301 State Road Philadelphia, PA 19136 215-685-7114 E-Mail: John.Lieb@prisons.phila.gov Web Site: www.jevs.org Pennsylvania Prison Society Baker Industries, Inc. The Pennsylvania Prison Society offers re-entry services to recently released people with criminal records and to those transitioning from welfare to work who also have a criminal record. Life skills workshops, job development and employment services are available. The Prison Society also offers inmate family services, elder prisoners services, restorative justice programs, advocacy effort and community outreach and education. Re-Entry Services Program Manager Pennsylvania Prison Society 245 N. Broad Street, Suite 300 Philadelphia, PA 19107 (215) 564-6005 (215) 5644775 (Programs/Direct Services Office) (800) 227-2307 (Toll Free) (215) 564-7926 (Fax) Web Site: www.prisonsociety.org Baker Industries employs hard to place individuals including individuals serving parole sentences. Baker Industries performs outsourcing services. The agency serves as a transition step toward unsubsidized employment by emphasizing soft skills like being on time for work, good attendance, and productive interaction with co-workers and supervisors. Walk-in applicants are accepted. John Thatcher, President Thomas E. Byron, Director of Employee Relations 184 Pennsylvania Ave. Malvern, PA 19355 610-296-9795 610-251-9802 fax E-Mail: tom@bakerindustries.org Web Site: : www.bakerindustries.org Program for Female Offenders Firm Foundation of Pennsylvania The Program for Female Offenders is a free program that provides a variety of services to adult women who either have a drug or alcohol abuse problem or who have had some contact with the criminal justice system. The services provided by the organization include drug education and prevention programs, screening, case management (i.e. life skills programs), financial assistance, employment assistance (i.e. job placement and computer training), GED courses, counseling, nutritional and other services. Joanna Foster, Client Services Director Program for Female Offenders 1515 Derry Street Harrisburg, PA 17104 717-238-9950 717-236-3585 fax E-Mail: program@epix.net Web Site: www.stophiv.com/details.asp?id=2074 The Firm Foundation of Pennsylvania, a faith-based organization, offers a variety of services to adult men and women with drug/alcohol addiction histories and those who have had contact with the criminal justice system. General reentry services include mentoring, case management and career/job development. In addition, transitional housing for men and fatherhood enrichment services are also available. Rev. Ron Tilley, Executive Director Firm Foundation of Pennsylvania, Inc. 28 North 19th St. Harrisburg, PA 17103 717-233-6133 717-754-0017 fax E-Mail: rtilley@firmfoundation.info Web Site: www.firmfoundation.org Jewish Employment and Vocational Service FEDERAL OCCUPATIONAL RESTRICTIONS AFFECTING PEOPLE WITH CRIMINAL RECORDS mandatory or voluntary fingerprinting of prospective employees in childcare fields in order to facilitate criminal background checks. The first of many obstacles or issues a person has to address after getting out of prison is obtaining employment. Entering the job market with a criminal record, it would not be uncommon for a job applicant to wonder, “Where can I get hired?” It may be comforting to note that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has interpreted Title VII of the Civil Rights Act to prohibit employment polices that exclude individuals solely on the basis of their conviction records. Read literally, Title VII prohibits private employers and state and local governments from discriminating in employment decisions (hiring, firing, promotions, etc.) on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, or religion. Nevertheless, the EEOC has determined that discrimination on the basis of conviction records have a disparate impact on racial minorities. Thus, a criminal conviction cannot be the sole reason to disqualify a person from employment. If, however, the employer can also show a “business necessity” for refusing to hire a person with a conviction record, that decision is not illegal. Despite Title VII’s implicit prohibition against discrimination based on criminal history, there are a number of federal laws that either bar people with criminal records from holding a particular occupation or restrict their ability to do so. • Convictions of offenses involving dishonesty, breach of trust, or money laundering disqualify an individual from working for institutions that are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. (See 12 U.S.C. § 1829 and our website summary of these laws, “People with Criminal Records Working in Financial Institutions: The Rules on FDIC Waivers.”) • Federal law bars certain classes of felons from working in the insurance industry without having received permission from an insurance regulatory official. (See 18 U.S.C. § 1033(c)(2).) • Certain classes of felons are barred, for 13 years after one’s conviction (or the end of one’s imprisonment if one is sentenced for a term of longer than 13 years) from holding any of several positions in a union or other organization that manages an employee benefit plan, including serving as an officer of the union or a director of the union’s governing board. (See 29 U.S.C. §§ 504, 1111.) • Federal law also prohibits those convicted of certain crimes from providing healthcare services for which they will receive payment from Medicare, 42 U.S.C. § 1320a-7, or from working for the generic drug industry. (See 21 U.S.C. § 335a.) • There is a federal law that requires criminal history background checks for those individuals who provide care for children. (See 42 U.S.C. § 13041.) In addition, the Federal Child Protection Act, 42 U.S.C. § 5119(a), authorizes states to enact statutes concerning the facilitation of criminal background checks of persons who work with children. It authorizes states to institute • The area of prisoner transportation (even private prisoner transportation) is federally regulated. 42 U.S.C. § 13726(b) sets “minimum standards for background checks and pre-employment drug testing for potential employees including requiring criminal background checks, to disqualify persons with a felony conviction or domestic violence conviction from employment.” The purpose of the act was to provide protection against risks to the public inherent in the transportation of violent prisoners and to assure the safety of those being transported. • Finally, since September 11, 2001, numerous efforts have been made to increase aviation security. Federal laws requiring background checks have been passed to ensure the safety of travelers and airport employees. (See 49 U.S.C. § 44935; 49 U.S.C. § 44936.) These bars to employment are not generally thought to violate the law that prohibits most employers from denying employment solely on the basis of your criminal record because the positions regulated require that a great deal of trust be placed in the individual. Consequently, it is argued that any criminal conviction is jobrelated to the extent that it makes you less trustworthy, or that it creates an unreasonable risk on the job. Yet, while such federal laws bar those convicted of specific crimes from working for the federal government, federal law does not generally disqualify a person with a felony conviction from employment. It is important to note, however, that most laws that prohibit employers from hiring people with criminal records are state and local laws and rules. Thus, it is necessary to review relevant state and local laws to see what they mandate. PRISON ADDRESSES PA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS STATE CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTIONS P.O. Box 598, Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598 Revised: 1/4/05 SCI Albion Supt. Marilyn Brooks 10745 Route 18 Albion, PA 16475-0001 (814) 756-5778 SCI Cambridge Springs Supt. Rhoda Winstead 451 Fullerton Avenue Cambridge Springs, PA 16403 (814) 398-5400 SCI Camp Hill Supt. Donald Kelchner P.O. Box 8837 Camp Hill, PA 17001-8837 (717) 737-4531 SCI Chester Supt. Martin Dragovich 500 E. 4th Street Chester, PA 19013-4551 (610) 490-5412 SCI Coal Township Supt. Frank D. Gillis 1 Kelley Drive Coal Township, PA 17866-1020 (570) 644-7890 SCI Cresson Supt. David J. Good P.O. Box A Old Route 22 Cresson, PA 16699-0001 (814) 886-8181 SCI Dallas Supt. James Wynder 1000 Follies Road Dallas, PA 18612 (570) 675-1101 SCI Fayette Supt. Harry Wilson 50 Overlook Drive LaBelle, PA 15450-1050 (724) 364-2200 SCI Forest Supt. Raymond J. Sobina 1 Woodland Drive P.O. Box 307 Marienville, PA 16239-0307 (814) 621-2110 SCI Frackville Supt. Robert Shannon 1111 Altamont Boulevard Frackville, PA 17931-2699 (570) 874-4516 SCI Graterford Supt. David DiGuglielmo P.O. Box 246 Route 29 Graterford, PA 19426-0246 (610) 489-4151 SCI Greene Supt. Louis Folino 169 Progress Drive Waynesburg, PA 15370-8090 (724) 852-2902 SCI Greensburg Supt. David Wakefield RD 10 Box 10 Route 119 South Greensburg, PA 15601-8999 (724) 837-4397 SCI Houtzdale Supt. George Patrick P.O. Box 1000 Houtzdale, PA 16698-1000 (814) 378-1000 SCI Huntingdon Supt. James Grace 1100 Pike Street Huntingdon, PA 16654-1112 (814) 643-2400 SCI Laurel Highlands Supt. Fredric Rosemeyer P.O. Box 631 5706 Glades Pike Somerset, PA 15501-0631 (814) 445-6501 SCI Mahanoy Supt. Ed Klem 301 Morea Road Frackville, PA 17932 (570) 773-2158 SRCF Mercer Supt. Joseph F. Desuta 801 Butler Pike Mercer, PA 16137 (724) 662-1837 SCI Muncy Supt. Shirley Moore Box 180 Route 405 Muncy, PA 17756-0180 (570) 546-3171 SCI Pine Grove Supt. Barry Johnson 189 Fyock Road Indiana, PA 15701-6542 (724) 465-9630 SCI Pittsburgh- Closed Quehanna Boot Camp Supt. George Patrick 4395 Quehanna Hwy Karthaus, PA 16845-9714 (814) 263-4125 SCI Retreat Supt. Charles Erickson 660 State Route 11 Hunlock Creek, PA 18621-3136 (570) 735-8754 SCI Rockview Supt. Frank Tennis Box A Bellefonte, PA 16823 (814) 355-4874 SCI Smithfield Supt. John Palakovich P.O. Box 999 Huntingdon, PA 16652 (814) 643-6520 SCI Somerset Supt. Gerald Rozum 1590 Walters Mill Road Somerset, PA 15510-0001 (814) 443-8100 SCI Waymart Supt. Ray Colleran P.O. Box 256 Route 6 Waymart, PA 18472-0256 (570) 488-5811 Training Academy Director William Sprenkle 1451 North Market Street Elizabethtown, PA 17022-1299 (717) 367-9070 YOUTH INTERVENTION CENTER 900 East King Street Lancaster, PA 17602 (717) 626-6301 (717) 3902347 (Fax) Email: generetm@co.lancaster.pa.us Website: www.Lancastercounty.com COUNTY COURT HOUSES The district number is listed in parentheses. Bedford, PA 15522 814-623-4812 Ebensburg, PA 15931 814-472-1552 Berks County (23) Berks County Services Center 633 Court Street Reading, PA 19601 610-478-6208 Cameron/Elk Counties (59) See Elk/Cameron Counties Adams County (51) Adams County Courthouse 117 Baltimore Street Gettysburg, PA 17325 717-337-9846 Blair County (24) Blair County Courthouse 423 Allegheny Street Hollidaysburg, PA 16648 814-693-3050 Allegheny County (5) 300 Frick Building 437 Grant Street Pittsburgh, PA 15219 412-350-6939 Bradford County (42) Bradford County Courthouse 301 Main Street Towanda, PA 18848 570-265-1707 Armstrong County (33) Armstrong County Courthouse Second Floor Kittanning, PA 16201 724-548-3284 Bucks County (7) Bucks County Courthouse 55 East Court Street Doylestown, PA 18901 215-348-6040 Beaver County (36) Beaver County Courthouse Third Street Beaver, PA 15009 724-728-5700 Butler County (50) Butler County Courthouse P.O. Box 1208 Butler, PA 16003 724-284-5200 Bedford County (57) Bedford County Courthouse Annex #1 Cambria County (47) Cambria County Courthouse 200 South Center Street Carbon County (56) Carbon County Courthouse P.O. Box 166 Jim Thorpe, PA 18229 570-325-8556 Centre County (49) Centre County Courthouse Room 208 Bellefonte, PA 16823 814-355-6727 Chester County (15) Chester County Courthouse Two North High Street West Chester, PA 19380 610-344-6170 Clarion County (18) Clarion County Courthouse Main Street Clarion, PA 16214 814-226-9351 Clearfield County (46) Clearfield County Courthouse 230 East Market Street Clearfield, PA 16830 814-765-2641 Clinton County (25) Clinton County Courthouse 230 East Water Street Lock Haven, PA 17745 570-893-4016 Columbia County (26) Columbia County Courthouse P.O. Box 380 Bloomsburg, PA 17815 570-389-5667 Crawford County (30) Crawford County Courthouse 903 Diamond Square Meadville, PA 16335 814-333-7484 Cumberland County (9) Cumberland County Courthouse 1 Courthouse Square Carlisle, PA 17013 717-240-6200 Dauphin County (12) Dauphin County Courthouse Front & Market Streets Harrisburg, PA 17101 717-780-6620 Delaware County (32) Delaware County Courthouse Media, PA 19063 610-891-4844 Elk/Cameron Counties (59) Elk County Courthouse P.O. Box 416 Ridgway, PA 15853 814-776-6144 Erie County (6) Erie County Courthouse 140 West Sixth Street Room 201 Erie, PA 16501-1030 814-451-6295 Fayette County (14) Fayette County Courthouse 61 East Main Street Uniontown, PA 15401 724-430-1230 Forest/Warren Counties (37) See Warren/Forest Counties Franklin/Fulton Counties (39) Franklin County Courthouse 157 Lincoln Way East Chambersburg, PA 17201 717-261-3848 Greene County (13) Greene County Courthouse Waynesburg, PA 15370 724-852-5237 Huntingdon County (20) Huntingdon County Courthouse 223 Penn Street Huntingdon, PA 16652 814-643-5078 Indiana County (40) Indiana County Courthouse Fourth Floor 825 Philadelphia Street Indiana, PA 15701 724-465-3955 Jefferson County (54) Jefferson County Courthouse 200 Main Street Brookville, PA 15825 814-849-1631 Juniata/Perry Counties (41) See Perry/Juniata Counties Lackawanna County (45) Lackawanna County Courthouse 200 North Washington Avenue Scranton, PA 18503 570-963-6773 Lancaster County (2) Lancaster County Courthouse 50 North Duke Street P.O. Box 83480 Lancaster, PA 17608-3480 717-299-8041 Lawrence County (53) Lawrence County Government Center New Castle, PA 16101 724-656-1930 Lebanon County (52) Lebanon County Courthouse 400 South Eighth Street Room 308 Lebanon, PA 17042 717-274-2801, Ext. 2350 Lehigh County (31) Lehigh County Courthouse 455 West Hamilton Street Allentown, PA 18105-1548 610-782-3014 Luzerne County (11) Luzerne County Courthouse 200 North River Street Wilkes-Barre, PA 18711 570-825-1595 Lycoming County (29) Lycoming County Courthouse 48 West Third Street Williamsport, PA 17701 570-327-2330 McKean County (48) McKean County Courthouse 500 West Main Street Smethport, PA 16749 814-887-3302 Mercer County (35) Mercer County Courthouse 103 North Diamond Street Mercer, PA 16137 412-662-3800 Mifflin County (58) Mifflin County Courthouse 20 North Wayne Street Lewistown, PA 17044 717-248-4613 Monroe County (43) Monroe County Courthouse Stroudsburg, PA 18360 570-517-3649 Montgomery County (38) Montgomery County Courthouse P.O. Box 311 Norristown, PA 19404 610-278-3229 Montour County (26) Columbia County Courthouse P.O. Box 380 Bloomsburg, PA 17815 570-389-5679 Northampton County (3) Northampton County Government Center 669 Washington Street Easton, PA 18042 610-559-6701 Northumberland County (8) Northumberland County Courthouse 201 Market Street Sunbury, PA 17801 570-988-4167 Perry/Juniata Counties (41) Perry County Courthouse P.O. Box 668 New Bloomfield, PA 17068 717-582-5143 Philadelphia County (1) 336 City Hall Philadelphia, PA 19107 215 686-2547 Pike County (60) Pike County Courthouse 410 Broad Street Milford, PA 18337 570-296-3556 Potter County (55) Potter County Courthouse Room 30 Coudersport, PA 16915 814-274-9720 Schuylkill County (21) Schuylkill County Courthouse 401 North Second Street Pottsville, PA 17901 570-628-1333 Snyder/Union Counties (17) Snyder County Courthouse P.O. Box 217 Middleburg, PA 17842 570-837-4359 Somerset County (16) 111 East Union Street Suite 212 Somerset, PA 15501 814-445-1473 Sullivan/Wyoming Counties (44) See Wyoming/Sullivan Counties Susquehanna County (34) Susquehanna County Courthouse P.O. Box 218 Montrose, PA 18801 570-278-4600 Tioga County (4) Tioga County Courthouse118 Main Street Wellsboro, PA 16901 570-724-9380 Union/Snyder Counties (17) See Snyder/Union Counties Venango County (28) Venango County Courthouse Liberty Street Franklin, PA 16323 814-432-9606 Warren/Forest Counties (37) Warren County Courthouse 204 Fourth Avenue Warren, PA 16365 814-728-3530 Washington County (27) Washington County Courthouse 1 South Main Street, Suite 2004 Washington, PA 15301 724-228-6797 Wayne County (22) Wayne County Courthouse 925 Court Street Honesdale, PA 18431 570-253-0101 Westmoreland County (10) Westmoreland County Courthouse Main Street Greensburg, PA 15601 724-830-3828 Wyoming/Sullivan Counties (44) Wyoming County Courthouse One Courthouse Square Tunkhannock, PA 18657 570-836-3151 York County (19) York County Courthouse 28 East Market Street York, PA 17401 717-771-9234