Newsletters, Books, Resource Guides, Educational Programs, Arts and Writing, PenPals, Transportation, Virtual Visits, Visitors
Updated January 2013
This Resource is 8 pages. In order to send it for one stamp you must print it out double sided. 5 sheets of paper = one stamp. Anyone is welcome to distribute this resource.
PenPals
(The PA DOC just implemented a new policy (FEB 09) that forbids advertising for penpals-so you may want to check with your institution on those policies) Always write and inquire before sending a group your money!
Email your Prisoner Pen-Pal! Prisoners in PA can be emailed for the cost of a stamp at Jpay.com, and emailingaprisoner.com will email your letter to any prisoner, and email a scan of their handwritten letter back to you for $1 per letter!
Reaching Beyond The Walls (802) 773 4029 www.reachingbeyondthewalls.com P.O. Box 6905 Rutland, VT 05702 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. Starting at $9.95
Friends Beyond the Wall 2600 South Road, Suite 44-244 Poughkeepsie, NY 12601-7004 http://www.friendsbeyondthewall.com $30 – 60 for 6 month ad Facility check, money order or cashier’s check are accepted. If you are in a PA state prison a friend on the outside has to mail you the application. They can print it out on the website or request it there. If you don’t get a letter in 6 months they claim to give you 6 months free.
Write a PrisonerP.O. Box 10 Edgewater, FL 32132 USAhttp://www.writeaprisoner.com/ Inmates pay about 40$ a year for their prisoner pen-pal postings. This is invested back into providing free programs never offered before aimed at reducing crime and recidivism. Write for a brochure or have a friend print it out from the website.
Black and Pink – Community Church of Boston 565 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02116 http://www.blackandpink.org/prison-penpals/ – LGBTQ penpal service and newsletter.
Meet-An-Inmate.com, P.O. Box 1342, Pendleton, Oregon 97801http://www.meet-an-inmate.com/application.htm – $20 – 6 months – $40 – 2 years
Inmate ClassifiedVoice Mail: (323) 529-8570 P.O. Box 3311, Granada Hills, CA 91394
http://www.inmate.com/contact_us/
CellPals! PO Box 470, Montgomery TX 77356 / E-mail: cellpals2@hotmail.com / Website: www.cellpals.com CellPals! is a prison pen pal organization on the internet that seeks to aid inmates in finding positive influences during a given term of incarceration. You may write to request an application packet from our company. We try to make our site accessible to everyone regardless of financial status.
Prisonerlife.com PO Box 1664, Voorhees NJ 08043 / Website: www.prisonerlife.com
Death Row Support Project- Tel: (260) 982 – 7480 –PO Box 600 Dept. P, Liberty Mills, IN 46946
E-mail: drsp.cob@earthlink.net
Christian Pen Pals PO Box 2112, Statesville NC 28687 / Tel: (828) 256-6100 / Website: www.christian-penpals.com
Inmate-Connection.com PO Box 83897, Los Angeles CA 90083 / E-mail: info@inmate-connection.com / Website: inmate-connection.com The cost of $20.00 for an entire year. advertise on the net and get pen pal connections.
Messenger Bible Institute PO Box 1756, Oakdale CA 95361 / Tel: (209) 845-1718 / E-mail: mbimessenger@aol.com Messenger Bible Institute offers free Bible correspondence studies and Christian ministry diplomas. They also offer Jail and Prison Ministry Training Programs and Writing Ministries and Pen Pals
Jewish Prisoner Services International (206) 985-0577 PO Box 85840, Seattle WA 98145-1840 www.jewishprisonerservices.org Offers support, referrals, guidance, educational and religious programs, and pen pal service.
Women Behind Bars write c/o Todd Muffoletto P.O. Box 284 Hobart, IN. 46342 http://www.womenbehindbars.com/contact.html Women Only.
PaperDolls p.o. box 218 Oregon, WI 53575 paperdolls@mail.com http://www.paperdollspenpals.com women prisoners only SASE for application or have friend print it off website
Action Committee for Women in Prison – Pen Pal Project P.O. Box 9867 Marina del Rey, CA 90295. Jeanne@pieper.com– women only
Local Newsletters, Newspapers, Distro’s (oh my!)
GraterFriends – 215-565-6005 x-112 245 N. Broad Street, Suite 300 Philly, PA 19107 www.prisonsociety.org/ graterfriends@prisonsociety.org. Be sure to write attention GraterFriends. 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. Issues of Graterfriends are now online.
Grapevine –570-376-2489 P.O. Box 256 Wellsboro, PA 16901 http://www.prisoners.com/dallashome.html $3 prisoners $8 non prisoners $12 groups (postage stamp equivalent accepted) A publication that focus on lifers, families, volunteers and people who care
The Movement Human Rights Coalition write:Newsletter Committee 4134 Lancaster Ave Philadelphia, PA 19104 info@hrcoalition.com www.hrcoalition.com writings by prisoners, ex-prisoners, and families and friends of prisoners. Encouraging writing from incarcerated women. 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
Books Through Bars Newsletter – 215-727-8170 – 4722 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143 info@booksthroughbars.org http://booksthroughbars.org/ – write for a newsletter or have a friend download it on the website
Prisoner Express (607) 255-6486 –127 Annabel Taylor Hall – Cornell University – Ithaca, NY 14853 prisonerexpress.org email: alt-lib@cornell.edu – Newsletter Free for Prisoners. Writings, Artwork, Educational Correspondence Programs
National Newsletters, Newspapers, Distro’s
The Fortune News 216-691-7554The Fortune Society ATTN: Fortune News Subscriptions 29-76 Northern Boulevard Long Island City, NY 11101http://www.fortunesociety.org/ Fortune News is sent free of charge to inmates and contributing members. A 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 prisoners and at-risk youth break the cycle of crime and incarceration through a broad range of services. Last issue online says 2011. Cant imagine this stopping tho – been around since 1967 or so.
Coalition For Prisoner’s Rights Newsletter 505-982-9520
Box 1911 Sante Fe, NM 87504-1911 http://realcostofprisons.org/coalition.html To receive monthly issues by mail, send CPR a stamped self-addressed envelope with CPR as the return address. Up to 12 stamped self-addressed envelopes can be sent at one time. The C.P.R has been publishing their Newsletter for 36 years. In June 2009 they decided they could no longer afford to mail the monthly newsletter to their 9,100 subscribers. The Real Cost of Prisons believes in the work of the C.P.R. To reach out to families, friends, allies of prisoners, we began posting the C.P.R. Newsletters in PDF format in July 2009. We encourage you to download the newsletter and send it to prisoners so that they will continue to receive this important source of information and inspiration for organizing that the Newsletter provides.
National Criminal Justice Reference Service 800- 851-3420 (US callers) 301-519-5500 (international callers) P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 www.ncjrs.org (301) 519-5212 (Fax) Services: Publication and information clearinghouse.
The Rock Newsletter – c/o Ed Mead P.O Box 47439 Seattle, WA 98146 all issues can be downloaded at http://www.prisonart.org/ under newsletter link or http://www.prisonart.org/images/!Newsletter/Rock1_1.pdf
Sojourner: The Women’s Forum 617- 524-0415 42 Seaverns Ave. Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 offers women in prison free subscriptions to monthly feminist paper, penpal ads and resource guide for women in prison (not sure if this is still being published)
ACLU National Prison Project 202- 393-4930 915 15th Street, NW 7th Floor Washington, DC 20005 Fax (202) 393-4931 offers prisoners assistance directory it’s 30 bucks tho. They have a journal that’s a $2 subscription for prisoners. $30 for outsiders. Not sure if its been updated in awhile says 2007 on website.
The Angolite C/O Cashier’s Office 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
South Chicago ABC Zine Distro – P.O. Box 721 Homewood, Il 60430 Distributes lots of writings by political prisoners. Free zines to prisoners.
Prison Legal News 802 257-1342 – P.O. Box 2420 West Brattleboro, VT 05303
pwright@prisonlegalnews.org http://www.prisonlegalnews.org
Prisoner rate:, 1 year subscription 30.00, 1 year 25.00, Professional 60.00 went up by a lot of money. It is truly a great newsprint magazine. Used to have sample issues for $2 that might of gone up too!
Jail House Lawyer Manual JLM ORDER 435 W.116th Street New York, NY 10027. http://www3.law.columbia.edu/hrlr/jlm/order/For prisoners and their family members: The JLM Ninth Edition main volume is $30. The Immigration & Consular Access Supplement is $5. First class shipping is included in the price. Prices and availability may be subject to change. See the pricing chart on the Jailhouse Lawyer’s Manual order form. Prices and availability may be subject to change. Prices may have changed. Request information. (SASE may be helpful) View online for free.
The Journal of Prisoners on Prisons (JPP) Journal of Prisoners on Prisons
c/o Justin Piché, PhD Assistant Professor Department of Criminology University of Ottawa
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5 is a prisoner written, academically oriented and peer reviewed, non-profit journal, based on the tradition of the penal press. Free to Prisoners
The Little Red Rules Book Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho Attention: LRRB; 10 North Post St., Suite 700, Spokane, WA 99201. “My Little Red Rules Book” is designed for a quick reference during federal trials and other hearings. It contains many of the frequently used Rules in federal court. It also contains a copy of the sentencing table and drug quantity table.
The publication contains annotations with case citations. To obtain a copy please send a check or money order for $6.00 payable to the Federal Defenders of Eastern Washington and Idaho.
Protecting Your Health and Safety – Published by the Southern Poverty Law Center 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.Inmates can also learn how to enforce those rights when they are violated, and find a list of federal courts and resources groups for prison inmates. This manual does not cover criminal matters.Bound copies of the complete 325-page manual are available from Money order and request to: Prison Legal News for $16 ($10 + $6 shipping/handling). 802 257-1342 – P.O. Box 2420 West Brattleboro, VT 05303 prisonlegalnews.org
Prison Health News – (215) 985-44481233 Locust Street 3rd floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 We publish Prison Health News, a quarterly newsletter for prisoners. Prison Health News is mailed to over 5,000 people throughout the country, and distributed in several state prisons’ law libraries/medical clinics.
The Nuclear Resister, PO Box 43383, Tucson, AZ 85733. nukeresister@igc.orgNewsletter about imprisoned anti-nuclear activist who have been locked down since the 80’s
The Razor Wire – (509) 684-1550 published by the November Coalition 282 W. Astor, Colville, Wa. 99114 – last issue in 2010. Have new issue coming out. This newsletter deals with the drug war.
Education on the Inside
PEN America Writing Program for Prisoners 212-334-1660 –588 Broadway suite 303 NY, NY 10012 info@pen.orgThe Prison Writing program sponsors an annual writing contest, publishes a free handbook for prisoners, and provides one-on-one mentoring to inmates.
Thresholds In Delaware County Phone: 610-459-9384P. 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 3 institutions in Chester County George W. Hill Correctional Facility , Thornton, PA (GWHCF) (Formerly Delaware County Prison) State Correctional Institution at Chester (SCI-Chester), Delaware County Juvenile Detention Center in Lima, PA.
Blackstone School of Law 1 800 826 9228 1011 Brookside Road, Suite 300
P.O. Box 3717 Allentown, PA 18106-0717 info@blackstone.edu
http://www.blackstone.edu/inmate-information/ Services: Offers a well known Para-Legal and Advanced Para-Legal correspondence program. $726. They have 3 different payment plans with no extra interest for paying monthly. Also if you are a veteran you might be eligible for benefits.
THE INSIDE-OUT CENTER (215)-204-5163 Suite 331, MB 66-10, 1810 Liacouras Walk, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122 www.insideoutcenter.org Email: insideout@temple.edu The Inside-Out Prison Exchange Program increases opportunities for men and women, inside and outside of prison, to have transformative learning experiences that emphasize collaboration and dialogue, inviting participants to take leadership in addressing crime, justice, and other issues of social concern.
Prisoners Guerrilla Handbook to Correspondence Programs In the United States and Canada, 3rd Edition This is apparently Great! Though the only place I could find it for sale online was at the Prison Legal News Bookstore for $50 bucks! May be worth it if you want to go to school on the inside. Prison Legal News – 802 257-1342 – P.O. Box 2420 West Brattleboro, VT 05303
Address This! Books Through Bars 4722 Baltimore Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19143 www.booksthroughbars.org info@booksthroughbars.org with Address This!in the subject line. – Send a SASE if you can for information and a registration form. Open to Pennsylvania prisoners only. Prioritizes the participation of those being held in solitary confinement and/or maximum security facilities who are otherwise frequently excluded from participation in any form of educational programming. Students in the program have the option of registering for one of five classes each semester on topics ranging from “Black Social Movements from Civil Rights to Hip Hop” to “Transformative Justice.” Each semester runs for a six month period and, due to resource constraints, enrollment caps at 100 students per semester.
Prison Studies Project – http://prisonstudiesproject.org/blog/The Prison Studies Project is compiling the first nationwide directory of postsecondary programs in U.S. prisons. Searchable and continually updated, the directory is an online, state-by-state listing of primarily on-site degree-granting postsecondary education programs in prisons.
College Program for the Incarcerated Haning Hall 222 Ohio University Athens, OH 45701 Phone Toll-free: 800-444-2910 –1-800-444-2420 Ken Armstrong, Director of Independent Study (armstron@ohio.edu, 740-593-2910) independent.study@ohio.edu Not sure if this is for PA people, although they serve institutions not in Ohio
Independent and Distance Learning Program Georgia Center for Continuing Education, Suite 193University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602-3603 Phone: 706-542-3243 or Toll-free: 800-877-3243
Incarcerated Re-Entry Rio Salado College 2323 West 14th Street Tempe, AZ 85281 Phone: 480-517-8345 or Toll-free: 877-517-8345
Correspondence Courses for the Incarcerated
University of Florida – Division of Continuing Education 2209 NW 13th St., Suite D -Gainesville, FL 32609 Phone: 352-392-1711 or Toll-free: 800-327-4218
Parent Link (Parenting Information for Incarcerated Parents)
University of Missouri College of Education Phone Toll-free: 800-552-8522
Boston University Prison Education Program — 808 Commonwealth Avenue, Room 237 Boston, MA 02215 Phone: 617-353-5945
Books!
Book’Em – Pittsburgh PO Box 71357, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213 phone – 412-361-3022 – bookempgh@gmail.com www.bookempgh.org/ Sends free educational books and quality reading material to prisoners and prison libraries primarily in Pennsylvania. Please request by subject rather than specific title or author.
Books Through Bars 4722 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19143, www.booksthroughbars.org, 215-727-8170 Books Through Bars distributes quality reading material to individual prisoners in the Mid-Atlantic region (PA, NJ, NY, DE, MD, VA, and WV).. Send us a letter, through the regular mail, that includes name, prisoner ID number, full address, any restrictions on incoming books, and types of books wanted. We only accept book requests by postal mail. Please request by topic (not exact title or author).
Prison Book Program c/o Lucy Parsons Bookstore, 1306 Hancock St, Suite 100, Quincy, MA 02169 www.prisonbookprogram.org, 617-423-3298, info@prisonbookprogram.org
Each prisoner is limited to two book shipments per year. All requests must be mailed. Please fill out and mail in the request form from the website. Does not send books to the following PA facilities: SCI Albion, SCI Coal Township, SCI Frackville, SCI Graterford, SCI Pine Grove (Indiana), SCI Forest (Marienville), SCI Muncy, CCCF (Wilsonville).
DC Books to Prisoners PO Box 34190, Washington, DC 20043-4190 http://www.dcbookstoprisoners.org , btopdc@gmail.com Provides free books to prisoners around the country.
East Bay Prisoner Support Distro , PO Box 22449, Oakland, CA 94609 ebps@riseup.net eastbayprisonersupport.wordpress.com/distro
Sends zines to queer, trans, and women prisoners in any state. Free of charge. Catalog is online.
Books For Prisoners at University of California San Diego w/Groundwork Bookstore.
0323 Student Center, La Jolla, CA 92037, ucsdbooks4prisoners@gmail.com
groundwork.ucsd.edu Groundwork is dedicated to providing socially conscious reading materials for prisoners nationwide.
Books to Prisoners c/o Left Bank Books, 92 Pike St., Box A, Seattle, WA 98101
206-442-2013, bookstoprisoners@live.com bookstoprisoners.net
Free books to prisoners nationwide. Request by subject, no religious materials or legal materials. Does NOT ship to prisons that require all books sent to be new.
Chicago Books to Women in Prison P O Box 14778, Chicago, IL 60614. http://chicagobwp.org Distribute books free of charge to women in prison nationwide. We send three books in each package. We also furnish books directly to prison libraries. To request books, download and print our order form and mail it to the address above or send request to address.
Providence Books Through Bars, Inc. Providence Books Through Bars
c/o Paper Nautilus Books 5 Angell Street Providence, RI 02906
http://www.providencebtb.org info@providencebtb.org send requests by mail or email:
Provide free reading material to prisoners nationwide.
Prisoner Requests – Be Sure to Include: Mailing address with Prisoner ID# as well as subject matter preferences.
Resource Guides
The National Prisoner Resource List (NPRL) Prison Book Program c/o Lucy Parsons Bookstore 1306 Hancock Street, Suite 100 Quincy, MA 02169 http://www.prisonbookprogram.org/nprl.pdf provides information about places where prisoners and their families can find support, advocacy, health care information, and outlets for their creativity. Available for download online
Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) 510-893-4648 P.O. Box 70447 Oakland, CA 94612 Prisonactivist.org free prison resource list Updated beginning of 2012. If you are an organization that will use this directory to support prisoners who contact you, please send us a 65 cent stamp with your request and we will send you an original copy.
Locked Out – Prison Book Project c/o Food for Thought Books P.O. Box 396 Amherst, MA 01004-0396 (413) 584-8975 ext. 208 www.prisonbooks.org Resource list for queer – lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans – prisoners in U.S. – no books to PA prisoners but will send resource guide.
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 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.
Prison Dharma Services – Buddist Resource Guide for Prisoners- Get friends to print this online directory for you.
Know Your Rights Guide for Youth in PA 1315 Walnut Street, 4th floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 local: 215-625-0551 Toll free: 1-800-875-8887 http://www.jlc.org/publications/ –all guides are available for free online, or you can purchase by mail JLC’s publications inform judges, lawyers and all who advocate for children and youth, including children and youth themselves, about juvenile justice and child welfare issues and practices – how to expunge records for youth- they have a LOT of great resources online for youth. Send ema SASE for more info.
Prisoner Self-Help Manual to Challenge Gang Validation (SHGV), 5th edition ©2011 ($22)
Art, Performance and Radio
California Prison Focus 510- 836-7222 1904 Franklin St. Suite 507, Oakland, CA 94612 www.prisons.org 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 you’re out of state. Inquire above. Our newsletter magazine is primarily by prisoners and for prisoners, their friends and families. The current and past issues are available here free for download. You can also receive a paper copy at your home (or send one to your relative or friend in prison). We request a donation of $20 or more for four issues to help cover editing, printing, and mailing costs.
Prison Performing Arts 314-289-4190 3547 Olive St. St. Louis, MO 63103 http://prisonartsstl.org/ A nonprofit multi-discipline, literacy and performing arts program that serves incarcerated adults and children in Missouri at Hogan Street Regional Youth Center, Missouri Northeast Correctional Center, St Louis City Juvenile Detention Center, Women’s Eastern Reception, and Diagnostic and Correctional Center.
Just Seeds Prison Portfolio Project – http://www.justseeds.org Justseeds is a radical artist coop. This prison project they put together last year involved twenty artists from the US, Canada and Mexico who each created an original print that either critiqued or addressed alternatives to the prison-industrial complex. The point of the portfolio project was to donate work and to share graphics with groups working against the prison-industrial complex. In the end, each portfolio included the 20 prints plus a cdr with copy-right free TIFF files of the images (plus other anti-prison images from the recent book Reproduce and Revolt (edited by Favianna Rodriguez and Josh MacPhee.)
PEN America Writing Program for Prisoners 212-334-1660 –588 Broadway suite 303 NY, NY 10012 info@pen.orgThe Prison Writing program sponsors an annual writing contest, publishes a free handbook for prisoners, and provides one-on-one mentoring to inmates.
Thousand Kites 276-679-3116 –91 Madison Avenue Whitesburg, KY 41858 Website: www.thousandkites.org Cooperative storytelling project. Send your story to them and they will incorporate it into a theatre or radio performance. Call our toll-free line (877) 518-0606 and record a message or feedback for our website and radio program. We will use the content of your calls to inform our play, video, radio, and web productions. So share a story, ask a question, and let us know how the criminal justice system affects your community.
Community Arts Network http://www.nea.gov/resources/accessibility/rlists/corrections.html
List of internet resources related to community art programs affiliated with correctional facilities.
Pennsylvania Dept. of Corrections Cliff Parris Chief of Activities 75 Utley Drive, Suite 103 Camp Hill, PA 17011 Phone: 717.731.7828 They develop contracts with local artists to go into local institutions once a week to conduct workshops in music, art, drama, poetry and dance. This is an ongoing program funded by the Inmate General Welfare Fund and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Inmates’ projects include talent contests, a calendar art competition, a black history art competition and two youth programs.
Creativity Held Captive: A Guidebook for Artists Working in Prisons By Patricia McConnel Published by Logoria, 2001 Contact Logoria 352 Cherokee Street Flagstaff AZ 86001
602-288-6749 E-mail: CHC@Logoria.com Book price: $10, which includes shipping
Women and Prison: A Site for Resistance 773-857-7300 is a project of Beyondmedia Education 6934 N. Glenwood Ave. #2C Chicago, IL 60626 773-338-5933 info@womenandprison.org http://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.”
Prison Radio (415) 648-4505 P.O. Box 411074, San Francisco, CA 94141 email: info@prisonradio.org http://www.prisonradio.org We are an independent multi media production studio. We produce content and we seek to distribute these essays and productions throughout the world.
Safe Streets Art Foundation – (incorporating the Victims Foundation and Prison Foundation)
Box 58043Washington, DC 20037-8043 E-mail: staff@SafeStreetsArts.info. Phone: 202-393-1511 http://www.safestreetsarts.org/ Funded by the National Endowment for the Arts and by citizens like you we are a 501(c)(3) tax exempt nonprofit organization. The Safe Streets Arts Foundation uses the arts to allow all segments of the criminal justice community to communicate with each other and with the public. We are especially committed to helping the 2 ½ million men and women in prison, 95% of whom will someday return to society as our neighbors. They receive our support in prison to use the arts to develop their self esteem and a positive attitude vital for successful reentry. – tons of stuff with illustrations, paintings ect. Promotes the arts and education in prison and alternatives to incarceration. If you are an incarcerated artist write and see if they sell you art. Has extensive online resource list.
Prison Foundation – Prisons Foundation publishes books written by or about prisoners Please send your book to Prisons Foundation, PO Box 58043, Washington, DC 20037 (or digitally submit it to staff@prisonsfoundation.org) http://www.prisonsfoundation.org/ Send a SASE for submission guidelines or have a friend on the outside print it off the website. The Prisons Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded by ex-prisoners. It reaches out to imprisoned artists whose art we exhibit and sell at our numerous affiliated art galleries, to imprisoned playwrights whose work we present at the Kennedy Center, and to imprisoned authors whose books we publish. Safe Streets is the art branch of the prison foundation. See entry above.
Prison Art Project P.O. Box 47439 Seattle, WA 98146-7439 www.prisonart.org Prisoner created arts and crafts for sale. They are a non profit but take 5 dollars or 20% for administration fee. Do not send your original crafts, music, or artwork to Prison Art, or have your outside people send it to us. We will not accept or be responsible for original artwork. Any hobby, craft, painting, music, or other form of artwork produced by prisoners and that is readily capable of being handled for sale may be sold on this site.
Who Cannot Sell Here: The exceptions to the above policy are: That no item of art or craft will be considered for sale if we find its contents to be racist, sexist, or homophobic. What is called “murder memorabilia” or artwork by, or items from, famous (or infamous) prisoners. No writings such as short stories, songs, or poetry. Send only photographs, or small throwaway samples. Include your name and address, a description of the item, weight, and the asking price. Do not phone us collect. Our budget does not allow us to accept collect calls. If a call must be made, have an outside person place the call. Do not expect a response to your letters. If we sell your art we’ll contact you. If not, you won’t hear from us.
Prison Arts Coalition http://theprisonartscoalition.com/ Email us at PACoalitionadmin@ gmail.com Established in 2008, the Prison Arts Coalition (PAC) is a national network for information and resources about existing prison arts programs in the United States. As a coalition, we represent a consortium of artists and arts organizations active and working in the field of arts and prisons, committed to building a space for information, resources, and exchange. This space serves as an online platform for the network of people making art in and around the American prison system and those who are interested to learn more about this sector. Through this site, we work to:1) promote arts in prisons, 2) improve communication across the sector,3) share resources and news, and 4) build partnerships to enable greater collaboration. Not a direct resource for incarcerated people but great to help outside allies get program in your institution or network.
Cell Door Magazine 12200 Road 41.9, Mancos CO 81328 / E-mail: publisher@celldoor.com / Website: www.celldoor.com The Cell Door Magazine is an internet magazine and is written for a free audience by prisoners or people who are family members or friends of prisoners. Our goal is to develop an audience who reads The Cell Door Magazine for its educational and entertainment value and quality, learning in the process that prisoners are intelligent, personable, talented human beings. We will definitely consider all submissions. We publish art, poetry, essays, news, opinion, fiction, humor, and inmate cases.
Gassho Newsletter / Atlanta Soto Zen Center Attn: Gassho, 1167-C Zonolite Place, Atlanta GA 30306 / Website: www.aszc.org The Gassho newsletter is a free publication created by and written for incarcerated sangha practitioners. Articles discuss prison life and the practice of Buddhism for those serving time. Each issue is produced in conjunction with the Atlanta Soto Zen Center. You may write and request to be on the mailing list. Also, we welcome questions, articles, artwork, etc. from prisoners for publication
Transportation to Prisons, Visitors and Virtual Visitation
Blakeney Transportation www.blakeneytransportation.com 267-574-6161, P.O. Box 27602, Philadelphia, PA 19118 Transportation from Philadelphia to: Cambridge Springs, Camp Hill, Coal Township, Cresson, Dallas, Fayette, Forest, Frackville, Graterford, Greene, Houtzdale, Huntingdon, Laurel Highland, Mahanoy, Mercer, Muncy, Pine Grove, Retreat, Rockview, Smithfield, Somerset, Waymart. Prices range from $55-85 per passenger.
Family Services of Western PA-Families Outside 412-661-1670 x625, http://www.fwsp.org East Liberty Office, 6401 Penn Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206Services Provided: Low-cost transportation to most state and State and Federal prisons in Pennsylvania, self-help support groups, including a transition group for ex-offenders and their significant others, individual and family counseling, education about the criminal justice system, virtual visitation allows families to visit with inmates at some state prisons, without leaving Pittsburgh, via video conferencing. Goto website for schedules.
IDAAY Youth and Family First (Institute for the Development of African American Youth, Inc.) http://www.idaay.org 215-235-9126, P.O. Box 2061 Philadelphia, PA 19132
Transportation to: Graterford, Chester, Frackville, Camp Hill, Dallas, Muncy, Pine Grove, Cresson, Coal Township, Retreat, Houtzdale, Huntingdon, Smithfield, Mahanoy
JLH Transit LLC 412-247-2802, 7227 Monticell Street Pittsburgh, PA 15208, jlhtransit@hotmail.com
Lindsay Transit, LLC(formerly SCI Transit, LLC) 215- 657-2406 (office), 215- 275-3569 (mobile), PO Box 252, Glenside, PA19038 Transportation from Philadelphia to: Camp Hill, Coal TWP, Cresson, Frackville, Mahanoy, Boot Camp Q, Dallas, Graterford, Laurel Highlands, Somerset Houtzdale, Retreat, Rockview, Huntingdon, Smithfield, Muncy, Fayette, Forest, Greene, Pine Grove, Waymart. Call for prices.
Mountain High Transportation Group, Inc. www.mthightrans.com, 267.437.2049
Transportation from Philadelphia to: Coal Township, Huntingdon, Rockview, Graterford, Camp Hill, Smithfield, Mahanoy, Frackville, Houtzdale, and County prisons: CFCF, House of Corrections, Detention Center, and PICC. Around $55-60.
Official Visitors of The Pennsylvania Prison Society 215-564-4775, ext. 116, www.prisonsociety.org 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. 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 Prison Society.
Prison Society Transportation (215) 564-4775, ext. 103, 245 N. Broad St, Philadelphia, PA 19107 (see advocacy section for additional contact info) Transportation from Philadelphia to all Pennsylvania state correctional institutions (except SCI Chester and SCI Graterford). The cost is only $40 per seat, round trip.
Prisoner Visitation and Support National Program 215 241-7117, www.prisonervisitation.org 1501 Cherry Street Philadelphia, PA 19102, PVS@afsc.org Prisoner Visitation and Support (PVS) is a volunteer visitation program. PVS is the only organization authorized by the Federal Bureau of Prisons and the Department of Defense to visit any prisoner in the Federal and Military prison systems. The primary focus is on seeing those prisoners with an acute need for human contact — those prisoners without regular visits, those serving long sentences, those who are far from home, those in solitary confinement and on death row, and those who are frequently transferred from prison to prison.
Ride & Rebuild, LLC 267-776-4439, www.rideandrebuild.com, rides@rideandrebuild.com, PO Box 28782, Philadelphia, PA 19151 Transportation from Philadelphia to: Graterford, Frackville,Camp Hill, Mahanoy, Coal Township, Dallas, Retreat, Huntungdon, Smithfield, Rockview, Houtzdale, Laurel Highland, Somerset. Prices range from $25-65. Ride & Rebuild also provides resource information for families of inmates in the Philadelphia area to assist with day-to-day living during this transitional time, inmate re-entry process resources, and a quarterly newsletter. Also provide mentoring, violence prevention, educational, arts and culture, and employment resource information for children affected by incarceration in the Philadelphia community.
Turning Points For Children: Kids’n’Kin Program 215-875-4961, www.turningpointsforchildren.org 415 S. 15th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146 Kids n’ Kin is an innovative child advocacy program that is centered on supporting children with absent biological parents, by keeping them in the informal guardianship of familiar persons (extended family member or family friend). The services of this effort include home visits, legal assistance and supportive services for incarcerated parents. Provides family counseling, legal assistance and support groups for children. Provides clients with transportation for SCI-Muncy family prison visits. Offers group for children with an incarcerated parent living with a non-parents caregiver.
Visit Vans Transportation www.visitvans.com, 484-550-6388, 905 Harrison St. Suite 106 Allentown, PA 18103
Transportation from Allentown, Bethlehem, and Lehigh Valley to: Albion, Cambridge Springs, Camp Hill, Chester, Coal Township, Cresson, Dallas, Fayette, Forest, Frackville, Graterford, Greene, Greensburg, Houtzdale, Huntingdon, Laurel Highlands, Mahanoy, Mercer, Muncy. See website for prices.
ABOUT THIS RESOURCE GUIDE
The Pennsylvania Prison Directory Action has been published since 2004 with intention to provide resource to people incarcerated in Pennsylvania, their families and support networks, and organizations working with them. It has been a collaboration between Book ‘Em and HRC-FedUp! Starting in 2013 we have reorganized the guide into sections that can be mailed with one stamp. We thought this would better give people the information they most want and save mailing costs.
This section was updated by Lauren Stuparitz, Courtney Thrall and etta cetera.
PA Prison Directory Action 