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Local Prisoner Advocacy/Family Support
PA Prison Society (PPS) (215) 564-6005 or 1-(800)-227-2307245 N. Broad St. Ste. 300 Philadelphia PA 19107geninfo@prisonsociety.orgwww.prisonsociety.org/
Support for Kids with Incarcerated Parents (SKIP), ReEntry Services for the incarcerated and former offenders, Family Resource Center, Family Transportation Services, Family Virtual Visitation, Parenting Education, Working Group to Enhance Incarcerated Women, Graterfriends (Monthly Publication), Correctional Forum (Quarterly Publication) and Official Visitors: The Official Visitor Act of 1823, granted by the General Assembly, gives selected Prison Society members legislative authority to visit prisons, monitor conditions statewide and provide a voice for those behind bars; 257 volunteers make more than 2,800 visits each year. $5 Prisoner,membership, $10 Family of Prisoner
Decarcerate PA(267) 217-3372PO Box 40764Philadelphia, PA 19107 decarceratePA@gmail.com OR decarceratePA.pgh@gmail.comhttp://decarceratepa.info/
Decarcerate PA is a grassroots campaign working to end mass incarceration in Pennsylvania. We demand that PA stop building prisons, reduce the prison population, and reinvest money in our communities. Decarcerate PA is a coalition of organizations and individuals seeking an end to mass incarceration and the harms it brings our many communities. Decarcerate PA seeks mechanisms to establish and maintain whole, healthy communities and believes that imprisonment exacerbates the problems we face.
American Friends Service Committee-Healing Justice Program 1501 Cherry St. Philadelphia, PA 19102 215-241-7000http://www.afsc.org/goal/healing-justice
“AFSC opposes maximum security prisons and their lockdown procedures as dehumanizing and violating the Divine Spark within those incarcerated. And we work for the abolition of the death penalty. AFSC calls this healing justice. This programs acknowledge that the majority of prisoners will return to the outside world and that communities have a responsibility to aid them as they rejoin society. We have worked with released prisoners on reentry into their communities and have encouraged their families to speak out if they know about abuses or poor treatment in prisons.”
Human Rights Coalition – Philly (267) 293-91694134 Lancaster Ave. Philadelphia PA 19104 http://hrcoalition.org/ info@hrcoalition.org The Human Rights Coalition is a group of predominantly prisoners’ families, ex-prisoners and some supporters. Our ultimate goal is to abolish prisons. We aim to empower prisoners’ families to be leaders in prison organizing, while at the same time reduce the shame of having a loved one in prison or being formerly incarcerated. Our goal is to make visible to the public the injustice and abuse that are common practice throughout our judicial and prison systems across the country, and eventually end those abuses. We also work to encourage the rehabilitation of prisoners.
Human Rights Coalition – FedUp! 5129 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224 hrcfedup@gmail.comwww.prisonerstories.blogspot.com412-361-3022 ext. 4 Works for the Human Rights of people incarcerated by through advocacy. Focus is on people in solitary confinement.
Human Rights Coalition – Chester, Brotha Tut(610) 876-8226 or (215) 390-41144 hrcchester@yahoo.com Human Rights Coalition-Chester Community Resource Center and Outreach Project (HRC-Chester) is comprised of prisoners families, former and current prisoners and concerned citizens working together for prison and re-entry reform and better laws. We also work to build community programs which aims to prevent school drop outs and rally support for remedial programs for High Risk Youth. HRC-Chester is a branch of the Human Rights Coalition and regional member of the NAACP’s Pennsylvania Prison Project and Education Not Incarceration Delaware Valley.
CentrePeace, Inc. (814) 353-9081 3013 Benner Pike Bellefonte, PA 16823 (Fax) (814) 353-9083
contact@centrepeace.orgwww.centrepeace.org CentrePeace promotes Restorative Justice by modeling programs based on healing brokenness rather than on vengeance- centering on peace rather than fear, offering avenues of accountability rather than alienation. We provide ways for offenders to take responsibility for their lives, resolve problems non-violently and treat others with dignity and respect. We’ve learned that punishing people by locking them away does little to halt the cycle of crime and violence. Instead, we offer a way to be a contributing member of a working community. Centre County inmates learn valuable job, time management and socialization skills through working at our Used Household and Furniture Outlet Sale. The inmate volunteers are also required to complete the classes “Creative Non- Violent Conflict Resolution” and “Breaking Barriers” in which they learn to appreciate others’ points of view, assume responsibility for mistakes and identify and replace destructive patterns of behavior with positive ones. 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. Prayer-Mate Program is a spiritual “pen- pal” system in which participants, using only their first names, communicate through a CentrePeace coordinator with community volunteers.
Mary Mother of Captives (215-698-2585)P.O. Box 52416 Philadelphia, PA 19115 mmocsprtgp@aol.comhttp://www.marymotherofcaptivessupport.org/
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 Northeast Philadelphia and surrounding Counties, 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. MMOC now has four monthly meetings: one in the Philadelphia area and one each in Bucks, Chester and Delaware Counties. MMOC has a Pen Pal Program for those who would like to visit an inmate by mail. Encouraging inmates to use the time of incarceration both spiritually and educationally, and to help improve his/her writing skills.
National Prison Advocacy Groups
The Sentencing Project 1705 DeSales Street, NW8th FloorWashington, DC 20036–202.628.0871 202.628.1091 (fax)staff@sentencingproject.org www.sentencingproject.org
The Sentencing Project was founded in 1986 to provide defense lawyers with sentencing advocacy training and to reduce the reliance on incarceration. As a result of The Sentencing Project’s research, publications and advocacy, many people know that this country is the world’s leader in incarceration, that one in three young black men is under control of the criminal justice system, that five million Americans can’t vote because of felony convictions, and that thousands of women and children have lost welfare, education and housing benefits as the result of convictions for minor drug offenses.
Critical Resistance National 1904 Franklin Street, Suite 504Oakland, CA 94612 Phone: 510.444.0484Fax: 510.444.2177crnational@criticalresistance.orghttp://www.criticalresistance.org
Critical Resistance seeks to build an international movement to end the prison industrial complex (PIC) by challenging the belief that caging and controlling people makes us safe. We believe that basic necessities such as food, shelter, and freedom are what really make our communities secure. As such, our work is part of global struggles against inequality and powerlessness. The success of the movement requires that it reflect communities most affected by the PIC. Because we seek to abolish the PIC, we cannot support any work that extends its life or scope
Critical Resistance New Orleans (504) 304-3784930 N. Broad St. New Orleans, LA 70119 crno@criticalresistance.org
Critical Resistance New Orleans is on the front lines of the fight to Stop the expansion of the notorious Orleans Parish Prison! Orleans Parish Prison (OPP) is already the largest per capita county jail of any major US city, while resources for housing, education, job training, and healthcare continue to be cut or remain deeply underfunded. In an effort to stop construction and shrink the prison system in the city, CR-NOLA has been working nonstop with allies and community member, trying to build people power in order to shift vital resources away from the PIC and toward building thriving, sustainable, self-determined communities.
Human Rights Watch (212) 290-4700350 Fifth Avenue, 34th Floor New York, NY 10118Fax: (212) 736-1300 http://www.hrw.org/united-states/us-program/prison-and-detention-conditions press desk – hrwpress@hrw.org
Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. We stand with victims and activists to prevent discrimination, to uphold political freedom, to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime, and to bring offenders to justice. We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable. We challenge governments and those who hold power to end abusive practices and respect international human rights law. We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.
Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (PA CURE) (215) 820-7001P.O. Box 8601Philadelphia, PA 19101 www.curenational.org Support to inmates and families via letters, calls, faxes and Emails. Testifying and attending legislative hearings regarding prison issues. Education about prison issues 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
Chicano Mexicano Prison Project/Union del BarrioP.O. Box 13036 San Diego, CA 92170 http://www.uniondelbarrio.org info@uniondelbarrio.org National contact: 619-398-6648 CMPP is committed to continue the struggle for the human rights of prisoners and the liberation of the Mexicano Indigenous people.
Prison Activist Resource Center (PARC) P.O. Box 70447Oakland, CA 94612 www.prisonactivist.org 510-893-4648 info@prisonactivist.org or prisonactivist@gmail.com Free prison resource list. GREAT RESOURCE! PARC is a prison abolitionist group committed to exposing and challenging all forms of institutionalized racism, sexism, able-ism, heterosexism, and classism, specifically within the Prison Industrial Complex (PIC). PARC believes in building strategies and tactics that build safety in our communities without reliance on the police or the PIC. We produce a directory that is free to prisoners upon request, and seek to work in solidarity with prisoners, ex-prisoners, their friends and families.
Amnesty International USA5 Penn Plaza New York, NY 10001 (212) 807-8400 fax: (212) 627-1451 aimember@aiusa.org
Amnesty Mid-Atlantic Regional Office 600 Penn. Ave., SE5th FloorWashington, DC 20003(202) 544-0200 fax: (202) 546-7142 aiusama@aiusa.org www.amnestyusa.org
Families Against Mandatory Minimums (FAMM) National Office: 1100 H Street NW Suite 1000 Washington, D.C. 20005 (202) 822-6700 fax: (202) 822-6704 famm@famm.org www.famm.org From their website: FAMM (Families Against Mandatory Minimums) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization fighting for fair and proportionate sentencing laws that allow judicial discretion while maintaining public safety. Go to http://www.famm.org/state/Pennsylvania.aspx for lots of specific information on PA sentencing guidelines
Just Detention International (formerly Stop Prisoner Rape) 3325 Wilshire BlvdSuite 340 Los Angeles, CA 90010 (213) 384-1400 info@justdetention.org Just Detention International is a health and human rights organization that seeks to end sexual abuse in all forms of detention. If you are incarcerated, please feel free to communicate with JDI using legal mail, addressing your correspondence to:Cynthia Totten, Esq. CA Attorney Reg. #199266 3325 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 340 LA, CA 90010
American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee1990 M Street, NW, Suite 610 Washington DC, 20036 202-244-2990 fax: 202-333-3980www.adc.org 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 Foundation282 West Astor Ave Colville, WA 99114 509-684-1550 moreinfo@november.org http://www.november.org focus on the drug war, great resource on the web, also have a newsletter
The prison advocacy section was updated by MK Davis, Daphne Beers and etta cetera
PA Prison Directory Action 
Thanks for the advocacy information/addresses