50 Federal St.
4th Fl.
Boston, MA 02110-2585
(617) 451-6383 (Fax)
(617) 482-2773 (Main)
Serves: MA
Focus area/description: Our mission is to challenge the carceral system through litigation, advocacy, client counseling, partnership with impacted individuals and communities, and outreach to policymakers and the public in order to promote the human rights of incarcerated persons and end harmful confinement. Prisoners’ Legal Services has a very small staff. The typical prisoner to lawyer ratio at PLS is over 3,000 to one. Therefore, while PLS responds to requests for advice and guidance from prisoners and their families on many issues, our work is focused on five key priorities critical to our clients:
Health Care
Staff Assaults
Conditions of Confinement
Solitary Confinement
Racial Equity in Corrections
PLS has a toll free speed dial number accessible to all state prisoners on the PIN system: *9004#. County prisoners must call collect on (617) 482-4124.
Prisoners' Legal Services confirmed this listing on June 15, 2023.
The Jailhouse Lawyers Manual is a free guide to legal rights and procedures designed for people in prison. It contains nine sections designed to help incarcerated people learn about their rights, file lawsuits in both state and federal court, attack their conviction or sentence, and address the conditions of their imprisonment. It also contains information about the rights of incarcerated people related to health, safety, religious freedom, and more. We suggest accessing the online version of the manual and mailing the relevant chapters to your incarcerated loved one.
The Jailhouse Lawyers Handbook is a free resource for people in prison who want to file a federal lawsuit addressing poor conditions in prison or abuse by prison staff. This guide will not help challenge convictions or sentences or provide guidance on actions in state courts. It also has 14 appendices that provide sample complaints, legal forms, and guidance on how to reach out to journalists, among other topics. You can download relevant chapters of the handbook and mail them to your incarcerated loved one or request to have a copy mailed to them.