Legal resources for people in prison in Pennsylvania

The Cast Iron Building, Suite 304 South

718 Arch Street

Philadelphia, PA 19106

http://www.pailp.org

alove@pailp.org Email

(215) 925-5337 Fax

(570) 523-1104 Lewisburg Office

(215) 925-2966 Main/Philadelphia Office

(412) 232-0276 Pittsburgh Office

Serves: PA

Focus area/description: The Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PAILP) provides free legal assistance in civil matters to low-income people who are incarcerated or institutionalized. Intake Process: By phone, M-F, 9am-5pm.

Due to a large volume of requests for legal assistance, PILP has a staff person who responds to every inquiry. An assessment of legal merit is made and if appropriate, information and referrals are provided.

Client Eligibility:
PAILP income guidelines are 187.5% of poverty; they serve PA residents statewide. Other guidelines: people who are in prisons (state and federal), jails, state hospitals (b/c of mental illness) or state centers (b/c of mental retardation).

Legal Services:
PAILP will accept direct referrals of cases. They will also serve as co-counsel with local programs. In addition, PAILP will consult with local programs on cases and provide training to local programs. PAILP also conducts training in the community. They also assist with policy development, handle class action lawsuits, and work with clients on legislative and administrative matters.

P.O. Box 128

Lewisburg, PA 17837-0128

http://www.lewisburgprisonproject.org/

(570) 523-1104 phone

Serves: National,PA

Focus area/description: The Lewisburg Prison Project (LPP) is a non-profit organization that assists prisoners who write LPP when they encounter treatment they perceive to be illegal or unfair. The Lewisburg Prison Project primarily assists inmates with issues that arise from their conditions of confinement. LPP writes to and visits inmates, and contacts prison authorities on behalf of inmates. The LPP also furnishes inmates with appropriate legal materials. As of 2010, the organization does not have an attorney on staff; therefore, the LPP is not able to give legal advice, file suits, or address criminal or post-conviction cases.

The Lewisburg Prison Project offers a range of low-cost legal bulletins ($1-3, prices subject to change) on specific topics concerning prisoners' rights. Inmates can write to the LPP to request a bulletin order form.

2011 Legal Bulletins include:
Litigation
1.1 Civil Actions in Federal Court: How to select, file, and follow legal actions.
1.2 Legal Research: Guide to Legal Research.
1.3 Access to Records: How to get your records; privacy.
1.5 Federal Tort Claims Act
1.8 Injunctive Relief
First Amendment
2.1 Religious Rights in Prison
2.3 Speech, Visitation, Association
Status
4.1 Rights of Pretrial Detainees
Due Process in Prison
6.1 Disciplinary Hearings
6.4 Urinalyis Drug Testing
"Cruel and Unusual Punishment": Eighth Amendment
7.1 Assaults and Beatings: Assaults by staff or inmates.
7.3 Conditions of Confinment: Heat, exercise, etc.
Medical Care
8.1 Medical Rights
8.2 Psychiactric and Disability Rights
8.3 Aids in Prison
Post Conviction
9.1 Post-Conviction Remedies
9.2 Detainers: Choices and Strategies
9.3 Pennsylvania Megan's Law: Overview of requirements
9.4 DNA Collection and Testing

1414 N. Cameron St. Suite C

Harrisburg, PA 17103

http://drnpa.org

(800) 692-7443 ext. 400 Phone

(877) 375-7139 TTY

Serves: PA

Focus area/description: A federally funded, nonprofit agency responsible for providing protection and advocacy services to people with disabilities.

122 Commerce Street

Montgomery, AL 36104

http://www.eji.org/

(334) 269-1806 fax

(334) 269-1803 phone

Serves: National,AL

Focus area/description: EJI litigates on behalf of condemned prisoners, juvenile offenders, people wrongly convicted or charged with violent crimes, poor people denied effective representation, and others whose trials are marked by racial bias or prosecutorial misconduct. EJI works with communities that have been marginalized by poverty and discouraged by unequal treatment, and serves the state of Alabama and the Deep South in general, working nationally on selected issues. EJI also prepares reports, newsletters and manuals to assist advocates and policymakers in the critically important work of reforming the administration of criminal justice.

915 15th St., NW, 7th Floor

Washington, DC 20005

http://www.aclu.org/prison/

Serves: National

Focus area/description: The ACLU's National Prison Project is the only organization that litigates prison condition cases on a national level. Since 1972, the NPP has represented more than 100,000 men, women and children. The NPP continues to fight unconstitutional conditions of confinement through successful litigation, public education, and other forms of advocacy. We are currently litigating programs from the Virgin Islands to California.