Skip to main content

Rhode Island ACLU
128 Dorrance Street Suite 220
Providence, RI 02903
Phone: (401) 831-7171
Fax: (401) 831-7175
Website: riaclu@riaclu.org

  • The RI ACLU performs its work in three major ways: litigation, legislation and education. The cases that we take, the bills we lobby on and the public education activities that we sponsor, are designed to help preserve and protect the civil liberties of all Rhode Islanders against government infringement. As a general rule, the issues with which the RI ACLU gets involved break down into the following categories: First Amendment rights (freedoms of speech, press, assembly and religion), the right to due process of law, the right to equal protection of the laws, the right to privacy open government issues

Amachi Program
1540 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 2920
Phone: (401) 921-2434
Email: mentoring@bigsistersri.org
Website: www.bigsistersri.org
Parent Organization: Big Sisters of Rhode Island

  • Mentoring Children of Prisoners programming for girls only between the ages of 4 to 18.Pair girls with a female mentor for at least one year; weekly or bi-weekly visits in the community

Rhode Islanders Sponsoring Education (RISE)
17 Gordon Avenue, Suite 004
Providence, RI 2905
Phone: (401) 421-2010
Email: santaya@riseonline.org
Website: RISEonline.org

  • RISE provides scholarships and community-based mentoring to children of incarcerated parents.

Faithworks Foundation Inc.
70 Beachwood Drive
East Greenwich, RI  02818
Phone: (401) 886 6160
Email: mamaguccid@aol.com

  • To establish and operate transitional housing for Christian men coming out of prison and to assist in all aspects of reentry.

Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative Grant
Phone: (401) 462-1129
Contact: Teresa S. Foley

  • The Rhode Island Department of Corrections will use grant funds to enhance two existing adult and juvenile reentry projects. The Challenging Offenders to Maintain Positive Associations and Social Stability (COMPASS) Project targets more than 600 adult offenders released to the City of Providence and more than 300 juveniles released from custody throughout the state. Through the COMPASS Project, the Rhode Island Departments of Corrections and Children, Youth and Their Families will partner with various service agencies to address the challenges of recidivism, substance abuse, and physical and mental health issues and to support workforce participation, housing, family reunification, and faith-based mentoring. For more information, read this grantee's work plan: http://www.reentry.gov/sar/pdf/wp1_ri.pdf.

Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training
Center General Complex 
1511 Pontiac Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920 
Phone: (401) 462-8000 
Website: www.dlt.state.ri.us 

  • Of interest to individuals with criminal histories who are looking for assistance in finding employment

Federal Bonding Program
Family Resources Community Action 
Employment & Training Center 
55 Main Street 
Woonsocket, RI 02865 
Phone: (401) 235-6016 
Fax: (401) 671-2944

  • 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.

Criminal Record Repository
Department of the Attorney General 
Bureau of Criminal Identification 
150 South Main Street
Providence, RI 02903 
Phone: (401) 274-4400, ext. 3 
Fax: (401) 222-1331
Website: www.riag.state.ri.us/ 

  • This is the agency individuals may contact to obtain a copy of their state rap sheet. The criminal record repository can also tell the individual who else is legally entitled to have access to his or her record.
  • Individuals requesting a state rap sheet must sign a notarized letter requesting a copy of their criminal record and indicate that they are authorizing the release of the information if the record is not being sent directly to them. A $5 check or money order and a self-addressed envelope must accompany the request.

Office of the Attorney General 
Department of the Attorney General 
150 South Main Street 
Providence, RI 02903 
Phone: (401) 274-4400 
Fax: (401) 222-1331
Website: www.riag.state.ri.us/ 

Prison Industry Program
Rhode Island Department of Corrections 
Correctional Industries 
33 Power Road
Cranston, RI 02920 
Phone: (401) 462-1441 

  • The industry program in Rhode Island manufactures or performs services related to auto body repair, quick copy, residential/household/dormitory furniture, seating, signage, flags, metal and wood furniture refinishing, janitorial supplies, paint, panel systems, license plates and printing. Work crews are also available to perform the following services: moving; grounds maintenance; exterior and interior painting; rug shampooing; building cleaning; litter cleanup and floor stripping.

Work Release Program
Assistant Director/Rehabilitative Services 
Rhode Island Department of Corrections 
40 Howard Avenue 
Cranston, RI 02920 
Phone: (401) 462-2676 
Fax: (401) 462-1964
Website: www.doc.state.ri.us 

Rhode Island Department of Corrections
40 Howard Avenue
Cranston, RI 02920 
Phone: (401) 462-2611 
Fax: (401) 462-2630
Website: www.doc.state.ri.us 

  • The Furlough Program grants inmates temporary conditional release based upon risk and needs for treatment and rehabilitative services. The program serves as an introductory step in the reintegration process back to the community. Furloughs are available to all prisoners who meet the criteria. Furloughs are granted for the following purposes: to attend the wake of a deceased family member or to visit a seriously ill immediate family member in the hospital; to obtain health care services and treatment for medical, psychiatric/psychological matters, including community-based substance abuse treatment; to seek employment and/or educational/vocational training; and to secure a residence upon release. Social furloughs are intended to allow prisoners who are close to release to visit their immediate families to renew and stabilize family relationships and bonds. They also allow the prisoners to begin the adjustment process of transitioning from institutional behavior to responsible behavior in the community by giving them opportunities to practice ordinary life skills. Inmates requesting social furloughs are carefully screened and processed to meet eligibility requirements. All participants are thoroughly counseled with detailed instructions and are closely monitored while on furlough. Future social furloughs are based on successful participation.

State Department of Parole/Probation
Associate Director/Community Corrections 
Adult Probation and Parole 
Rhode Island Department of Corrections 
40 Howard Avenue 
Cranston, RI 02920 
Phone: (401) 462-1617 
Fax: (401) 462-0164
Website: www.doc.state.ri.us 

  • Probation and Parole are community-based correctional programs that provide monitoring, counseling and supervision services to offenders sentenced by the Superior and District Courts or released early from adult correctional institutions by the Parole Board. High-risk populations such as domestic abusers, sexual offenders and identified parolees in need of electronic monitoring are provided more structured, intensive supervision in the community.

netWORKri Center
Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training 
Center General Complex 
1511 Pontiac Avenue 
Cranston, RI 02920 
Phone: (401) 462-8000 

  • One-stop career centers in Rhode Island are known as netWORKri Centers. Job and career resource rooms contain Internet computers, faxes, telephones, copy machines, books, newspapers and more. Resume writing assistance, information about local, state, and national labor markets, job listings, hiring requirements, job referral and placement are some of the services available. Information on quality of education and training programs, initial screening for training eligibility, skill testing and assessment, job search workshops and assistance filing unemployment insurance claims are also services offered. A list of locations is available at the following web site: www.networkri.org/layer1/centers.htm

Family Resources Community Action
245 Main Street 
Woonsocket, RI 02895 
Phone: (401) 766-0900 
Fax: (401) 766-8737

800 Clinton Street
Woonsocket, RI 02895 
Phone: (401) 765-5797 
Fax: (401) 765-5789

  • Family Resources Community Action provides services that include classroom training, as well as opportunities to practice job skills in a professional environment. Additional benefits include intensive case management and job placement assistance for those who complete the program. For individuals who meet certain income requirements, there is no cost; services are available to others at various fees. Programs include: Making It Work - Helps low-income clients prepare for employment and find a job; it then provides case management for six months following placement employment. Career Connections - Designed to help individuals receiving public assistance to become self-sufficient. Participants have four weeks of job readiness training, volunteer work experience, then six months of case management following job placement. Summer Youth Employment Training Program - Helps participants ages 14 - 21 develop job and interpersonal skills, and encourages completion of high school. Employment Training Program Linkages - Referral to GED, literacy and other programs or services.

RHODE ISLAND-CURE (Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants)
Email: HMLopez@ccri.edu 
Contact: Hamlet Lopez, Jr.

  • We believe that prisons should be used only for those who absolutely must be incarcerated and that those who are incarcerated should have all of the resources they need to turn their lives around. We also believe that human rights documents provide a sound basis for ensuring that criminal justice systems meet these goals.

Legal Assistance

Office of the State Public Defender 
100 North Main Street, 4th Floor 
Providence, RI 02903 
Phone: (401) 222-3492 
Fax: (401) 222-3289

Rhode Island Legal Services, Inc. 
56 Pine Street, 4th Floor 
Providence, RI 02903 
Phone: (401) 274-2652 
Fax: (401) 453-0310
Website: www.rils.org 

Roger Williams University Disability Law Clinic 
150 Washington Street
Providence, RI 02903 
Phone: (401) 276-4880 
Fax: (401) 248-4899

DARE
340 Lockwood Street
Providence, RI 02907 
Phone: (401) 351-6960 

  • DARE is working on a living wage ordinance which will incorporate a provision on non-discrimination based on criminal record

Rhode Island Bar Association 
115 Cedar Street 
Providence, RI 02903 
Phone: (401) 421-5740 
Email: info@ribar.com 
Website: www.ribar.com 

Resources for People Convicted or Accused of Sexual Offenses

Rhode Island RSOL (Reform Sex Offender Laws)
Contact Name: Joel Pentlarge
Email: joelpent@comcast.net

  • Joel is only a temporary contact person in RI. We are still actively searching for a state organizer. If you wish to get involved, please contact Joel or Alain (alain360@fastmail.fm)

Unfair Appearance in Sex Offender Databases Rhode Island
http://articles.directorym.com/Unfair_Appearance_in_Sex_Offender_Databas...

  • If you are listed on a sex offender database because of an act that is now legal, here's how to get your name off. This article also covers how public access to sex offender databases works and why this information is open to the public.

National Child Abuse Defense and Resource Center
P. O. Box 638
Holland, Ohio 43528
Phone: (419) 865-0513
Email: NCADRC@aol.com

  • We can refer persons accused of child abuse to lawyers skilled in child abuse cases. We can also refer persons accused of child abuse, as well the lawyers defending them, to professionals who are experts in the medical and mental health fields that may be able to help. Because each allegation of child abuse is so unique, however, we cannot offer a list of professionals that we recommend to everyone regardless of the circumstances surrounding the specific allegations. Therefore, to obtain a professional referral best suited for your circumstance, we ask that you call our office. After we discuss the details of your case, we can offer you referrals to the lawyers, physicians, psychologists, investigators, etc. that will best meet your specific needs.
  • Our office is staffed Monday through Saturday from 8 am ~ 8 pm. You can reach us at 419-865-0513.
  • Please keep in mind, however, that our financial resources are limited so we cannot provide free lawyers or other professionals and we cannot accept collect phone calls.

Your tax deductible gift can help stop human rights violations and save lives around the world.

Most Viewed