Pennsylvania: Prison Resources

ACLU Pennsylvania
Central Office
P.O. Box 11761
Harrisburg, PA 17108
Phone: (717) 238-2258
Toll-free (877) HBG-ACLU
Email: hbginfo@aclupa.org
Website: http://www.aclupa.org/

Families Outside
3230 William Pitt Way
Pittsburgh, PA 15238
Phone: (412) 820-2050
Email: fswp@fswp.org
Website: www.fswp.org
Secondary Office: 6401 Penn Avenue, 2nd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15206

• Provides transportation and visitation support to families of those incarcerated in Pennsylvania State Correctional Institutions.

Inmate Family Services
245 North Broad Street, Suite 300
Philadelphia, PA 19007
Phone: (215) 564-6005, ext. 100
Email: geninfo@prisonsociety.org
Website: www.prisonsociety.org

• Services include: 12 week support group for children of incarcerated parents; parenting classes inside prison; transportation to Pennsylvania state prisons; video visitation to some PA state prisons; advocacy on behalf of Children's Bill of Rights and other issues regarding the impact of incarceration on people in prison and their families

Lydia's Place, Inc.
710 Fifth Avenue, Suite 2100
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 391-1013
Email: vicki@lydiasplace.org
Website: www.lydiasplace.org

• The mission of Lydia's Place, Inc. is to help women in prison and their children rebuild their lives. To this end we provide services in the Allegheny County Jail and in the Pittsburgh community.

Mary Mother of Captives
P.O. Box 52416
Philadelphia, PA 19115
Phone: (215) 698-2585
Email: mmocsprtgp@aol.com
Website: MaryMotherofCaptivesSupport.org
Area Served: Philadelphia, Bucks, Delaware and Chester Counties
Parent Organization: None

• Support Group for those coping with a loved one in prison, on trial, or about to be sentenced to prison.

ActionAIDS
1216 Arch Street, 6th Floor
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Phone: (215) 981-0088 
Email: info@actionaids.org
Website: www.actionaids.org

• Pennsylvania's largest AIDS service organization with offices in West, North, and Center City Philadelphia, ActionAIDS is a non-profit organization meeting the physical and emotional needs of men, women, and children living with HIV/AIDS. ActionAIDS offers a complete range of services for individuals and families living with HIV/AIDS including: advocacy, information and referrals, case management, housing counseling, and support groups. The Philadelphia Linkage Program provides services to HIV-positive individuals serving time in the Philadelphia County Jail System. Prison case managers work with inmates prior to release in order to ensure that they continue to receive medical, social, and other services after discharge. Referrals are coordinated outside the prison through ActionAIDS prison case managers. Please include the name of the inmate, the police photo identification number, and the name of the holding institution for each referral. ActionAIDS' services are available free of charge.

Philadelphia FIGHT
1233 Locust Street, 5th floor 
Philadelphia PA 19107 
Phone: (215) 985-4448
Website: www.fight.org

• Philadelphia FIGHT is a comprehensive AIDS service organization providing primary care, consumer education, advocacy and research on potential treatments and vaccines. FIGHT has several programs designed specifically for HIV+ people who are currently incarcerated and recently released. FIGHT offers support and advocacy services to HIV+ people who are currently incarcerated. FIGHT also publishes Prison Health News, a quarterly newsletter for prisoners, family members, and medical staff, focusing on HIV, hepatitis, and other major illnesses in prison, free of charge. When HIV+ persons are released from jail, FIGHT offers several programs to help them, including peer support, medical care, and education specifically for ex-offenders.

Centre Peace, Inc.
1211 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA  19107
Phone: (215) 587-9377
Fax: (215) 587-9902

• Provide a reange of legal services, including information on compassionate release and referrals to community-based organizations for prisoner living with HIV/AIDS. Publish AIDS and the Law: Your rights in Pennsylvannia, available free to prisioners and low-income residents.

Kingdom Fellowship Ministries, Inc.
508 Greenleaf Drive Suite 101
Monroeville, PA  15146
Phone: (412) 607-2527
Email: sanford@kingdom-fellowship.org
Website: http://www.kingdomfellowshipministries.org

• Our primary program that has had a phenomenal success with persons who were and are still incarcerated along with their families, is our ADOPT-A-FAMILY Program. This program is designed to do counseling, mentoring, being a advocate, and role modeling. For as long as they need our help, the program is designed to go the distance. Our 12 month program is case specific and the person has to be referred. Once referred, our hands-on approach has worked out very well. We have a very high success rate with the serious-minded participants.

Pennsylvania Prison Society
245 North Broad Street, #300
Philadelphia, PA  19107-1518
Phone: (215) 564-6005
Toll free: (800) 227-2307
Fax: (215) 564-7926
Email: geninfo@prisonsociety.org
Website: http://www.prisonsociety.org

• The Pennsylvania Prison Society is a social justice organization that advocates on behalf of prisoners, formerly incarcerated individuals and their families. Headquartered in Philadelphia, the Prison Society offers direct services and official prison visitation through a network of statewide chapters
• Provide support for prisoners while incarcerated and upon return to the community, in addition to providing services for their families. The Re-Entry Services Program (RESP) assists former offenders with life and employment skills to become productive members of their communities. The Services to Elderly Inmates (STEP) provides case management and direct services for aging prisoners in state prisons.
• The Inmate Family Services (IFS) program teaches parenting skills to individuals incarcerated throughout the state. The IFS facilitates Support of Kids with Incarcerated Parents (SKIP), a support group for children between the ages of 8-12 years.
• The Virtual Visitation Program offers prisoners and their families the opportunity to visit via teleconference when distance prevents families from traveling to visit loved ones.

Program for Women and Families
1030 Walnut Street
Allentown, PA  18102
Phone: (610) 433-6556
Fax: (610) 433-1983
http://www.thewf.org

• Work exclusively with women offenders at the local level. Provide employment counseling, housing counseling, individuals and group counseling, case management, parenting classes, and HIV/AIDS prevention programs. Also operate a small transitional residence.

Serious and Violent Offender Reentry Initiative Grant
Phone: (717) 703-5735
Fax: (717) 703-5739
Contact: Kelly Allen, LSW, Grants Manager, PA Department of Corrections 

• The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections will target offenders ages 14-35, primarily from Erie County. Pennsylvania's reentry program will include services such as community correction centers, employment training, educational services, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, medical services, restitution, housing assistance, community support services, life skills training, family support and reunification services, intensive post release supervision, and case management.

Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry
Labor and Industry Building, Room 1700 
7th and Forster Streets 
Harrisburg, PA 17120 
Phone: (717) 787-5279 
Website: www.dli.state.pa.us 

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

Federal Bonding Program
Pennsylvania Bureau of Workforce Investment 
Labor and Industry Building., 12th Floor 
7th and Forster Streets 
Harrisburg, PA 17120 
Phone: (717) 787-6915 
Fax: (717) 772-5478 
Website: www.dli.state.pa.us 

• 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
Bureau of Records and Information Services 
Pennsylvania State Police 
1800 Elmerton Avenue 
Harrisburg, PA 17110 
Phone: (717) 783-5588 
Fax: (717) 772-3681 

• 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.
• To obtain a copy of a criminal record, a "Request for Criminal Record Check" (Form SP4-164) must be sent to the contact address below, along with a certified check or money order in the amount of $10.

Office of the Attorney General 
Strawberry Square 
Harrisburg, PA 17120 
Phone: (717) 787-3391 
Fax: (717) 783-1107 
Email: info@attorneygeneral.gov 
Website: www.attorneygeneral.gov/ 

Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 
Bureau of Correctional Industries 
Phone: (717) 731-7135 
Website: www.cor.state.pa.us/ 

• Pennsylvania Correctional Industries (PCI) aims to maximize inmate employment while providing vocational training and work experience. The program provides inmates with job skills that are marketable in high-level production and manufacturing occupations. Inmates are trained in 115 different job titles, including machine and equipment operators, laundry workers, cannery workers, shipping and receiving clerks, painters, meat cutters, bookkeepers and optical lab technicians. To qualify for the program, inmates must be in good standing and able to read at a fifth grade level.

Community Orientation Reintegration Program
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections 
2520 Lisburn Road 
P.O. Box 598 
Camp Hill, PA 17001-0598 
Phone: (717) 730-2704 
Website: www.cor.state.pa.us/ 

• The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections recently began a new pre-release program, the Community Orientation Reintegration program. The first phase begins five weeks before an inmate is released to parole. The inmate is taken out of all other programs and given a "booster shot" of programs, which includes such elements as drug and alcohol programs and anger management. In Phase II, inmates are released to a community corrections center/halfway house, where they receive social services and job assistance and continue drug and alcohol treatment and relapse prevention. If an inmate has not received drug and alcohol treatment during incarceration, he or she is placed in a residential treatment program under contract with the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections for 30 to 90 days. Inmates who have received treatment during incarceration attend day treatment at the community corrections center. Once inmates find a job they are allowed to leave the center and enter regular parole. A description of the program can be found at: http://www.cor.state.pa.us/COR%20Presentation%20Final.pdf

Office of Probation and Parole Services 
Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole 
1101 South Front Street, Suite 5100 
Harrisburg, PA 17104-2517 
Phone: (717) 787-5699 
Email: pubinfo@pbpp.state.pa.us 

• The Office of Probation and Parole Services does not offer any specific program for employment assistance. Services are offered on an individual level by agents, either by bringing together unemployed parolees and probationers under their supervision to provide them with relevant information or by telling them about openings and other necessary information on an individual level.

Philadelphia Youth Network
John F. Kennedy Center, Room 681 
734 Schuylkill Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19146 
Phone: (215) 875-3823 
Fax: (215) 875-5740  

• The Philadelphia Youth Network runs Youth Opportunity (YO) centers for out-of-school youth under the age of 21 living in the Empowerment Zone. The centers offer services to youths with criminal records and work with the juvenile justice system. However, there are no specialized services directed towards this population, and there are no focused efforts to gather specific information on clients with records. The centers provide a number of services including re-engagement, job readiness, education services, and referrals to other needed services. Clients receive follow-up services two years following job placement.

Southwestern Pennsylvania Reentry Project
Mon Valley Initiative 
303 East 8th Avenue
Homestead, PA 15120 
Phone: (412) 464-4000

• A coalition of non-profit organizations (including MUSA and the Mon Valley Initiative) formed in 2001-2002, aims to provide a whole range of services, including job readiness preparation, as well as trying to organize a smooth transition from incarceration back into the community, by making people coming out aware of the resources available to them. The coalition has begun forming relationships with local correctional institutions (FEI Pittsburgh, a nearby state institution has a representative on the coalition's committee and a demonstration program has been set up with 50 inmates at the Allegheny County Jail to assess inmate needs and begin job readiness services). Coalition members plan to offer a matrix of services to anyone in the local area with a criminal record, including housing opportunities, drug and alcohol treatment, mental health services, transportation, child care, family support, etc. People coming out of prison or jail can come to any member organization and will then be referred to other agencies that can provide needed services not provided by that organization.

JEVS Prison Program 
Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center 
8301 State Road 
Philadelphia, PA 19136 
Phone: (215) 685-7114 
Website: www.jevs.org 

• The Jewish Employment and Vocational Service (JEVS) is a not-for-profit social service agency that focuses on enhancing the employability and self-sufficiency of clients through a broad range of education, training, health and rehabilitation programs. JEVS' Prison Program provides vocational training and vocational assessment services to the inmates of the Philadelphia prison system by offering hands-on skills training to increase employability once individuals return to society. Inmates may participate in a wide range of vocational classes, including: welding; building maintenance; horticulture; word processing; desktop publishing; and environmental maintenance. In addition, the "World of Work" program emphasizes the steps involved in seeking and retaining employment, including completing job applications, writing resumes, preparing for job interviews, coping with pressure of the workplace and achieving a positive work ethic. JEVS works in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Prison Society to provide re-entry and other services to the prison population, as well as the growing Adopt-a-Program where public/private sector partnerships are established to help prisoners secure employment or appropriate programs upon their re-entry to the community.

Baker Industries, Inc.
Thomas East Byron, Director of Employee Relations 
184 Pennsylvania Avenue
Malvern, PA 19355 
Phone: (610) 296-9795 
Fax: (610) 251-9802
Website: www.bakerindustries.org 

• Baker Industries employs hard to place individuals including individuals serving parole sentences. Baker Industries performs outsourcing services. The agency serves as a transition step toward unsubsidized employment by emphasizing soft skills like being on time for work, good attendance, and productive interaction with co-workers and supervisors. Walk-in applicants are accepted.

Firm Foundation of Pennsylvania, Inc. 
28 North 19th Street
Harrisburg, PA 17103 
Phone: (717) 233-6133 
Fax: (717) 754-0017
Website: www.firmfoundation.org 

• The Firm Foundation of Pennsylvania, a faith-based organization, offers a variety of services to adult men and women with drug/alcohol addiction histories and those who have had contact with the criminal justice system. General reentry services include mentoring, case management and career/job development. In addition, transitional housing for men and fatherhood enrichment services are also available.

Philadelphia Workforce Development Corporation 
1617 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, 13th Floor 
Philadelphia, PA 19103-1813 
Phone: (215) 557-2625 
Website: http://www.pwdc.org/jobseekers/jobseekers_workshops.html

• With more than 20 years' experience, PWDC is the region's premier workforce development agency, serving more than 10,000 job seekers every year. Whether you're looking for your first job, or a new career, PWDC, in partnership with the Pennsylvania CareerLink system and Department of Public Welfare has the ability to deliver a comprehensive set of services to make you the right person for the job. PWDC offers the Fresh New Start program, which is designed for Pennsylvania CareerLink members with criminal backgrounds who face challenges in obtaining employment. Information and referrals are provided to social and job search resources.

CRAM (Christian Recovery Aftercare Ministry)
Juanita Edrington-Grant 
Chief Executive Officer 
509 Division Street 
Harrisburg, PA 17110 
Phone: (717) 234-3664 
Email: juanitagrant@verizon.net 
Website: www.craminc.org 

• CRAM provides pre-release and re-entry services to prisoners and people with criminal histories. CRAM'S goals are to assist clients to achieve self-sufficiency, gain economic stability, develop a healthy lifestyle and live productively in the community. Services are provided in the areas of employment, computer literary, budgeting, obtaining temporary housing,substance abuse counseling and mentoring services.

PENNSYLVANIA-CURE (Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants)
P.O. Box 26708
Elkins Park, PA 19027
Phone: (215) 548-8267
Contact: Betty Jean Thompson
Email: beteasley@comcast.net 

• Citizens United for Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) is a grassroots organization that was founded in Texas in 1972. It became a national organization in 1985. 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.

State LTC Ombudsman
Wilmarie Gonzalez
Pennsylvania Department of Aging
555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor
P.O. Box 1089
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: (717)783-7096
Fax: (717)772-3382
Website: http://www.aging.state.pa.us/aging/site/default.asp

Legal Services

American Bar Association
Website: http://www.abanet.org/legalservices/findlegalhelp/pb.cfm?id=PA

• List of Pro Bono legal service providers in Pennsylvania

PALawHELP.org
Website: http://www.lawhelp.org/PA/StateDirectory.cfm

• Comprehensive list of legal service providers in Pennsylvania

Philadelphia Legal Assistance Center
42 South 15th Street
Suite 500
Philadelphia, PA 19102
Phone: (215) 981-3800
Website: www.philalegal.org

MidPenn Legal Services
213-A North Front Street
Harrisburg, PA 17101
Phone: (717) 232-0581
Website: www.midpenn.org

Neighborhood Legal Services Association
928 Penn Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3799 
Phone: (412) 255-6700
Website: www.nlsa.us

North Penn Legal Services
65 Elizabeth Avenue, Suite 800
Bethlehem, PA 18018
Phone: (800) 982-4387
Website: www.northpennlegal.org

Southwestern Pennsylvania Legal Services Inc.
10 West Cherry Avenue
Washington, PA 15301 
Phone: (800) 846-0871
Website :www.swplsconsortium.org

Northwestern Legal Services
Renaissance Centre, Suite 1200
1001 State Street
Erie, PA 16501-1833 
Phone: (800) 665-6957
Website: www.nwls.org

Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania
625-627 Swede Street
Norristown, PA 19401
Phone: (610) 275-5400
Website: www.lasp.org

Laurel Legal Services Inc.
306 South Pennsylvania Avenue
Greensburg, PA 15601-3066 
Phone: (800) 253-9558
Website: http://wpalaw.org/

Aid and Services for People Convicted of Sexual Offenses

Pennsylvania RSOL (Reform Sex Offender Laws)
Email: reformpennsylvanialaws@yahoo.com

• Main Goals:
• o To gather ex-offenders and their families together to form a support network for each other, and to organize an effective campaign attacking current laws.
• o To educate the public regarding realistic sexual abuse prevention, dangers of civil commitment laws, residency restriction laws, probation & parole policies concerning ex-offenders, true recidivism rates-- verses-- media made up ones, and fear tactics used to push through costly and ineffective legislation that serves only to burden the offender and their respective families.

MARATSA (Mid Atlantic Region Association for the Treatment of Sexual Offenders)
Contact: Alan R. Southard, M.H.S. 
Community Counseling Associates, Inc. 
21 NW Front Street 
Milford, DE 19963 
Phone: (302) 424-4121
Email: alancca@verizon.net

Unfair Appearance in Sex Offender Databases Pennsylvania
Website: 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.

Child Molestation Research and Prevention Institute
Website: http://www.cmrpi.org/pages/states.html#Pennsylvania

• List of treatment centers for adults and juveniles who are sexually attracted to children.

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

• 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. who will best meet your specific needs.

Legal Aid for Immigrants

Department of Justice List of Free Legal Services Providers
Website: http://www.justice.gov/eoir/probono/freelglchtPA.htm

• The following organizations and attorneys provide free legal services and/or referrals for such services to indigent individuals in immigration removal proceedings, pursuant to 8 CFR §1003.61. Some of these organizations may also charge a nominal fee for legal services to certain low income individuals.