American Civil Liberties Union

Prisoners' Rights:
The ACLU's National Prison Project is the only national litigation program on behalf of prisoners. Since 1972, the NPP has represented more than 100,000 men, women and children. The NPP continues to fight unconstitutional conditions and the "lock 'em up" mentality that prevails in the legislatures. Learn more about our project and take action to protect the rights guaranteed to all Americans.


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Prisoner Rights : Legislative Documents

ACLU Letter Opposing H.R. 1943, The Stop AIDS in Prison Act of 2007 (09/24/2007)

National Prison Project Letter to Rep. Melvin Watt, chair of the Congressional Black Caucus (08/10/2006)
National Prison Project letter asking Congress to audit the Orlean Parish Prison's emergency preparedness plans. The ACLU is calling for a full and immediate investigation into abuses at Louisiana correctional facilities during and after hurricane Katrina and is also urging the DOJ to make the findings from such an investigation public and accessible to state and federal prosecutors.

ACLU National Prison Project Letter to Rep. Cynthia McKinney (08/10/2006)
National Prison Project letter asking Congress to audit the Orlean Parish Prison's emergency preparedness plans. The ACLU is calling for a full and immediate investigation into abuses at Louisiana correctional facilities during and after hurricane Katrina and is also urging the DOJ to make the findings from such an investigation public and accessible to state and federal prosecutors.

Abandoned & Abused: Letter to President Bush (08/09/2006)

National Prison Project Letter to Rep. Tom Davis (Chairman of Select Bipartisan Committee) (08/09/2006)

National Prison Project Letter to the Department of Justice (08/09/2006)
National Prison Project letter asking Congress to audit the Orlean Parish Prison's emergency preparedness plans. The ACLU is calling for a full and immediate investigation into abuses at Louisiana correctional facilities during and after hurricane Katrina and is also urging the DOJ to make the findings from such an investigation public and accessible to state and federal prosecutors.

Limited Communication for Terrorist Inmates (06/02/2006)
On April 3, 2006, the Bureau of Prisons proposed a new regulation imposing severe restrictions on the ability of persons in Bureau custody to communicate with the outside world. Although the regulation is titled “Limited Communication for Terrorist Inmates,” the regulation can be applied to persons who have not been convicted, or even charged, with any act of terrorism, or indeed with any crime at all.

ACLU comments on proposed DOJ regulations impacting disabled prisoners (05/26/2005)

ACLU Letter to the House Subcommittee on Financial Management, the Budget and International Security Expressing Concerns about S. 346, Which Prevents Offenders from Obtaining Job Skills and Benefitting from Opportunities for Rehabilitation (04/06/2004)

ACLU Interested Persons Memo Expressing Concerns about H.R. 3214, the "Advancing Justice Through DNA Technology Act of 2003", which Includes the Innocence Protection Act (12/16/2003)

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