Legal resources for people in prison in Massachusetts
Prisoners' Legal Services
50 Federal St.
7th Fl.
Boston, MA 02110-2585
(617) 451-6383 (Fax)
(617) 482-2773 (Main)
Serves: MA
Focus area/description: PLS is an organization committed to being anti-racist and whose 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. The office prioritizes work involving health and mental health care, assaults by staff, extreme conditions of confinement, misuse of segregation and isolation, and racial equity.
PLS has a toll free speed dial number accessible to all state prisoners on the PIN system: 9004. County prisoners must call collect at (617) 482-4124.
Prisoners' Legal Services confirmed this listing on June 29, 2026.
These national self-help guides may be useful to people in prison in Massachusetts:
The Jailhouse Lawyers Manual is a free-to-print 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.
The Prison Book Program produces a free legal resource for incarcerated people called the Insider’s Guide to Jailhouse Law. This guide provides a comprehensive and practical overview of the legal system, and it discusses important legal developments over the last two decades. It is available for free on their website in English and Spanish. You can email the Prison Book Program if you would like them to mail your loved one the guide.
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Events
- July 9, 2026:
Join the Prison Policy Initiative, Latino Justice, and the MacArthur Justice Center for a powerful webinar focused on the parole board process and the case for the presumption of release. It will begin with a firsthand account from Frank Silva and his interview for freedom followed by Clinical Professor of Law Heidi Rummel and the legality of “presumption of release,” and how California’s framework has shifted the burden of proof.
Register here
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