Protecting the rights of people behind bars through advocacy, education, and litigation.
We demand fair and humane treatment.
Founded in 1976 and located in Berkeley, California, the Prison Law Office (PLO) is a nonprofit public interest law firm that strives to reduce incarceration and demands fair and humane treatment consistent with the Constitution and other laws for people who remain in prisons, jails, and juvenile facilities and who are on parole.
OUR IMPACT
Through our litigation, client-centered advocacy, and legislative reforms efforts, we have won:
Dramatic reductions in the use of solitary confinement in prisons and jails.
Sweeping court-ordered accommodations for people with disabilities in prisons and jails.
Unprecedented reforms to stop correctional staff misconduct, including the deployment of body-worn cameras on many custody officers in California state prisons.
Numerous state and federal cases vindicating the rights of people in prisons and jails, including a U.S. Supreme Court victory on prison overcrowding, leading to substantial population reduction in California prisons.
Expanded access to medical and mental health care in prisons and jails.
Resources
We create and maintain informational resources on a variety of topics including people’s rights in prisons and jails. Click below to browse our resources.
