Legal Services for Prisoners with Children is a non-profit agency of 13 employees. We offer opportunities year-round for law students and non-law student interns and volunteers.
LSPC offers 3 student intern sessions per year, January through May, June through August and September through December. During the summer sessions, our interns are expected to work a minimum of 35 hours per week. We ask for a 16-hour week minimum commitment for law students and a 10-hour minimum commitment from non-law students during the fall and spring sessions. All interns and volunteers are assigned a staff member responsible for supervising his/her work during the commitment period. Interns are also assigned a mentor to guide them in their personal development during the time commitment.
We are also committed to working with other programs dedicated to placing interns in our organization, so we are willing to accept interns from individual programs that may not be able to comply with our scheduled session dates.
Here are some of the projects interns and volunteers would be assigned:
- All of Us or None Organizing- A project dedicated to uniting and strengthening the voices of people most affected by U.S. prison politics – people convicted of felonies and former prisoners. Community outreach efforts are constantly being organized to inform and educate public officials, community leaders, and community members about the discriminatory practices formerly incarcerated people face as we re-enter society. Community Summits, policy initiatives, outreach inside jails and/or prisons, and corresponding to prisoners are a few of the ways interns and volunteers can join in this effort. Leadership development is a priority with this project and we welcome everyone who is interested in fighting for social change to join in this movement.
- Answering prisoner letters – We receive a significant number of letters from prisoners regarding a variety of issues. Although we work mainly with women prisoners, incarcerated men from all over the country write us daily. We answer all prisoner letters. Prisoners who actively work on their own cases and also help other prisoners inside sometimes request LSPC to research and/or find specific case law to send them. Interns are able to gain experience researching case law for this work. We have developed several form letters that are used and can be tailored to answer prisoner letters.
- Prison visits – LSPC provides limited direct advocacy on behalf of individual women prisoners primarily around issues of medical neglect. This work includes regular investigative visits to California’s state women’s prisons where staff and interns interview women about the conditions of their confinement. Working under the supervision of staff, interns take part in all aspects of prisons visits and on-going advocacy efforts. All interns receive an orientation prior to participating in this aspect of the work.
- California Habeas Project – The Habeas Project is a collaboration between Legal Services for Prisoners with Children, California Women’s Law Center and the USC Post-Conviction Justice Project. It was established in early 2002. The project offers free legal assistance to select battered women prisoners in California who qualify for assistance under Penal Code §1473.5. As of January, 2011, the project has secured the release of 29 women.
- Working with the Family Unity Project – This project focuses on the impact of incarceration on children and family members. We believe that children have the right to a lifelong relationship with their parents. We help parents in prison establish and enforce their right to be visited by their children. We have a special interest in pregnant prisoners. We conduct investigations, write reports and make educational presentations to a variety of forums.
- We publish several manuals and information packets regarding prison issues that are updated regularly. Volunteers and interns work on these updates.
For more information about our intern program, please contact Robin Rederford at 415-255-7036 ext. 305 or robin@prisonerswithchildren.org.
