MISSION

The Community Legal & Advocacy Services Project (CLASP) is a small, grassroots organization that works directly with prisoners to end mass incarceration.

OBJECTIVE

At its core, CLASP believes in:

• Working directly with prisoners in order to bridge the gap between public awareness and prisoner stories, cases, and activist work.
• Acting as a conduit and hub as prisoners lead the way to fight recidivism, prevent incarceration, and lobby for humane conditions.
• Making cases, legal requirements, and state/federal law easily accessible, readable, and open for communities to build upon.

PRISONERS RIGHTS LITIGATION

CLASP conducts pro bono impact litigation on behalf of prisoners and prisoners’ justice associations. Our clients are jailhouse lawyers, prison paralegals, artists, activists, and leaders within the prison community who aim to improve the lives of all prisoners. Regardless of legal outcomes, CLASP’s Law for Prisoners program informs the public of pressing prisoners’ justice issues in New Jersey.

ONLINE PUBLICATION

CLASP publishes articles, news reports, and creative work by prisoners and prisoners' rights advocates online at Medium.com. Subscribe to our newsletter to get updates on investigative prison journalism throughout New Jersey.

SUPPORT

CLASP remains humbled by the trust of our clients, mentors, and everyday supporters. We do our best to clearly and consistently broadcast our work with transparency and compassion for those seeking information, knowledge, and change.

If you appreciate the work we’re doing to end mass incarceration, please consider becoming a supporter and donating on behalf of prisoners’ justice. As a small grassroots organization, CLASP is dependent on your donations to continue providing free legal and advocacy services to prisoners.

NONPROFIT STATUS

CLASP is a project of the Center for Action Research, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organization. As such, your donations are 100% tax-deductible.