Overview and History: The Prison Book Program (PBP), located in Quincy, MA, mails books to prisoners throughout the country in response to their written requests for books of interest to them. In the fall of 2015, CDT’s Criminal Justice Task Force organized a book drive in which over 400 books were donated to the PBP by our members. In May, 2016, CDT members began volunteering at the PBP, and continued doing so through the start of 2020. Recognizing the need for books on unusual topics, CDT coordinated a project in November, 2016, in which congregants purchased books to meet specific requests made by prisoners in their letters, or made financial donations to meet those requests. In addition to fiction and non-fiction books, the PBP will send a basic prisoner resource list and legal primer to prisoners upon request.
Ways to Contribute: While CDT is no longer organizing volunteers for the PBP, there are still opportunities for individuals to be involved in this important work. Volunteers do one of three tasks: read prisoner letters and select books from stacks to match prisoner requests; verify that the books selected match the stated requests and comply with prison reading material restrictions and write invoices; and package up books and address packages. People can donate books that meet PBP guidelines specified on their website.
Leadership/Contacts: For information about book donations and volunteering at the PBP in Quincy, contact https://prisonbookprogram.org or CDT member Barbara Shatkin at bfshatkin@aol.com.
