The Lewisburg Prison Project (LPP) was founded in 1973 by a group of concerned citizens seeking to ensure humane treatment of incarcerated individuals in local prisons and jails. The organization focuses on the conditions of confinement and advocates for the rights of those who are incarcerated.
The LPP works primarily within the scope of the First, Fourth, Eighth and 14th Amendments, as these areas most directly affect prisoners’ rights to proper living conditions, health care and mail access. The organization reviews correspondence from incarcerated individuals to determine whether legal action is appropriate. Its goal is to assist prisoners whose rights have been violated and to improve the overall quality of life for those who are incarcerated.
According to Angela Trop, president of the Lewisburg Prison Project, “We receive at a minimum 60 letters a month from inmates all over the country.” The volume of requests remains high, largely because information about civil liberties in prison settings is not easily accessible.
The LPP’s mission is not to challenge criminal sentences but to raise awareness of prisoners’ civil rights and ensure those rights are upheld. Regardless of the crime committed, every incarcerated person is entitled to humane treatment and proper care from prison staff.
Students on Bucknell’s campus now have the opportunity to get involved with the Lewisburg Prison Project and make a real impact in the community. Through this internship, students help expand access to civil rights information for incarcerated individuals.
Angela Trop explained that “prisoners can sometimes feel alienated and may be subjected to targeting if higher-ups see that they are trying to reach out to groups like the LPP.” Incarcerated individuals who contact advocacy organizations may face discrimination or punishment for simply seeking to understand their rights.
Mail correspondence between prisons and outside organizations can also be slow and heavily monitored. The current LPP intern is working with wardens to make legal information more readily available within prisons. This project aims to reduce the amount of mail exchanged while ensuring that incarcerated individuals have access to accurate, up-to-date information about their civil rights.
Because the board of directors members have other professional obligations, LPP interns typically work about 10 hours per week in a virtual internship format. The position offers valuable experience in nonprofit operations, civil rights advocacy and the intersection of law and social justice.
Students interested in applying for the LPP internship can find full details and instructions on Handshake:👉 https://bucknell.joinhandshake.com/jobs/10261683
