To find a program or assistance near you, see the Directory of Programs Serving Families of Adult Offenders. You may also want to Search FCN.

1. How can I learn more about children of incarcerated parents?

See the Children of Prisoners Library (CPL). CPL has many free pamphlets you can download. Also you can Search FCN using the keyword: children.

The Center for Children of Incarcerated Parents, 626/ 449-8796, PO Box 41-286, Eagle Rock, CA 90041, Denise Johnston, Director, has many excellent publications.

See also books to read with children of prisoners: a list of titles and publishers.

2: How can I find a program serving families of prisoners in a particular location?

For the U.S. or Canada See the Directory of Programs Serving Families of Adult Offenders and look under the appropriate state or see the link to Canada.

3: How can I get financial support for a program serving families of prisoners?

Many programs serving families of prisoners receive some of their support from local churches. This is usually the place to start. You also might look in the Directory of Programs Serving Families of Adult Offenders, find programs like yours and ask them how they are funded.

Grants are hard to get but you could get lucky. We have listed some possible grant making agencies on this web site.

4: How can I get legal information?

FCN does not give legal advice or handle legal matters. We have listed some legal links on this web site.

We do not know of lawyers who will provide pro bono (free) services.

5: Is there financial aid for Ex-convicts?

We have not found any government loans/grants for ex-prisoners. The closest thing we know about is targeted job tax credits for employers who hire ex-prisoners. Of course ex-prisoners can apply, if eligible, for disability benefits through social security. But that is no different from anybody else in society.

6: I have a loved one who is locked up. I feel isolated. Who can I talk with that can understand?

We are not able to respond to all inquiries. To find someone in a similar situation to talk with, consider looking for a program serving families of prisoners near you or your loved one's institution. Also see our chat group list.

7: How can I locate an inmate in a state prison or federal prison?

Go to the Federal Bureau of Prisons web site at http://www.bop.gov and select Inmate Information. They provide a list of inmate locator phone numbers for State prisons as well as information on how to find inmates in the Federal system.

8: How can I get information on the rules, procedures and programs in a state, county or federal prison?

The corrections.com site has links for State, County and Federal prisons. These sites can provide the official view of how the system works and identify who is responsible for the different aspects of a particular system.

9: How can I send a book to a prisoner? The venders I contacted refused.

The Quest Book Store ships books to prisoners. Call 800/346-9223 or email: questka@mindspring.com.

10: What can be done about the high cost of collect phone calls from prisoners?

See http://www.curenational.org/~etc/ 

11.  Are there correspondence courses prisoners can take? 

Prisoners Resources http://www.prisonerresources.com/  offers some courses on non-profit management and grant writing.