Our Mission

Prison Book Program mails books to people in prison to support their educational, vocational and personal development and to help them avoid returning to prison after their release. We also aim to provide a quality volunteer experience that introduces citizens to issues surrounding the American prison system and the role of education in reforming it.

Statement of Values

Here at Prison Book Program, we want to create an environment that is fun, informative, and above all, respectful. As an organization, we recognize and promote respect for:

Reading - Providing free books fosters improved reading and literacy skills -- a most basic human skill.

 Education - Literacy enables prisoners to further their education. Educational skills have been proven to be one of the only factors that directly reduces the rate at which parolees return to prison.

Space - We are guests of the United First Parish Church of Quincy, one of the most historic congregations and church buildings in the Boston area. Although we are not affiliated with UFPC, we are entrusted with access to this location to perform our work.

 Prisoners - PBP provides a necessary service to incarcerated men and women within the USA. Prisoners are often misunderstood; alternatively demonized and romanticized in the media and popular culture. We strive to provide a view of the realities of the prison experience through the letters, poetry and art of our prisoner patrons.

 Each Other - PBP volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds and interests, and have a range of motivations for choosing to perform this work. PBP fosters a respectful and supportive environment in order to ensure positive volunteer experiences.

Circumstances - There are a wide variety of life paths and situations that result in people ending up in prisons, jails, and other correctional facilities. We do not make judgments about the past actions of our prisoner patrons, but rather respect and applaud their efforts at self-improvement.

Time - PBP operates exclusively on the efforts of volunteers, and as such we respect the thousands of hours of volunteer time that are donated each year. When you volunteer with PBP, your time will be well-spent advancing the mission of the organization.