HUMAN RIGHTS SUMMER INTERNSHIPS WORKING WITH WOMEN PRISONERS

WHO WE ARE:  JUSTICE NOW is dedicated to ending violence against women in prison and to stopping their increasing imprisonment. Justice Now is the only teaching law clinic in the country solely focused on the needs of women prisoners. We support the peer organizing efforts of women prisoners by bringing healthcare providers and community activists inside to work with prisoner peer educators, and we train the next generation of activist lawyers and community organizers committed to working for social justice. Our work focuses on the almost 8,000 women imprisoned in the world's two largest women's prisons, both located in Chowchilla, California.

HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTATION PROGRAM: This Program, which began in September 2003, uses the human rights framework to expose abuses against imprisoned and formerly imprisoned women and the racism and sexism that underlie such abuses. In particular, we plan to focus on the treatment of Hepatitis C in prison and the destruction of the family by the criminal justice system. The Program is one of the first to use a participatory documentation strategy that actively partners with women prisoners to gather information and draft reports on selected human rights violations. Toward that end, we will educate imprisoned and formerly imprisoned women about the human rights framework and work with imprisoned and formerly imprisoned women to expose and remedy human rights abuses against them.

OUR CLIENTS: The women's prison population in the United States has grown by almost 500% since 1980. There are over 11,000 women in prison in California alone. Over 80% of women in prison are serving time for property or drug offenses. Women of color disproportionately are imprisoned, comprising 60% of women prisoners. Women prisoners face medical neglect, sexual harassment and abuse, and isolation from their children and other family members.

WHAT INTERNS DO: Interns can earn school credit working at Justice Now. Human rights interns will conduct cutting -edge research on international human rights standards for women in prison, especially those dealing with reproductive rights and rights of the family, and interview women prisoners about human rights violations. They will work with the Human Rights Director and women prisoners to develop human rights reports using participatory documentation.

To Apply: Please send cover letter, resume and writing sample to:

Robin Levi, Human Rights Director, Justice Now, 1322 Webster Street, Suite 210, Oakland, CA 94612 by February 15.

For more information, please contact Robin at Levir@mindspring.com or call

510.839.7654 x 5#.