Human Rights Defense Center

Human Rights Defense Center
Founded1996; 28 years ago (1996)
FounderPaul Wright
TypeNon-profit, NGO
FocusCriminal justice reform, free speech
HeadquartersLake Worth Beach, Florida, United States
Area served
United States
ProductNon-profit human rights advocacy
Key people
Paul Wright(Executive Director)
Susan Schwartzkopf (Chief Financial Officer)
Dan Marshall (Litigation Director)
Websitehumanrightsdefensecenter.org

Human Rights Defense Center (HRDC) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization that campaigns on behalf of prisoner rights across the United States. The organization advocates for the rights of people in "state and federal prisons, local jails, immigration detention centers, civil commitment facilities, Bureau of Indian Affairs jails, juvenile facilities and military prisons."[1] Some of the major focuses of the HRDC include work on free speech issues, government transparency and accountability, as well as opposition to the private prison industry.

HRDC is also the parent organization of Prison Legal News (PLN), a monthly publication that covers litigation and other criminal justice news, which is the nation's longest running newspaper produced by and for prisoners.[2] Through PLN, HRDC also publishes and offers books to prisoners pertaining to legal and self-help resources designed to help "prisoners navigate through the legal system"[3] The organization is currently running a number of campaigns, including its Campaign for Prison Phone Justice,[4] the Stop Prison Profiteering campaign,[5] and the Prison Ecology Project.[6] A major part of HRDC's funding is through revenue earned from its publishing and litigation, as well as book sales, but the organization also receives individual donations as well as crowdfunding efforts on its behalf.[7]

  1. ^ "Home - Human Rights Defense Center". humanrightsdefensecenter.org.
  2. ^ Ant, Fire (2013-12-26). "Human Rights Publication Prison Legal News, Founded by a Convicted Murderer, Now Based in Lake Worth". Broward Palm Beach New Times.
  3. ^ Langford, Cameron (2016-07-12). "Prison Magazine is Most Censored in the US". Courthouse News Service.
  4. ^ "Rates and Kickbacks - Prison Phone Justice". prisonphonejustice.org.
  5. ^ "Stop Prison Profiteering: Stop Prison Profiteering". actionnetwork.org.
  6. ^ Kirchner, Lauren (2015-07-30). "Environmental Justice for Prisoners". Pacific Standard Magazine.
  7. ^ "HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENSE CENTER 2015 ANNUAL REPORT" (PDF). Humanrightsdefensecenter.org. Retrieved 2017-02-24.