Share This Campaign:
Short Summary
Maybe you wonder why inmates need help learning to write complaints (grievances). With an average reading level of 5th grade and lots of misinformation, inmates rarely write a grievance that succeeds. They need our help.
I've written college texts, legal writing columns, and a prison-conditions blog. Review me at legalwritersink.com and prisongrievances.com. I've spent 10 years creating this graphic novel
- to help the 1 in 100 Americans in our prison system,
- to help the courts receive credible writs, and
- to help taxpayers avoid paying for time-consuming, frivolous, or erroneous filings.
Multitudes of prison officials and staff, court personnel, defense and plaintiff attorneys, reading specialists, and academics have reviewed the manuscript. A professional artist and professional letterer (yep!) worked to make each page both entertaining and educational. The formerly incarcerated who have reviewed it are ready to send a graphic novel back to their old roomies.
Your donation will touch the lives of thousands of our citizens in prisons, jails, and detention centers. The graphic novel is only $10--how can you go wrong?
What We Need & What You Get
We want to send a copy of this novel into every state and federal prison library. Your money will pay for
- your own copy of this useful novel;
- copies sent directly to state and federal prison libraries. (The U.S. has 128 federal prisons; Vermont has 7 state prisons, Alaska 14, and Texas appx. 120. Lots of prisons! These numbers do not include miitary prisons, ICE detention centers, or privately run prisons.)
Perks!!!
We've got them, and we want you to have them! We'll send you and prison libraries the graphic novel; we'll send you a poster-sized front or back cover (and they are beautiful). We'll make sure everyone sees your name, or your organization's name, on the prisongrievances blog and prisongrievances facebook page. Give enough, and I'll travel to your group to discuss prison conditions; give more, and I'll bring along a court or prison official.
Best-ever perk? YOU can become a character in the novel. OK, so maybe you haven't dreamed of being an inmate ... but how about a judge? bailiff? defense attorney? Give big, and you can be a star. We'll send you a big poster of your panel or page. Hurry--we'll do this for only 2 people.
The Impact
It is time--way past time--for this information to be published as a graphic novel.
- Friends and families can learn what rights inmates retain while in prison. They can share that information.
- State prison systems can hold copies in prison libraries.
- Prison system officials can use the novel as an educational tool during staff orientation.
- Human rights groups can use the novel during orientations and educational meetings.
- Educational groups can use the novel within The Walls for reading exercises: we have created the 5th-grade-level dialogue and prison issues specifically for this audience.
Many people have worked to create this edgy approach to inmate education. I want to count you as a part of that effort.
Other Ways You Can Help
In addition to pledging dollars, you can help make this project happen:
- get the word out--facebook! listserves! (make some noise about inmate conditions)
- ask friends if they have someone in prison/jail, and ask them to help sponsor us so the book is available soon
- talk with your religious leaders about prison ministry and how this graphic novel can help resolve unnecessary suffering
- attach this graphic novel's fiscal impact to discussions about saving tax dollars (hey, that comes up a lot, right?)
- make this graphic novel the service project for your frat or sorority or Sunday School group
- use your Indiegogo share tools!
And that’s all there is to it. But do hurry so we can send our Big Thank-Yous!
Team on This Campaign:
-
Terri LeClercqauthor
-
Kristee Humphrey
technical support
-
Kelley Gardner
supporting editor
