Who
Writers and artists interested in doing journalism, who are incarcerated or formerly incarcerated. We also welcome submissions by family members and others affected by the criminal legal system. First-time writers are welcome.
What
WHAT: Articles, essays and illustrations that incorporate firsthand observations and/or experiences about life inside the prison legal system. Our word count is 500 – 1,200 words (ideally 1,000 words or less). Please send no more than ONE STORY per submission and no more than ONE SUBMISSION per month. We prefer one story that you’ve put a lot of work into rather than three stories that were dashed off. Write or type clearly on standard-sized 8.5 x 11-inch paper. We cannot publish work that we cannot understand. We do not publish claims of innocence, stories that re-litigate individual cases or public advocacy campaigns. Submission categories include:
- NEWS AND FEATURES: Articles and true stories related to incarceration that report on interesting, compelling or significant news, events and moments that happened inside based on your observations, reporting, interviews and research.
- ESSAYS: Personal and reported essays about something interesting, compelling or significant you experienced or observed.
- OP-EDS AND PERSPECTIVES: Opinion articles and short commentaries based on your personal experience with a central point or argument, observation, or call to action, usually grounded in evidence (research, statistics, interviews, etc.) that complements your personal experience.
- ILLUSTRATIONS: No more than three sketches, paintings, political cartoons and other art that illustrate a perspective or scene of prison life. Please provide a detailed caption (but no more than 250 words) explaining the intention behind the work or telling the story behind it.
Facts in your piece must be information you gathered firsthand and cannot be speculation or rumor unless clearly expressed as such.
When
We accept stories on a rolling basis. We will send an acknowledgment when we receive your submission, but it is not a guarantee of publication. An editor will reach out if we are able to work with the story. After publication, you will receive a copy of the piece as it appears on our website. You may receive an honorarium for your published piece. Timely stories will be expedited. (If you do not hear from an editor within 12 weeks of receiving the story acknowledgment, it has not been accepted.) Unfortunately, we cannot return your submissions. Please make a copy of it before submitting.
WHERE
You may submit your piece in one of the following ways:
- Prison Messaging: We are on JPay, Securus, Corrlinks and GTL Connect Network. Our email is writer-relations@prisonjournalismproject.org.
- We can also receive messages on GTL Getting Out, but we cannot receive submissions on it because of the severe limitations of the service.
- E-mail: submissions@prisonjournalismproject.org
- **UPDATED** Postal mail for ALL SUBMISSIONS, INCLUDING ILLUSTRATIONS, PHOTOS AND HEADSHOTS:
Prison Journalism Project
490 43rd Street, Unit #360
Oakland, CA 94609
HOW
All accepted stories are rigorously edited and fact checked. The process typically requires several exchanges between the writer and PJP editor, as is standard practice in professional newsrooms. We view this process as a collaboration with the writer and seek to respect their intentions while also honoring the reader’s demands for clarity, insight and delight. Throughout editing and fact checking, editors will send memos explaining edits and providing the writer an opportunity to review changes, answer questions and raise concerns.
***************************************
You must sign and submit the following with your first submission (download as PDF, see page 3):
Permission to Publish and Acknowledgement
In order for PJP to publish your work, we require you to send us the following permission and acknowledgement. Please cut it out of this document or copy it, then sign and send it with your submission. You only need to do this only with your first submission.
I hereby grant to PJP a non-exclusive, permanent, royalty-free license to edit, publish, reproduce, distribute, transmit, sub-license, and archive in all forms and media worldwide any work that I submit to PJP. I still own my work and can re-publish or share my work with others in any way I choose.
I also hereby acknowledge that PJP has the sole right in its own discretion to decide whether to publish my work and make any revisions to it, and that I am and will remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, and legal compliance of the work. I recognize and accept that the submission and publication of my work may have consequences regarding my conditions of incarceration or in other ways and that PJP will be unable to provide legal or other assistance.
[Signature]
[Name]
[Date]
***************************************
Required Header Format of Story Submissions
At the top of your submission, please write “PJP SUBMISSIONS” and provide the following information:
- Full Name and Prison ID # as well as your preferred author name (if different than your name)
- Your facility name and mailing address:
- Best way to contact you:
- Date:
Download a PDF version of our complete Submission Guidelines.