Brooklyn Defender Services (BDS)
Free court-appointed defense in criminal, family and immigration matters (Brooklyn and Queens), plus civil advocacy, social work, and the Reentry Speaks support group.
Independent prison monitor that tracks conditions in NYS prisons and takes reports from incarcerated people and families.
Incarcerated people and their families.
Contact by mail or phone
Details change, so call ahead to confirm hours and eligibility.
Free court-appointed defense in criminal, family and immigration matters (Brooklyn and Queens), plus civil advocacy, social work, and the Reentry Speaks support group.
Housing, healthcare, job training and legal help for homeless and low-income New Yorkers affected by HIV/AIDS; Emergency and Transitional Housing program gives 12 months of housing for people recently released.
Statewide network for people affected by mass incarceration: substance treatment and recovery communities, sentence mitigation, court advocacy, workforce readiness, civic restoration, emergency/transitional housing, youth mentoring.
Defends people accused of federal crimes who cannot afford a lawyer, handles appeals, and supports reentry programs for people with substance use disorder and mental illness. Eastern District covers Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island; Southern covers Manhattan and the Bronx.