Resources for the Formerly Incarcerated
Along with local organizations, we offer court-involved individuals, and their families, information and resources to help during and after incarceration.
How We Can Help You
- Job Resources - Free job search and career development programs are offered at the Central Library.
- Technology Skills - Learn basic computer skills, how to use the Web, Microsoft Office programs and more.
- Adult Education Tutoring - One-on-one, walk-in tutoring to help learners with test preparation, job readiness and life skills.
Community Resources
- Crisis Connections - Crisis Connections connects people in physical, emotional and financial crisis to helpful services. They maintain a comprehensive list of re-entry resources in King County.
- Alternatives to Violence Project - Training program enabling participants to deal with potentially violent situations in new and creative ways. Workshops are run by trained facilitators and are experiential (not based on lectures).
- Children and Family Booklist - Books, DVDs and web resources for children and teens with court involved family members.
- Clearviction - Provides an online calculator to determine eligibility to vacate a Washington state conviction. Vacated records can support individual’s ability to access housing, employment, education, government assistance, and more.
- Division of Child Support Alternative Solutions Program - This program links parents with government and community groups to increase their ability to get a job and be financially stable.
- Freedom Project - An educational organization serving inmates and those recently released back into the community. Their programs focus on nonviolent communication and mindfulness.
- Goodwill Job Training and Education Programs - Goodwill offers training and education as well as help finding a job.
- Guide to Sealing and Destroying Court Records, Vacating Convictions and Deleting Criminal History Records - A Washington State court brochure that provides information about sealing and destroying court records, vacating convictions, and deleting criminal history records.
- ILS Re-Entry Wiki - The Washington State Library division of Institutional Services list of links to a wide range of resources for people re-entering after incarceration. Contains statewide resources with robust resource links in Spanish and can be searched by county.
- Interaction Transition - Facilitates a successful, law-abiding transition by formerly incarcerated individuals, from life in prison to life in the free community.
- King County Community Partnership for Transition Solutions - A group of over 40 partners that work with court-involved individuals released from prison or jail that are transitioning to their families and community.
- Legal Financial Obligations (LFO) Interest Waiver Guide - This brochure provides information and forms on how to obtain a court order waiving or reducing interest on legal financial obligations (LFOs) in Washington State.
- National Reentry Resource Center - An organization that provides resources, information and guidance for individuals as well as service providers.
- Neighborhood Legal Clinics - Offers free, limited legal advice and referrals to King County residents and Washington State residents with legal issues in King County who might otherwise have no access to the legal system.
- Northwest Justice Project - Provides critical civil legal assistance and representation to low-income people in cases affecting basic human needs such as family safety and security, housing preservation, protection of income, access to health care, education and other basic needs.
- Parents for Parents Program - The King County Superior Court offers a program to help parents whose children have been removed from their care by Child Protective Services (CPS) or whose children are in an in-home dependency.
- Pioneer Human Services - Serves individuals released from prison or jail, and those in recovery, who are in need of treatment, housing, job skills training and employment.
- Reinstate a Washington Driver's License - Get personalized instructions for what one needs to do to reinstate a Washington State driver's license.
- Seattle Municipal Court Community Resource Center - A one-stop connection point to multiple services in downtown Seattle: DSHS, ADATSA Assessments, Substance Abuse Services, plus housing, mental health and domestic violence treatment.
- Voting Rights Restoration - Washington State's information page on voting rights after a felony conviction.
- Voting Right Restoration ACLU - American Civil Liberties Union fliers with information on restoration of voting rights after a felony conviction. Available in español (Spanish), اَلْعَرَبِيَّةُ(Arabic), 中文 (Chinese), 한국어 (Korean), Oromiffa (Oromo), af Soomaali (Somali), Tagalog and tiếng Việt (Vietnamese).
- Washington Law Help - Legal advice and resources for Washingtonians who cannot afford a lawyer.
Additional Resources
- Who Pays? - The True Cost of Incarceration on Families - A report that proves the costs of locking up millions of people in jail cells is much deeper than we think – when we lock up individuals we also break apart their families and communities.
- Columbia Legal Services - Columbia Legal Services advocates for people who face injustice and poverty, using policy reform, litigation, and innovative partnerships.
- Families for Justice as Healing - Families for Justice as Healing organizes formerly incarcerated women to join the movement toward ending incarceration of women.
- If Project - The If Project is a partnership between law enforcement, currently and previously incarcerated adults, and community leaders to build commonality, reduce misperceptions and serve as a deterrent to recidivism and future incarceration.
- Incarcerated Parents Project - The Incarcerated Parents Project reduces the overall chances of family separation due to parental incarceration in Washington State.
- National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls - The mission of the National Council for Incarcerated and Formerly Incarcerated Women and Girls is to end the incarceration of women and girls by building a movement grounded in support, coalition building, solidarity and human rights.
- Projects for a Civil Society - Works to bring Alternatives to Violence Project to veterans, the incarcerated, schools, and youth.
- Seattle Fair Chance Employment Ordinance - This ordinance restricts how employers can use conviction and arrest records during the hiring process and course of employment within city limits.
- Washington State Court Directory - Find contact information for the Washington State Courts and organizations related to Official Court Business.